According to research published by Accenture, the number of females working in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) fields has fallen since the 1990s. We were as surprised as you probably are by this finding, as we have been encouraging girls to code for many years now.
But why should girls learn to code, and as a parent, is there anything you can do to get your girl more interested in programming this year?
The answer to both of those questions is yes. Here’s what we think about girls learning to code, and how it could of huge benefit to not just the individual, but society as a whole.
Reasons why girls should learn to code
1. Coding helps girls with academic performance and problem solving
Girls that learn to code are able to improve in a range of educational topics such as mathematics, writing, and creativity.
Computer programming tasks always have a beginning, middle and definitive end. It’s almost like telling a story. Code also has its own language where every letter in the alphabet has a special formula.
The process of coding can help girls developed their English language skills, but also visualise more abstract concepts in a fun format that lets them apply mathematics to real-life problem solving.
2. Coding helps girls in their future career
In the UK there’s said to be a shortage of coders. This offers a fantastic future career opportunity for boys and girls that learn to code early. Plus, as it stands, only 15% of UK programmers are female… so there’s definitely room for improvement!
There’s also research to suggest that females working in the tech sector are able to earn as much as 35% more than females working in non-tech jobs.
Then there are companies such as Apple who are actually making proactive steps to get more girls coding; Apple recently said they want to employ more females in tech.
Initiatives like this puts your girl in a great advantage if she can learn to code early on.
The bottom line is this; if your daughter reaches employment age in the next 10 years, having a coding background will put her skills in demand. There should no shortage of career options.
Compare this to other jobs and the very real fear that robotics is set to automate so many current positions, it’s going to put girl coders in a great position.
And lastly, here’s what Professor Wendy Hall at the University of Southampton told The Guardian:
“As we go into the world of AI, when people are designing algorithms that help us live our lives, it will be very bad if that’s all done by men. Social care, looking after kids, so many aspects of our lives. We really need as many people as possible doing this. It’s really important and it’s going to get more important.”
3. Coding can help to empower girls
There are still many people who have opinion of coding being just for boys. A girl that codes can help to prove those people wrong.
Just imagine your daughter designing and building her own computer game (just one of FunTech’s coding courses this summer) or developing her own fully functional robot.
That’s an empowering place for a girl to be considering the vast majority of kids making this happen will be boys. Your daughter could be the inspiration for the next generation of girl coders.
See if you can get your daughter interesting in programming. Your girl could help bucks the current trends and break down out of date stereotypes.
4. Coding could help your girl change the world
Girls that learn to code from a young age are almost certainly going to be the pioneers of the future.
Your daughter could even go on to change people’s lives. By working on apps, robotics, and other computing programs, she could help shape our future for the better in the education, health, and energy sectors.
How to get girls more interested in programming
Aside from one of the FunTech coding camps, there are many different ways you can get your girl more interested in programming and coding. Here are just a few ideas.
- Start girls coding young: We have found that the younger a girl starts to code, the better her chances will be of getting passionate about it. Our coding camps are suitable for girls aged 7 years and up.
- Avoid toy stereotypes: Consider buying toys that have traditionally been targeted at the male gender. Engineering toys and science kits are a great example.
- Consider your own bias: It’s an unfortunate fact of life that even parents with the best of intentions can still have a bias without recognising it. Encourage your girl to sign up to the school computer class rather than something said to be more “traditional”.
- Find your daughter a role model: If you have any female friends who work in tech, see if you can get them to talk about the career to your daughter. It’s important for girls to see strong female role models, and possible mentors they can follow.
- Enrol your girl in a coding camp: A coding course could be the kickstart your daughter needs to learn to code. FunTech teaches girls how to code at a range of locations around the UK.
How FunTech can help your girl learn to code
FunTech has been developing girls’ tech skills since 1996. Our summer science and technology camps do this with a fun-based learning approach and a wide range of STEM-based courses.
All of our camps are designed to be inclusive, offering both boys and girls an interactive and innovative program that will educate them and encourage a passion for technology.
The majority of our summer camps have a coding element to them. For example, the following summer camps are all available to book your daughter on, giving her an opportunity to express herself as a girl coder:
- Scratch Coding
- Minecraft with Mods
- Roblox Game Maker
- Indie Game Maker
- Code-a-Bot: Robot Wars
- Python Game Developer
- Java Coder
Our kids’ coding camps run every summer from various locations across London and the south of England.
FunTech coding camps offer the ideal environment for your girl to learn to code. All courses and camps are set in a safe and fun format that will keep them engaged throughout the week’s program.
Why choose FunTech coding camps for your daughter?
- We are Ofsted Registered.
- We have an average of 8 to 1 pupil to tutor ratio.
- We offer a structured learning environment.
- We have been established since 1996.
- We run summer classes that are scheduled 9am to 5pm.
Book now to avoid disappointment
Our summer kid’s coding camps are extremely popular and to tend to fill up very quickly with both girls and boys.
If you would like to explore the dates and venues available, plus find out a little bit more about how your girl can learn to code, please explore our courses or get in touch with a member of our team.
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