Code Like a Girl

Flagship Microsoft Store Sydney partners with Code Like a Girl to offer free coding workshops these July school holidays

The Flagship Microsoft Store Sydney has today announced it is partnering with Code Like a Girl to bring a series of free coding workshops to girls aged 6-15 years old from Monday 9^th July to Sunday 15^th July 2018. The workshops aim to address the need for skilled female information communications technology (ICT) specialists, working to empower and inspire young girls to get involved in coding and encourage this skill for potential future careers in IT industries.

According to recent industry research, in the last 2 years over 40,000 ICT jobs have been created in Australia – but only 13% of girls study STEM in grades eleven and twelve, and just 1 in 10 enrolments to IT based degrees are girls. Combined, women account for less than 24% of the current IT workforce.

The Code Like a Girl workshops are the latest addition to the line-up of free educational workshops available at Microsoft Store. These range from Academy to Creative illustration and design to Xbox game design and Minecraft coding. The Code Like a Girl workshops address the growing need for skilled ICT workers in Australia and Microsoft's commitment to improving diversity in the tech industry.

Code Like a Girl is an Australian organisation with the goal to reimagine the future for girls and women in the technology industry. The workshops at flagship Microsoft Store Sydney will be conducted by instructors with practical experience in the field, giving girls the opportunity to get hands on with technology, learning an array of skills from how to build websites, to how to create digital art and games, all using coding techniques and programs.

Jessica Erhart, Community Development Specialist at the flagship Microsoft Store Sydney commented on the partnership saying, 'By providing young girls an opportunity to develop an active interest in coding, we can help deliver real impact to the future of the Australian technology industry. We see from our customers every day that there is a strong desire from girls to learn how to code and Microsoft Store is committed to creating an innovative learning environment where every young girl from any background, feels included, inspired, supported and empowered."

Key details for the Code Like a Girl workshops below:

When: Monday July 9^th to Sunday July 15^th at various times throughout each day

Where: Flagship Microsoft Store Sydney (Pitt St Mall, 188 Pitt St, Sydney)

Duration: the workshops run for two and a half hours

Recommended age: varies per workshop type, approx. 6-15 years old

Skill level: beginners no prior learning needed

Workshop types:

1.      Design and Build a Website: this workshop will cover how to create and edit your own website from start to finish including HTML coding and styling using CSS3

2.      Girls and Games: in this beginner coding tutorial participants will learn how to create their own personalised game from scratch

3.      Coding Up a Storm: in this workshop participants will mix playing with learning and use Lego Mindstorms to learn core computational logic and concept

4.      Creative Coding: this workshop will allow participants to draw and decorate their own digital art using data structures, selections and loops

Code Like a Girl CEO and Co-Founder, Ally Watson commented on the workshops stating, 'It's great to see a retailer like Microsoft Store supporting young girls as these type of opportunities aren't regularly offered for free. It's important that brands like Microsoft actively support the education of young girls in STEM, as it gives the next generation a chance to experience the amazing world of coding and tech."

Whether you are a whizz kid with technology, a complete novice, or you're just interested in learning more about coding, Code Like a Girl workshops are a great way to meet likeminded girls, learn from some leading industry talent and have fun.

Register to come along to the Code Like a Girl workshops at www.microsoft.com.au/codelikeagirl. For more information and to check out the latest events at the flagship Microsoft Store in Sydney, please see the events page on the Microsoft Store website.