The rumors are true: CoLabs is committed to building a diverse team and supporting the professional goals of that team. And that includes supporting women working in technology. After all, women hold only about 20% of U.S. tech jobs—and a lower share of computer science jobs than they did in the 80s.
Not only that, but according to the National Center for Women & Information Technology:
- Women held only 17% of Fortune 500 CIO positions in 2017
- The percentage of computing occupations held by women has been declining since 1991
- The quit rate is more than twice as high for women (41%) as for men (17%) in tech roles
So what do these numbers mean? Well, for starters, they’re not good for women or for business. Just consider this recent study of 500 US businesses, which found that companies with more diversity (by gender as well as race) reported higher sales revenue, greater market share, and greater profits.
We gotta be honest—it all sounds pretty backwards, right? But what can we do to start shifting the tide? The NCWIT has a resource for that. See what actionable next steps you can take to increase diverse participation in your workplace. Spoiler alert: it all starts with support from top-level leadership, and involves a focused effort to change workplace culture, help managers reduce their own unconscious biases, and consciously develop underrepresented talent. Luckily, there’s already effort underway help companies get a head start on these important efforts.
Enter Women Who Code
Women Who Code is a global non-profit organization whose mission is to inspire women to excel in technology careers. They’re helping women feel like they have a place in the tech world, and providing an environment that encourages women to come out and join (and of course, lead!) the conversation. The largest active community of engineers, they’re committed to:
- Empowering women with the skills needed for professional achievement
- Educating companies to better promote, retain, and hire talented women
- Building a global community where networking and mentorship is valued
- Developing role models and supporting this generation of engineers
Sounds like a pretty important mission, right? And we’re on board. That’s why CoLabs hosted an event for the Tampa chapter of Women Who Code just a few weeks ago. Look for more events to come in the future (including one below); meanwhile, read on to see how it all went down.
Women Who Code: Tampa Chapter
CoLabs was the proud host of WCC’s Tech Tool Night. Here, the goal is to have some fun while doing a little networking, with a helpful twist: participants bring their recommendations for tools that help them code, stay organized, and be more productive. Members discuss how they optimize their workflow, along with the coding plug-ins, organizational software, and (of course) the tech tools they use most—all while having a great time.
Not to mention, our own team has seen the benefits of a WWC membership first-hand. According to our product developer:
“Moving into a role that required me to learn to code was exciting, but really intimidating. Women Who Code Tampa has been a life saver. I’ve found a mentor and a community of smart, driven women who are so supportive.”
Join Us for More Women Who Code Events
Last week, CoLabs was a proud partner of How to Set Your Brand Apart, a branding workshop and dinner presented by Embarc Collective and Startup Sisters USA. And we’ll look to continue these partnerships in the future! Keep an eye on our Facebook page for more events like this. We hope to see you soon!
