Lessons from Leaders: Girls Who Code’s Reshma Saujani – ThomasNet News

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Reshma Saujani founded Girls Who Code in 2012 in response to the growing gender gap in entry-level tech jobs. Back in 1995, women represented 37% of computer scientists. Fast forward 26 years, and that figure has plunged to just 24%.

Based on the knowledge that most girls drop out of computer science between the ages of 13 and 17, the international non-profit Girls Who Code runs several programs for students in this age bracket. There’s the Clubs Program, which provides students in grades 3 to 12 with the opportunity to explore coding in a fun and friendly setting, and the Summer Immersion Program, a two-week virtual summer camp for students in grades 10 to 12. For college students, there are College Loops networks that help Girls Who Code alumni succeed and make connections with other women in tech.

Since 2012, Girls Who Code has touched the lives of 500 million people via their programs, online resources, campaigns, books, and advocacy work. In 2019, the company was awarded Most Innovative Non-Profit by Fast Company.

Who Is Reshma Saujani?

Graduating from the University of Illinois, Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and Yale Law School, Saujani began her career as an attorney and an activist. In 2010, she became the first Indian American woman to run for U.S. Congress. Visits to local schools during her campaign trail laid bare the significant gender gap in computing classes, and ultimately inspired Saujani to launch Girls Who Code.  

Saujani is the author of Women Who Don’t Wait in Line; Brave, Not Perfect; and Girls Who Code: Learn to Code and Change the World, a New York Times bestseller. Her TEDTalk, Teach Girls Bravery, Not Perfection, has amassed millions of views, and she also hosts the award-winning podcast Brave, Not Perfect, which empowers women to live their bravest and fullest lives.

What can Saujani’s career teach other leaders about inspiring and empowering women in tech?

4 Lessons on Inspiring Women in Tech

1. Set Meaningful, Attainable Targets

Effecting significant change requires organizations to set realistic objectives. Leaders often say they care about issues such as climate change and diversity, but their words are empty if they’re not willing to hold themselves accountable.

Girls Who Code, for example, is “reaching girls around the world and is on track to closing the gender gap in new entry-level tech jobs by 2030.”

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Source: https://www.thomasnet.com/insights/lessons-from-leaders-girls-who-code-s-reshma-saujani/