Is this the solution to the lack of women in tech?
Despite it being something that most people are aware of, the statistics around the lack of women in the tech industry still make for shocking reading. Outnumbered 4:1, women occupy only 5% of the industry’s leadership roles and make up just 19% of the UK tech workforce1.
STEM subjects have been pushed in secondary schools and further education for the last 10 years or more – so why aren’t we seeing more women in STEM roles? And is enough really being done to address the gender imbalance? A Women in Tech study by PwC in 20181 found that due to a lack of interest, teachers not making the subjects appealing and being better at humanities or other essay-based subjects, young girls are less likely than boys to study STEM subjects at school. And this continues at university. This is undoubtedly a significant factor in why only 3% of female students consider tech as a career of choice.
The gender imbalance across the sector is a problem that isn’t going to go away unless we continue to talk about it and take steps to encourage women into the sector – of all ages. And that’s something that, as CEO of Code Ninjas, I’m especially passionate about.
Essentially, the problem stems from the fact that young girls’ only exposure to the industry is passive consumption of content, or during lessons in later school life. I firmly believe that the key to getting girls into tech is introducing them to it when they are much younger and, perhaps most importantly, by it being fun.
Encouraging our children to engage with information when they’re not actively aware that they’re even learning is a fundamental component of their cognitive development. Whether you’re supporting a child in a parental or educational role, it goes without saying that children are much more likely to participate fully in an activity – and also retain that information – if they’re having fun.
But you don’t just have to take my word for it; there are plenty of experts to back up this theory. Dr Martha Burns - a leading neuroscientist and expert on how children learn – says that dopamine plays a crucial part in learning and retaining information2. And we all know that dopamine plays an important role as a chemical messenger in how we feel pleasure, as well as affecting memory, attention and our ability to think and plan. Dr Burns refers to dopamine as the brain’s ‘save button’. She says that there are actually some regions of the brain that increase our motivation and interest in activities. Often referred to collectively as the ‘reward centre’, the regions are activated by dopamine. And the more motivated and interested we are in an activity; the more dopamine is released and the better we remember it. Basically, kids are more likely to remember what they’ve learnt if they have fun doing it.
And I think what we’re seeing in our Code Ninjas schools is proof of that. We’ve got over 280 locations across the US, Canada and, as of June this year, the UK. In the US and Canada we are seeing girls making up 25% of our ninjas, and we are dedicated to increasing that number as we move forward – that focus extends with our new locations in the UK.
Everything about Code Ninjas is built around fun. Kids between the age of 5-14 learn how to code by building video games, robotics and drones – they love it! It’s fun, it’s loud - it’s exciting. Our locations are called Dojos, teachers are called Code Senseis and our Ninjas progress through a game-based curriculum made up of nine belts, just like in martial arts. It’s all about the experience and couldn’t be further from the lessons that children generally associate with school. We keep things exciting and get that all-important dopamine flowing with little wins along the way, and ‘belt-up’ celebrations where they receive colour-coded wristbands to mark their graduation to the next level. Plus, what kid doesn’t want to be a Ninja? But of course, the centres also provide the results that parents are looking for. As well as coding, children gain complementary skills - such as logic, problem-solving and teamwork - that they’ll need for jobs in the future.
Whilst I’m not suggesting that the introduction of Code Ninjas alone is suddenly going to see a generation of girls streaming into the industry. It’s programmes like ours that will definitely improve the chances, when it comes to making choices based on likes, interests and being able to see a future career, that girls will be just as likely to choose tech as their male counterparts.
Justin Nihiser is the CEO of kids coding specialist, Code Ninjas. At locations across the UK, Canada and the US, kids learn to code in a fun, safe, and inspiring learning environment. With a game-based curriculum, kids love to learn and parents clearly see results. Code Ninjas has established strict social distancing policies and followed government guidelines to ensure locations across the UK can remain operational. For more information, visit www.codeninjasfranchise.co.uk
1 PwC UK, 2018, Women in Tech - Time to close the gender gap.
2 EdSurge, 2019, I’m a Neuroscientist. Here’s How Teachers Change Kids’ Brains.
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For more information, or to speak with Justin Nihiser, contact Kelly Ayres at Rev PR on 07895 876745 or email kelly@revpr.co.uk