The Enlightened Nerd is a column designed to enlighten the inner nerd in all of us through local whimsical and intellectual events, people, and places. Know a nerdy person, event, place, or thing in Vancouver? Send it in here or tweet it to @karolinakay_ (#theenlightenednerd)
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How many women do you know that work in the tech sector or hold STEM positions? We are living in an increasingly tech-enabled world, which means that there are more and more jobs opening up in the tech sector. The problem is, while the Computer Science workforce has grown by 60% since 1991, the percentage of young women going into the industry has declined (Stats Canada 2011).
Women in Tech World (WinTech), a Vancouver-based non-profit, is working to alleviate these troubling statistics. By connecting tech communities across North America, they aim to recognize the contributions women have made in the tech industry and highlight opportunities to engage women and youth in the future.
The volunteer-run organization has hosted over 25 events in North America since 2016 from skill-building workshops to industry panels to tech summits.
This fall, WinTech is conducting a Canada-wide fact-finding mission to better understand and record the experiences of women in technology and to promote vibrant women in tech communities across the country.
Driving WinTech: Connecting with women in tech across Canada
Their research tour will take them from British Columbia to Newfoundland over a two month period. In this time they will:
- Facilitate 50 town hall meetings across Canada
- Connect with over 10,000 people from diverse communities and sectors
- Create and share a National Report on the lived experiences of women in tech in Canada (barriers, challenges, successes, and resources)
- Create a 'best practices' set of guidelines to support informed decision-making and to help facilitate more inclusive and diverse tech communities in Canada
- Share their story and findings throughout the journey
Their final paper, “The Status of Women in Tech in Canada Report,” will be presented to provincial and federal governments, and will encourage grassroots groups to use it to launch local initiatives.
Youth Day – Women in Tech Week 2017
Driving WinTech is a movement, relying on contributions, the generous support of the tech community and industry sponsors, and their Kickstarter campaign.
WinTech invites everyone to get involved: Join the WinTech community on social media. Invite them to your city. Host a local event. Introduce them to local stakeholders: tech companies, meetup groups, nonprofits and government officials.
Follow their mission on social media @WinTechWorld and spread the word: #DrivingWinTech.
Website: http://drivingwomenintech.com/
Kickstarter: http://kck.st/2s7id51
Tech Summit - Women in Tech Week 2017
