Be Like Ada is an organization dedicated to getting girls interested in computer coding and programming.
They say that it's a skill as important as reading and writing and will enable the girls to have many more career options to fill the jobs with the skills we need. Be Like Ada's goal is to help achieve 50 per cent female engineering grads and to double the number of engineers in Canada. The brainchild of Sandra Wear and North Shore resident Jot Kali, it was inspired by Ada Lovelace, who invented programming and is widely considered to be the first programmer. This information crossed my desk recently and I must admit that my first reaction was, "Coding? what's that?" I don't know anything about coding but then I am, firstly, female and secondly, not exactly just entering the job market. But for today's girls it could be fun and helpful.
Be Like Ada has announced that on July 19 it will hold a bootcamp (belikeada.com/register) for 500 high school girls to learn to code. The event is geared toward girls aged 14 to 17 and will be held at the Rocky Mountaineer station in Vancouver.
The girls will spend a day learning the basics of coding. The bootcamp will teach the elements of coding that are fundamental to any programming language. The bootcamp is for girls new or somewhat versed in programming.
Introducing girls to coding in a girl-friendly environment got me thinking. The first thought was whether today's girls need a separate and special event. And I had to think so because I imagine if a one-day bootcamp on coding was advertised it simply might not occur to girls to sign up. So along with the goal of increasing the number of girls in engineering, another goal can be raising kids ready to look at any new or interesting opportunity.
A number of years ago my husband took our daughter, daughter-in-law and son to the Operating Engineers Training Facility Open House. As a result we now have a great photo of my daughter-in-law operating an excavator and clearly having the time of her life.
Most of the children and young adults who were present were male. Imagine if a group of girls had shown up and experienced the training involved for operating engineers? Maybe we'd see more girls in that field. For parents, the trick is to keep an eye out for interesting and different events and take both the boys and the girls. Whether it's a nature walk, a special event at Science World or the Vancouver Aquarium, a cooking demonstration or a dance recital, all kids can benefit from being exposed to any number of activities.
This will help broaden their ideas and cause them to consider a wider variety of career possibilities.
There are summer camps exposing kids, boys and girls of all ages, to a range of sports and academics. They are fun and kids love them. Take a look at the universities and see what might work for your child.
We can also expand our kids' horizons at home. It's simple. It starts with avoiding choosing activities and events by gender.
Take a look at chores. Do you have your son mow the lawn and your daughter vacuum? Why? What if they took turns doing every chore that needs to be tackled?
Let both your kids work with you in the kitchen, laundry room and workroom. Teach your kids how to work the dishwasher, washing machine and Skilsaw.
It's also important to provide good modelling. If you want your kids to learn a wide range of skills, you need to be supportive and encouraging and the more they see you doing different things, the better it will be.
Thinking about expanding kids' experiences is exciting and fun and no matter what career choices your kids make, they will benefit from knowing a little about a wide range of work options.
Kathy Lynn is a professional speaker and author of Vive la Différence, Who's In Charge Anyway? and But Nobody Told Me I'd Ever Have to Leave Home. If you want to read more, sign up for her informational newsletter at parentingtoday.ca.
