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Calling for More Women and Non-Binary People to Learn Coding

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Following the announcement of a partnership between Ambition North Wales and Code First Girls, Business News Wales spoke with Angharad Evans, Graduate Skills and Project Manager at Ambition North Wales, about the opportunities for women and non-binary people looking to work within the digital industry across North Wales.

Code First Girls provides an excellent opportunity for businesses across the sector to tap into an untapped, and well-trained talent pool.

Interview Highlights

  • The digital sector has become one of the key growth areas identified in North Wales and Ambition North Wales we are eager to support and promote these opportunities.
  • There are currently over 5,000 digital firms across Wales who bring in a turnover of £3 billion, which highlights how wide and how broad the landscape is.
  • Code First Girls is a rapidly growing organisation who work across the UK. They provide women and non-binary people with opportunities to learn free tech, through courses that they offer. Starting at beginner level all the way through to Degree and Master's level opportunities.
  • Code First Girls are a social impact business, who are on a mission to transform the tech landscape and get more women and non-binary people into job roles to help eliminate the diversity gaps that currently exist.
  • As of 2020, only 17% of the digital sector were made up of women, with only 5% of leadership positions in the sector held by women. This highlights how disproportionate the current gender balance is between men and women and binary people.
  • Recent research produced in the labour market intelligence report, conducted by the North Wales Regional Skills Partnership, showed that employers were calling out for a more diverse workforce. They were keen to invite more women and non-binary people into their workplace to apply for the opportunities that they're offering.
  • For some time, employers in North Wales have raised concern that there is a mismatch of available digital skills in the region compared to the requirements they're looking for within job roles.
  • There is a growing need for coders, web developers, software engineers, and that's just to name a few. Initiatives like Code First Girls offer great courses that meet the industry standards therefore giving women and non-binary people the opportunity to learn the skills access the high quality jobs in North Wales.

For more information visit – https://codefirstgirls.com/

Business News Wales