Business

Programs help women join the technology field

By Laura Brummett
Students at Momentum coding school work on their final projects.
Students at Momentum coding school work on their final projects. Laura Brummett

The number of women working in technology is growing in North Carolina, thanks in part to programs and groups working to support women in the field. Here are some of them:

Code The Dream

This Durham-based company, started in 2014, works with women and minorities who want to transition into technology. The program allows people to take free classes in their spare time, like on weekends. Students learn to build apps for small businesses and nonprofits. It’s funded through grants and foundations, as well as paid projects. Their mission is to provide access to economic opportunity to people who wouldn’t otherwise have had the chance, founder Daisy Magnus-Aryitey said.

Momentum

Jessica Mitsch, co-founder Momentum, works to make sure the school has gender equality.
Jessica Mitsch, co-founder Momentum, works to make sure the school has gender equality. Laura Brummett

Momentum is a coding school in North Carolina that serves as a boot camp for people wanting to switch into the technology field. The school features a 12-week program that allows students to then transition into technology jobs. Jessica Mitsch, one of Momentum’s founders, said the program aims to have an equal number of males and females in each session. Lately, the women of the graduating classes have been offered higher starting salaries than their male counterparts, Mitsch said.

  • Durham campus: 334 Blackwell St Suite B001, Durham, NC 27701
  • Raleigh campus: 213 Fayetteville St, Raleigh, NC 27601
  • info@momentumlearn.com
  • (919) 502-3114
  • www.momentumlearn.com

Carolina Women in Tech

Carolina Women in Tech is a group for women currently working in the field to meet and get to know each other. The group’s mission is to unite and support each other. The group hosts meet-ups and other events, which can be found on its website. “We are better together. We need each other. Bottomline – statistics show that we need more women in tech. The roles are lopsided and our goal is to help provide a more even environment. We know that women-led businesses perform better. We know that we need more women in tech. Join us because we are better together,” the group’s website says.

The group also has a podcast, “The Lady Tech Charmers.” It can be found on iTunes.

Women Who Code Raleigh-Durham

The Women Who Code local chapter meets at least twice a month.
The Women Who Code local chapter meets at least twice a month. Courtesy of Women Who Code Raleigh-Durham

Women Who Code is a meet-up group aiming to support women in the area with technology careers. The group holds networking and educational events. More information about events can be found on their website. Women Who Code hosts a monthly brunch that rotates locations around the Triangle, and also at least one educational event per month. The next brunch will be on Aug. 17 at La Farm in Cary. The next educational event is “Curating Your Professional Growth Plan” on Aug. 28. Both events can be found online.

InHerSight

InHerSight is a company-rating platform that allows women to comment on and review different workplaces. The site is a popular place for women in the Triangle to review technology companies, so that other women can best choose where they would like to work. The site allows women to rank companies based on categories like “Flexible Work Hours.”

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