Hosts two-week Summer Immersion Program introducing computer science to high-school students through game design
Insight Enterprises, a Fortune 500 Solutions Integrator focused on driving client success through digital transformation, announced a partnership with Girls Who Code, an international nonprofit organization working to close the gender gap in technology.
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“At Girls Who Code, we understand that it’s not enough to foster a passion for computer science among girls and young women. We also need to build pathways to ensure that they are given equal access to opportunities that turn their interest into lucrative and exciting careers”
Insight hosted a class of 54 high-school students participating in the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program (SIP), a two-week virtual course from June 19-30 introducing game design through a focus on sisterhood and career exploration. SIP makes coding education accessible for students identifying as girls or non-binary, including those from historically underrepresented groups in Black, Latinx and low-income communities. Computer science is taught through the fundamentals of user experience design, rapid prototyping and playtesting.
“As a company that believes in the transformative power of technology, Insight’s collaboration with Girls Who Code opens new doors of possibility for our next generation of innovators,” said Jen Vasin, chief human resources officer, Insight. “Women have long been underrepresented across our industry, and our commitment to change this reality is to provide mentorship and accessibility to young girls who show a passion for tech. Girls Who Code inspires them with the knowledge, tools and confidence they need to succeed, and we’re proud to contribute to that.”
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Insight technologists and people leaders — including Vasin, CEO Joyce Mullen, CFO Glynis Bryan, and Megan Amdahl, senior vice president of client experience and North America chief operating officer — shared lessons learned as women in technology who oftentimes faced unexpected career pivots or were the lone female voice at the table. Class mentoring also included an introduction to generative artificial intelligence, 3D game building in Unity, female experiences in inventorship, and a sisterhood panel on finding your voice and developing soft skills to push beyond biases.
“At Girls Who Code, we understand that it’s not enough to foster a passion for computer science among girls and young women. We also need to build pathways to ensure that they are given equal access to opportunities that turn their interest into lucrative and exciting careers,” said Tarika Barrett, CEO of Girls Who Code. “We’re grateful for the support from Insight as we work to close the gender gap in tech, level the playing field for our most marginalized students, and build a tech workforce that’s representative of the diverse world we live in today.”
Previously in March, volunteers from the Afro Professionals and Allies at Insight resource group sponsored a Girls Who Code hackathon in Charlotte, North Carolina. More than 100 girls participated, gaining exposure to AI, robotics, virtual reality and graphic design, among other technology career paths.
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