Open call to convert 80 Colombians into developers

The technology industry in Latin America is one of the most dynamic and fastest growing in the region, however, there is a problem that has been affecting this sector for years: the shortage of women web programmers. Even according to Unesco figuresthe international trend shows that only three out of 10 people in science and technology belong to this gender.

(These are the positions most sought after by Colombian startups).

Faced with this panorama, every day Latin America becomes a point of reference for the world, and that is why recognized accelerators such as Ikea Social Entrepreneurship and Nesst.org together with important academies in the region such as Make It Real, want to bet on closing gender gaps in the technology sector and it was for this reason that they opened a call for 80 candidates to be part of a Unique bootcamp to train as programmers and work in the largest tech companies in the region.

The call will be open from April 5 to May 10 for women who are of legal age in their country of residence and speak Spanish. The program will be 100% virtual, it will last 10 weeks and the most interesting thing is that the candidates do not require prior programming knowledge to participate.

Nayib Abdala, Chief Strategy Officer of Make it Real, the leading organization in Latam in training professionals in web and mobile development, believes that there are still barriers that limit women’s access to education and employment in technology, “That’s why we created this Bootcamp as an enabler of opportunities for female inclusion in the technology industry.”

(How to get a job as a developer in companies in the ICT sector).

It should be noted that as highlighted not long ago by the Ministry of Education in Colombia, there is a gender gap in terms of professional training in the tech industry. In 2017, for example, only 27.3% of students enrolled in the first year of technology-related academic programs were women.

While, for the Latin American case, this number represents only 17%, according to sector surveys (BairesDev).

The Nesst.org organization is a relevant organization in the world, since it has managed to reach different countries in order to invest in social enterprises that incorporate innovative business models, technologies and sound environmental practices to generate decent employment and greater income opportunities. sustainable for people in vulnerable situations.

For its part, Ikea Social Entrepreneurship, the IKEA accelerator, the renowned Swedish multinational, is committed to developing different programs that accelerate the movement of social entrepreneurship in general. Supporting companies with the vision of creating a more inclusive and equal society and having a positive impact on people’s livelihoods.

Now with this alliance that they sealed with Make it Real, this Bootcamp becomes a true beacon of hope for those women who are looking for a future with more opportunities through work in the tech sector, an aspect that is becoming increasingly important today. importance considering that it is difficult for women to start in this industry for various reasons, one of the most important being the barriers they have to access education in technology areas that provide them with the confidence, technical knowledge and transversal skills necessary to be the protagonists

“The selected ones will learn fundamentals of web development. They will receive live virtual classes given by great experts in the industry, 3 times a week, 2 hours each day”, assures Abdala. In addition, the students will be able to attend complementary conversations where successful women in the industry tell what it took to get to where they are professionally.

This is why education is a key factor in overcoming gender gaps in the technology industry, where the lack of gender equality and the lack of support programs are some of the most common challenges faced by women. interested in these areas. Therefore, it is necessary to take concrete measures to address the challenges and create opportunities for women to train and prosper in the technological field.