Does your kid like to reassemble his toys? Does she pride herself in building things from scratch? You might be raising a future coder.
The next generation is growing up as digital natives and fostering an interest in how to create the technology we all use can be beneficial beyond future job prospects. Coding camps are popping up around the country to make programming more accessible and fun to kids at younger and younger ages. These programs are especially beneficial for girls who may have an interest in science and math as STEM has been a notoriously male-dominated field. There will be a projected 1.4 million (million!) job openings in STEM over the next decade, so the demand for these skills is sky-high! Companies like Tech Birmingham are working to change this locally here in Alabama by offering coding programs for kids this summer.
Camp Innovation kicks off on Monday, July 31st through August 4th. The campers (all rising 6th, 7th, & 8th graders) will be learning not only coding skills to create their own apps, but also team building skills with their fellow coders.
Tech Birmingham also hosts the Birmingham chapter of 100 Girls of Code, which encourages young girls to explore their interest in STEM by providing opportunities to learn and be mentored by women programmers. Programs like 100 Girls of Code and Girls Who Code are helping to shake up the gender disparity in tech in a currently male-dominated field.
Like music and art classes, encouraging kids of any gender to explore tech helps build confidence and self-esteem. Even if your kid isn’t the next Grace Hopper, she can gain some skills and knowledge to understand our increasingly digital landscape.
