Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) are hugely important in our nation, especially with all the emphasis government puts on the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

However, there is a massive dearth of women in STEM fields and the same goes for education as Unicef found in 2020.

“In developing countries, the gender digital divide constrains girls’ development of digital skills. Gender norms pose yet another obstacle. In Sub-Saharan Africa, boys gain more in digital skills when they are in school compared to girls. Even among households with computers in DR Congo and Ghana, girls have lower levels of digital skills than boys,” writes Unicef.

To address these problems locally, Vodacom launched its #CodeLikeAGirl programme in 2017. Starting with a class of just 20 in Tembisa, the programme now intends to train 1 500 young girls this year alone. If successful, the programme will have trained 4 000 young girls by the end of the year.

“Vodacom wants to address the underrepresentation of women and girls in STEM education and careers, and we’ve seen the immense difference #CodeLikeAGirl makes to these girls, which is why we are building on the programme each year,” said human resources director for Vodacom South Africa, Njabulo Mashigo.

The 2022 edition of #CodeLikeAGirl launched this week and high school learners will be exposed to computer languages, robotics and development programmes.

These will include HTML, CSS, GitHub and Version control, Bootstrap and JavaScript, Basic Computer and Introduction to Coding. The learners will also be taken on an empowering life-skills journey which will include developing presentation and communication skills.

“Most people aren’t aware that half of all computer programming positions are in industries such as finance, healthcare, and manufacturing. Coding has become such a critical skill that it elevates a candidate’s chances not only of landing positions but also of commanding higher salaries,” adds Mashigo.

This is not even to mention the value of technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and more.

It’s great to see Vodacom’s programme making the waves it does and we hope that its success inspires other firms to invest our young women and inspire them to pursue careers in STEM fields.