Title

AWS re:Invent 2023 - Understanding the gender gap in technology with Girls Who Code (IDE110)

Summary

• Speaker: Heather Weigel, Manager of Data and Analytics at Girls Who Code (GWC).
• Topic: Addressing the gender gap in technology and GWC's efforts to close it.
• Statistics: Only 26% of entry-level tech jobs are filled by women, which is about 5,290 positions annually.
• Mission: GWC aims to inspire, educate, and equip girls and non-binary students with computing skills for 21st-century opportunities.
• Programs: GWC offers a range of programs from third grade through high school, including clubs, summer immersion programs, self-paced programming, and mentoring.
• Impact: GWC alumni earn computer science degrees at seven times the U.S. national average, with those from underrepresented groups earning degrees at nine times the average.
• Data Analysis: GWC uses Tableau and a centralized data warehouse to analyze programmatic alumni data and tech job market data to track progress towards closing the gender gap.
• Challenges: GWC faces challenges such as norming disparate data sources, data quality and testing, and making data accessible.
• Data Compliance: Compliance is a priority due to working with student data, which involves minimizing data collection, aligning with regulations, building trust, and educating students on data rights.
• Actionable Insights: GWC is working to provide actionable insights across the organization, balancing compliance with analytical needs, and training staff to use a centralized data platform.
• Support: GWC encourages partnerships, employee engagement, investments, and individual contributions such as facilitating clubs and participating in events.

Insights

• Gender Gap Persistence: The gender gap in tech persists, with a significant underrepresentation of women in entry-level positions.
• Effective Outreach: GWC's programming starts early, from third grade, which is crucial for shaping future interests and career paths.
• Diverse Impact: GWC's impact is more pronounced among underrepresented groups, indicating targeted programs can be highly effective.
• Data-Driven Approach: GWC's use of data analytics and BI tools like Tableau and AWS services (Redshift, Matillion, S3) for decision-making reflects the importance of a data-driven approach in non-profit initiatives.
• Challenges in Data Management: The challenges GWC faces in norming data and ensuring data quality are common in organizations dealing with multiple data sources and are critical to address for accurate analysis and reporting.
• Importance of Data Compliance: GWC's focus on data compliance, especially with student data, highlights the growing importance of data privacy and security in educational programs.
• Cultural Shift in Data Usage: Training staff to use centralized data platforms represents a cultural shift towards more collaborative and informed decision-making processes.
• Community Engagement: GWC's call for community involvement, from corporate partnerships to individual volunteering, underscores the role of community support in driving social change initiatives.
• Forecasting and Planning: GWC's plans to expand their analysis to include forecasting future trends and outcomes suggest a forward-thinking strategy to ensure the sustainability and growth of their impact.