Twenty-five women in vulnerable situations today received their diploma in tech skills training from the BCN Fem Tech programme, a public-private initiative to promote women’s employment in the new technologies sector and bridge the digital gender divide.
The first course on the BCN Fem Tech training programme concluded with 25 women acquiring programming and development skills in Full Stack webs. This pioneering initiative was launched last year as part of the government measure for gender equity in tech environments.
The free six-month training scheme was possible thanks to collaboration between Barcelona Activa, Factoria F5, Fundació Formació i Treball and Endesa, with this the first of two intakes who will take part in the programme in 2021.The second course starts in October and will involve a further 25 women with vulnerable profiles and difficulties finding work.
The reorientation of professional profiles towards the tech sector is an opportunity to access a sector of work which is expandingly heavily, where the digital gender divide needs to be bridged and the presence of more tech women promoted. The programme includes two basic goals: firstly, the acquisition of tech skills and methodologies most commonly used by companies, and secondly, the learning of cross-cutting skills such as motivation, creativity and teamwork, to successfully develop in a strong growth sector.
Upon completing their training, participants will get jobseeking support from a team of professionals from the project. Two of the women on this first course already gained work contracts for tech jobs before completing the course.
This initiative comes in addition to other action to promote gender equity in the tech sphere, such as the recent creation of the women’s BCN Fem Tech network or the first edition of the BCN Fem Tech awards to drive projects promoting tech careers among women and girls.