DURHAM, NC–(Marketwired – July 07, 2016) – Principled Technologies (PT), which administers the BenchmarkXPRT Development Community, is releasing its first video series, “Women Coding for Change.” The series tells the stories of the XPRT Women Code-a-thon, which the BenchmarkXPRT Development Community co-hosted with ChickTech Seattle in March 2016. These videos shed light on the gender disparity in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields and the growing problems that disparity is causing.
Though women hold the majority of professional jobs in the United States, they represent less than a quarter of software developers. Women are underrepresented in STEM fields from high school through college and into the professional world.
As the second Women Coding for Change video explains, the problem is enormous. By 2020, more than 1.4 million computing-related jobs will be open, and at current graduation rates, the U.S. will not be able to fill them. Training and hiring more women in STEM fields would help bridge that gap.
“The inequalities are staggering, not just in tech,” Jennie Faries said. “It’s getting better, but it is very slow.” Faries, a developer and designer, has had a career in technology for over twenty years and acted as a judge at the XPRT Women Code-a-thon. Faries works for PT, which administers the BenchmarkXPRT Development Community.
For PT, a technology company in the Research Triangle Park region, the issue is close to home.
“We need to recognize that this is a problem for us all: for men, for women, for technology companies, for the economy at large,” said Mark Van Name, co-founder of Principled Technologies. “When a more diverse group of people teams up to build or test products, the products will be better. If we don’t fix this problem, all of us lose.”
The series contains eight videos, which PT will release individually throughout the summer. The first — “Women Coding for Change: Trailer” — offers a sneak peek at the series, while “Women Coding for Change: The Problem” demonstrates the extent of the gender gap.
See the videos on YouTube: facts.pt/coding-for-change-series.
About Principled Technologies, Inc.
Principled Technologies, Inc. is the leading provider of technology marketing and learning & development services.
Principled Technologies, Inc. is located in Durham, North Carolina, USA. For more information, please visit PrincipledTechnologies.com.
