Tech has a well-known gender gap problem — and it might only get worse.
According to “Cracking the Gender Code,” a 2016 report from Accenture and Girls Who Code, the percentage of women in computing is expected to drop from 24% to 22% in 2025, without a major initiative to get girls interested in the subject.
Organizations such as Girls Who Code, as well as Women Who Code and Black Girls Code, are attempting to bridge the gap by making programming workshops accessible to young women. Now, an NYC startup is doing the same and hopes other tech companies follow suit.
Rocketrip is launching a free program this summer for NYC high school girls interested in data-driven fields. During the six-week course, participants will learn business intelligence tools, such as Excel, SQL and Tableau, that are used to analyze data. Participants will also be able to see how Rocketrip, which helps businesses save money on employee travel, works with data.
Rocketrip founder and CEO Dan Ruch sees this step as helping add more talent to NYC’s tech pool.
“It’s an important initiative for us, and more for the community at large, to bridge the gender and equality gap that exists in the workplace in general, but specifically in technology,” Ruch said. “This is one small endeavor we’re doing to try and change the equation.”
The company is in the midst of accepting applications for the program, which will be held twice a week at its midtown headquarters, and plans to select 10 to 12 students.
“We wanted to keep it a small group so we can give individual help to each student,” said Gina Aylward, a business intelligence analyst for Rocketrip who is leading the program.
Rocketrip will narrow down the applicants based on requirements — students must live in NYC, be enrolled in high school, have a 3.5 GPA or higher and have access to a laptop — and Skype interviews. A load of science or math classes isn’t necessarily a requirement.
“It’s about getting a diverse group of girls in here who are curious and work really hard, are motivated to learn something new and are curious about potentially following one of these career paths,” like data science or software development, Aylward said.
The program will also give students a front-row seat in a startup environment, said Ruch, who hopes that other tech companies follow Rocketrip’s example in providing accessible software training.
“My vision for this is that more and more companies get involved, different areas of tech, and together start to bridge this equality gap,” he said.
TO APPLY
Rocketrip’s free six-week data-driven program is open to NYC-based high school girls ages 14-18 who have a GPA of 3.5 or higher and have access to a laptop. Applications are due June 9, with Skype interviews the week of June 12 and program placement announced June 16. The program runs Monday and Wednesday evenings from July 17-Aug. 23 at Rocketrip’s midtown headquarters. To apply, visit rocketrip.com/resources/data-driven-ladies.
