The Kansas City Fed and the KC STEM Alliance in December hosted the seventh Hour of Code event, introducing technology-related careers to more than 70 Kansas City area girls.
The event was part of the Bank’s longstanding work with the Alliance’s “Girls in Tech Kansas City” initiative, which aims to close the gender gap in the technology sector by encouraging girls’ interest in the field. Hour of Code provided opportunities for girls to engage in interactive coding sessions, learn about career options and hear from women who are information technology professionals with the Federal Reserve.
Organizers of Hour of Code said that promoting diversity and inclusion in the technology sector is important, noting that research consistently shows that a diverse workforce leads to increased innovation, reduced bias and improved business outcomes.
“We know that the gender gap forms early, when young girls are still in school building the hobbies and interests that will one day inform their decision on which career to pursue,” said Brandy Rau, an information technology manager at the Bank. “Girls in Tech has a goal to stop that gap from forming by introducing coding and technology to young girls in a fun and easily understood format. While increasing the pool of girls entering tech won’t close the gap on its own, it’s a great place to start.”
As part of the event, a panel of women in Federal Reserve technology roles talked about coding and shared career experiences and perspectives. Mentors from the KC STEM Alliance and the Bank’s Women in Technology group also assisted the girls in hands-on coding puzzles.
Hour of Code is one of the programs that reflect the Bank’s commitment to continuous learning and improvement to remain at the forefront of advancements in the technology field. Notably, people in technology-related positions make up nearly half of the Tenth District’s workforce.
Lean more about career opportunities at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.