Girls Code Club returns for a sixth summer coding boot camp

Every summer since 2020, female upper secondary school students have come together for the three-week Girls Code Club boot camp, organized by the Department of Computer Science and Engineering.

The first year the whole thing became complicated, since the event of course had to be held remote. Since then Girls Code Club has evolved into an increasingly established boot camp. Several of the students who have participated in previous Girls Code Club camps have later on started as students in any of the degree programmes offered by the department.

One of this year's participants describes her experience:

'I really enjoyed Girls Code Club. It provided an environment where I felt comfortable learning something new and making mistakes without being worried about not getting everything right the first time.'

'The most enjoyable and interesting part for me were the guest talks. 
It's hard to choose just one, so I would have to say my favourites were the introduction to hacking and the rostering game presentation. These presentations were the most hands-on and let us experience a tiny glimpse of what it is they do in their respective jobs. I also appreciated how all the presentations catered to the audience, with many talking about what it is like to be a woman working in such a male dominated field.'

'I also really enjoyed working on exercises, especially when they were worked into the lectures. The exercises allowed us to immediately apply what we were learning so we were able to understand when and why to use the concepts. They also challenged me to problem solve, especially when debugging.'

'Overall, the experience of Girls Code Club was how I expected, but it surprised me how much we learnt in such a short period of time. It has definitely inspired me to continue learning the programming language Python, because I now see how computer science and programming are present in every field.'

Ana Bove, the initiator of Girls Code Club, on how she views the boot camp:

'Women remain underrepresented in STEM—science, technology, engineering and mathematics—partly because of persistent misconceptions about what careers in engineering and computer science actually involve. Through Girls Code Club, we want to challenge these perceptions.'

'Over the course of three weeks, programming activities are combined with talks by researchers and professionals from industry. Participants work hands-on with projects in areas such as programming, data analysis, cybersecurity and scheduling. The environment is free from performance pressure, creating a supportive atmosphere where everyone can develop at their own pace.'

'On the final day of Girls Code Club, each group presents the project they have been working on, and the day is always filled with an incredible sense of energy and pride. Even those participants who eventually choose careers outside STEM consistently tell us that the experience has broadened their horizons and changed the way they view programming and technology.

'In addition to perhaps discovering a new interest, many participants leave the camp with greater self-confidence and lasting friendships.'