WOMEN WHO CODE -CODING BOOTCAMP

It  aimed to accelerate the growth of innovative women and getting more young women into IT-related careers. The ultimate goal and the rationale behind this coding  Bootcamp was to enhance the successful implementation of initiation of women who code – Nairobi network; improving the quality of program delivery at the American spaces and equipping the young women participants with practical competitive ICT skills for self-reliance and sustainable livelihood.

The Coding Bootcamp was a practical workshop on HTML, CSS and JS web technologies. Led by subject matter experts(female volunteers), the Bootcamp offered the young women the chance to learn something new or finesse existing skills while mingling with peers, forming new relationships and networking with women professional from Engineering and Technology careers.

Bootcamp Outcomes

During the camp session, the participants were taken through hands-on learning experiences and thought-provoking exercises that promoted creativity and innovation, and inspired them to discover web-based IT related careers around HTML, CSS and JavaScript.

They were able to listen to online guest speakers; they also participated in technology virtual tours and learnt through hands-on experience activities that were expected to:

• Expose them to the hard and soft skills that would enable them be successful in the technology industry;

• Dispel gender based stereotypes on the Technology and high-tech industry;

• Get more women in IT roles as it is not only good for women – but also for the entire community;

• Produce free technical study groups for women around key programming languages

• Connect young women  with influential tech leaders and investors

• Increase the participation of women as both speakers and judges at tech events

Workshop Modules: HTML and CSS

The facilitators introduced the participants to basic concepts, terminologies and techniques on how to design and create a simple website using HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) and CSS (Cascading Style Sheet). At the end of the bootcamp the participants were able to plan and develop a simple multi-page’s website. They were able to demonstrate how to build a website, including how to write HTML and design websites and web applications. Starting by understanding basic markup language and working up to mastering web development.

Topics covered:

• Introduction to web Design

• Stages in web Design

•  Elements of a web page

• Essentials of Wire-framing UX design.

• HTML Structure

• HTML Tags (html, body, head, p, br, hr, table, footer, divs, nav, forms etc.)

•  Linking pages

•  Essential of Styling using CSS (selectors, attributes)

• Basic skills of Domain registration and Hosting a site.

Conclusion

Given that the Bootcamp took only 1 week and the participants were able to come up with a product – a website, the Bootcamp was a success. The objectives of the Bootcamp were achieved.