Vidcode, an educational start-up run by women, is looking to address the gender imbalance in the tech industry. Currently, most coding jobs are filled by men, and many women and girls have little interest in working their way into the industry. In an attempt to solve this problem, Vidcode is engaging girls with coding by appealing to one of their biggest interests: social media.
The start-up has recently teamed up with Snapchat to create a coding contest in which girls have to code Snapchat geofilters. The winners of the contest will have their geofilters uploaded and used by the entire Snapchat user base.
For teenagers, Snapchat is one of the primary modes of online communication. By capitalizing on the brand's popularity, Vidcode may be able to get more girls interested in coding at a young age, ameliorating the gender gap in the tech industry for years to come.
Social Media Coding Apps
'Vidcode' Teaches Girls to Code by Incorporating Social Media Tropes
Trend Themes
1. Gender-inclusive Coding Education - Companies like Vidcode are utilizing innovative strategies to engage girls in coding, helping address the gender imbalance in the tech industry.
2. Social-media Driven Learning - The partnership between Vidcode and Snapchat showcases the potential of leveraging popular social media platforms to teach coding and other educational subjects.
3. Brands as Catalysts for Change - Collaborations between educational start-ups, like Vidcode, and well-known brands highlight the power of partnerships in promoting diverse and inclusive learning opportunities.
Industry Implications
1. Edtech - The success of Vidcode and similar companies demonstrates a growing market for educational technology solutions that facilitate effective and engaging coding education.
2. Social Media - The integration of coding education into popular social media platforms presents new opportunities for both industries to enhance user experiences and foster innovation.
3. Tech Talent Pipeline - Vidcode's efforts to inspire and attract more girls to coding can contribute to a more diverse and skilled tech workforce, benefiting the technology industry as a whole.