The initiative will provide two full scholarships for the Bachelor of Computer Science course at PUCRS, in addition to a scholarship for selected candidates
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With the expansion of new technologies and the high demand for digital adaptation, by 2024 around 420,000 new jobs will be created in Information Technology (IT), according to the World Bank estimates. Despite the market growth, women are still under-represented in the area.
In 2019, they accounted for only 13.3% of students enrolled in on-site undergraduate IT programs, according to the study Estatísticas de gênero: indicadores sociais das mulheres no Brasil, carried out by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). And even with names such as Ada Lovelace, Mary Kenneth Keller, Margaret Hamilton and Frances Allen, who made history in the field, until 2017 only 20% of people working in of computing in Brazil were women, according to the platform Dataviva.
To contribute to changing this reality and increase the participation of women in areas related to technology, PUCRS and Poatek are launching the second edition of the program Women in Computing. The initiative offers two full scholarships for School of Technology’s Computer Science program at PUCRS, and a monthly stipend of R$ 1,200 for each student, during the first three semesters of the program.
Photo: Pexels
Currently in the third semester of her program, student Morgana Weber was one of the winners of the first edition of the Program. For her, the opportunity made a dream come true. “It was through this initiative that I was able to fulfill my dream of going to college in an area in which I want to pursue”. The student also highlights the relevance of the action for society and for the participation of more women in IT:
“The more we work and struggle to change this, there are still not many women in Computing and IT. Actions like this are essential for us to discuss this issue and expand gender equality”.
Student Jennifer Bittencourt, another winner of the first edition of the program, encourages students who wish to enter the area. “Remember that the first algorithm was written by a woman. So, don’t be afraid to continue in this area.” Photo: Pexels
The Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science at PUCRS offers solid training in the fundamentals of computing and an in-depth view of topics such as programming languages, operating systems, networks and distributed systems, software engineering, computational intelligence, computer graphics and game development.
Graduates of the program will be qualified to work in the software and hardware industry. Winners of the program who finish the degree will also be able to develop research projects, undertake and seek career opportunities abroad.
