Congratulations! You made probably one of the best decisions in your career journey by joining the technology bandwagon. Now you have to get connected and grow your network community. Through learning how to code, chances are you have met other techies in the community. However, attending meetups will give you a chance to connect with other women who are where you are or have walked in your shoes, get advice on how to advance in the field, or even be exposed to freelancing or job opportunities.
We have compiled 10 groups that you should join right now to grow and strengthen your network. Many of these groups have local chapters for those of you who live near a city. If not, why not start one! You are not on the tech road alone, so go make connections and get the resources most beginners probably wouldn’t have.
Lastly, are you feeling a little nervous about attending a meetup? Think of it this way: You will have the opportunity to find a future mentor or perfect partner to help you thrive in the field. You can always bring someone along with you too!
1. Girl Develop It
Girl Develop It is a non-profit organization committed to providing affordable programs for adult women interested in learning web and software development in a judgment-free environment.. GDI has chapters in 46 North American cities and seeks to help women around the world from diverse backgrounds improve their careers and confidence in their everyday lives.
2.Women Who Code
With over 20,000 members in over 15 countries, Women Who Code runs initiatives like technical study groups in various coding languages, career development, and efforts to increase the presence of female speakers and judges at tech conferences and hackathons. They are sponsored by companies like Google, Nike, and PayPal.
3. Rails Girls
Rails Girls is an international organization, started in Helsinki, offering 2-day workshops in cities all across the world with the intent of empowering women to create new web applications. Rails Girls events are hosted through partnerships with local companies, and they also have online guides and materials available.
4. PyLadies
Offering a friendly support network for women and a bridge to the larger Python world, PyLadies is an international organization committed to increasing female participation in the open-source Python community. They sponsor events like hackathons and conventions in locations all over the world.
Ladies Learning Code is a Canadian non-profit that offers workshops for women, as well as co-ed kids workshops, across 19 cities in Canada. You can take advantage of full or partial scholarships for youth and mentorship. Ladies Learning Code’s goal is to shape digital literacy education for adults and youth in Canada.
Now that you have several options of different meetups to join, get out there and meet someone! Give it a try, because you have to start somewhere. You may even surprise yourself as to who you will meet and how you both can benefit each other.