Ivy Tech program invites women to pursue tech careers
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A new program is hoping to encourage women across central Indiana to pursue a career in technology.
It’s becoming a growing field in Indianapolis — with employers looking to hire thousands of people.
Educators believe you don’t have to move all the way to Silicon Valley to get your career started in technology when you could do it in Indianapolis.
24-Hour News 8 talked with students who said they are ready to make an impact in the growing industry.
Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana leaders announced a new partnership Tuesday evening with the Indy Women in Tech foundation, and it will help students like Asheli Ewing.
“Being a single mom of three children, I’m looking for a career somewhere where I can grow; you know, earn money and take care of my family,” she said.
Ewing is starting classes in about two weeks for information technology support as part of the IvyWorks program.
“I felt that it was a great opportunity for me to get more involved with working with computers,” she said.
The school received a grant from the foundation to help students as they pursue degrees or certification in technology. Students can take classes in fields like IT support, software development and business operation.
“This is very special. We’re putting women through these courses (and) helping them with the wraparound services also so that they don’t have to worry so much about that sort of thing,” said former Indianapolis mayor Greg Ballard, who represents the Indy Women in Tech foundation. “Sometimes when women go back to school, they have child care issues, transportation issues. We’re trying to elevate all of that also, but we want to give them the ability to get a good career in tech, get the proper training in tech.”
School leaders said the field is growing and believe this is a great opportunity for women to bridge the gap.
“There’s no rhyme or reason why the field is dominated by men at this point so Ivy Tech and Ivy Works, we’re excited to help women get into that field and create new opportunities,” said Jeff Jourdan, who is the senior director of learning communities for Ivy Tech.
The push comes just a day after a Google engineer was fired for what he said in a memo. According to reports, he said there are not a lot of women working in technology because of quote biological differences and not discrimination.
“It is kind of sad because I hope by this 2017 that everybody appreciates equality of everybody else,” said Veronica Malcoha, who is a student at Ivy Tech.
Malocha is pursuing data analytics and knows moving forward the sky is the limit.
“You know in a lot of fields you work really hard and you go straight through it and you kind of feel stuck,” she said. “I do not feel that whatsoever and that’s so empowering especially as a woman.”
Classes will start Aug. 21.
Click here to learn more about the IvyWorks program.