TechGig data shows that young women coders are overtaking men in gaining expertise in scripting languages and guess what, they rank higher!
January 12, 2016: Scripting languages such as PHP, JavaScript, Python, Perl and Ruby are not a conventional choice of programming language for coders. These are traditionally used to glue together components created using system programming languages such as Java, C, C++, C# and VB.net.
But this trend is changing. TechGig.com’s data on programming language preferences of thousands of coders shows that while men are still coding in the comforts of traditional languages, Gen Y women programmers are challenging the norm by coding in scripting languages as experts.
Women Coders Excel in Scripting
A case in point is the TechGig Code Gladiators contest. Nearly 40,000 coders crossed swords in India’s biggest coding contest as certified by the Limca Book of Records*. Data analysis shows that 15 per cent of the young women contestants with up to two years of industry experience not only chose to code in these scripting languages but also scored more than their male counterparts.
For instance, among Gen Y’ers who coded in Ruby, women coders scored an average of 93 points while male coders scored 60 points. Python emerged as another hot favorite scripting language for women coders where they edged past male coders by a substantial 17 points.
Gen Y women coders choosing scripting languages for such a critical coding challenges highlights their expertise and confidence in wielding interpreter languages with ease.
Hina Bhatia, who won the first-ever Code Diva title at the contest, told TechGig that there are many reasons behind a coder choosing a particular language.
“One factor is definitely the coder’s comfort level and experience in one language over others. Problem statement and functionalities also matter, as every language supports a particular feature, function or executional ease in different scenarios,” says Hina Bhatia, a senior software engineer at Sopra Steria.
Challenges of Leadership for Women in IT
In contrast, women coders with 10-15 years of industry exposure did not display a similar expertise in scripting language. However, they did rank higher than male coders in Java. This shows that unlike experienced male coders, experienced women coders do not seem to have focused on up-skilling themselves in scripting languages which are now evolving as the latest programming languages. This lack of new-age skill acts a roadblock for women techies who aspire for leadership roles.
On this subject, Ritu Mehta, director-engineering, Pitney Bowes, says, “Successful women leaders focus on up-skilling. To attain a cut above the rest, they should never feel constrained by circumstantial pressures and should strive to learn new technology and market trends. Another significant factor is self-marketing, meaning to raise the hand for new initiatives and responsibilities with confidence in ones’ abilities.”
While there is a consistent demand for coders specializing in traditional coding languages, the demand for scripting language experts is skyrocketing in the industry. Some companies such as Oyo Rooms and Here Maps are going a step further in the talent hunt and conducting their own coding challenges on TechGig.com to find the best scripting language coders in the country.
TechGig, on its own accord, is also facilitating the recognition of women coders and celebrating their contributions to the IT sector by organizing TechGig Geek Goddess (TG3) .
Introducing TechGig Geek Goddess (TG3)
The TG3 program cultivates ideas to Encourage, Engage, Spotlight and Inspire Indian Code Divas. This mega property features a 2-week long active engagement with top women techies across the nation. And provides a platform for them to engage and network through diversity forums and community building activities like webinars, code contests, daily activities, fun-trivias, Q&A sessions and engaging content.
Like Code Gladiators – awarded by “LIMCA Book of Records”* for being the largest programming contest in India*, TG3 is slated to become the largest online diversity platform for Indian Code Divas. Combined with the organic large-scale amplification and engagement opportunities with the women in IT workforce of India, the format encompasses the entire journey of a woman working in the IT Sector.
“While equality in the workplace is slowly improving for women in general, the percentage of women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers is stagnant. Diversity awareness and Sensitization within the IT industry is one of our core focus areas at TechGig and we are developing new product initiatives around diversity, innovative hiring and employer branding. TechGig Geek Goddess: Celebrating the Code Divas/Women in Technology of the Indian IT Industry is our latest initiative in our quest,” says Vivek Madhukar, COO, TimesJobs.com.
Given the trends, Gen Y women coders are set to emerge as a natural first choice for employers when they look for scripting language specialists. And they will all be watching intensely the performance of the Coding Diva’s at TechGig Geek Goddess (TG3). As for male programmers still coding away in traditional languages, it’s time gear up if you wish to remain competitive!
Why should Code Divas Participate in TG3:
> Kick-start your dream career and get a chance to work with top IT companies
> Win 5 lakh+ worth of attractive prizes and more
> Test your mettle by competing against the best
> Showcase your coding skills and get an opportunity for final placements
TG3 Event Starts on January 18, 2016. Registrations are Open! Click Here – http://www.techgig.com/tg3
*National Record Broken: TechGig Code Gladiators 2015 Enters Limca Book of Records – http://bit.do/tgcglimca
About TechGig.com:
TechGig is India’s foremost technology specific career platform exclusively for IT professionals. TechGig.com showcases and benchmarks candidates’ technical proficiency and facilitates them to stand out amongst their peer group, it also helps them to identify and engage with the top IT companies in their domain.
For companies, TechGig.com provides an objective measure to shortlist only the best tech talent, improving conversions and reducing turnaround time. TechGig.com further provides employers an unparalleled platform to demonstrate and exhibit their company as a Top Employer to attract the best technology talent.
TechGig is a part of the TimesJobs network, operated by Times Business Solutions – a Division of Times Internet Ltd.