Seventy-six girls participate in Girl Tech Fest in Bodø, Norway

Seventy-six fifth-grade girls from Bodø have gathered at the “Girl Tech Fest,” a national initiative aimed at teaching girls coding in a straightforward manner to encourage them to pursue IT studies in the future. Over 4,000 girls participated across 48 locations in Norway this year. Ten-year-old Agnes is among them, stating, “We code. That means we tell the computer what to do. I thought it was very hard at first, but now it’s much easier. It’s actually quite simple once you get a recipe.”

System developer Emmy Sortland emphasizes the importance of introducing technology to young girls, hoping to foster a sense of achievement and inspire them to choose IT careers. Despite a slight increase in female representation in IT studies—2,618 women and 4,571 men applied this year—where women now make up 36% of applicants, Sortland notes that the situation is still far from balanced, with women occupying barely 20% of developer positions.

While acknowledging the active presence of boys in education, Agnes and her classmate Silje appreciate the opportunity to learn in a female-only environment, finding it enjoyable to focus without the boys around.

Inga Strümke, a prominent advocate for women in tech, believes that initiatives like Girl Tech Fest are crucial for addressing gender imbalance in the industry. She recalls her own experiences as a child, highlighting the lack of female role models and expressing hope that events like these will help girls feel stronger and more supported.

Lise Mentzoni, CEO of PowerOffice and co-organizer of the event, sees the need for such gatherings to promote technology among girls. She is optimistic about the future, noting that her company has a 43% female representation, above the industry average, and believes initiatives like this one contribute to significant progress in gender equity in tech.