Women Who Code launches London meet ups

Original story published here. 

Women Who Code Belfast founder extends meet ups into London, with free coding classes

Women Who Code has expanded its meetings in London already attracting 121 members in less than two months.

Women Who Code organises female "meet-ups" for technical study groups, tech talks, career training and hack nights. Globally the organisation has more than 6000 members in 21 cities and 110 countries.  

Sheree Atcheson, founder of Women Who Code Belfast, decided to launch Women Who Code London following demand she had seen in her hometown of Belfast. She became involved with Women Who Code with the goal of bringing programming to the younger generation and getting them interested in coding.

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She graduated with a degree in computer science from Queen’s University Belfast in July 2013 and launched Woman Who Code Belfast in the following October, which now has 150 members.

Through Women Who Code Atcheson organises introduction, intermediate and advanced meet up classes in coding.

She explained: “I always start my classes with a basic introduction class. The meet-ups are aimed at women who want to try something different and usually by the end of it they are enthralled.

“Some women tell me they went to a coding club once, had a bad experience, and did not want to go back again. This is a place where you can grow your skills without the worry and fear of not knowing what to do.”

During university Atcheson underwent a job placement at software house Kainos, where she was offered a full time role as a software engineer based in Belfast.

Atcheson said despite having a full time job in technology, in addition to being a model, travelling between Belfast and London is not an issue: “I’m very lucky as Kainos are very supportive of Women Who Code.”

She said she on is on the hunt for people who want to get involved as trainers helping to run the events, revealing plans to recruit a person in each location to look after the classes, open the sessions and ensure they run to schedule.

“My events are planned months in advance, so anyone interested in training will have about five months to prepare to ensure no one feels like they are being thrown into the deep end.”

She said there are currently plans for a Bristol based group over the next few months.

The first Women Who Code London meet up is scheduled for 25 March at the Google Campus near Old Street.