Sony revealed that it will be sponsoring a bootcamp for girls who are interested in working within the technology and video games industries.
The move, which promotes diversity in a workforce that is dominated by men, shows that Sony is committed to providing opportunities for both males and females in the industries.
Sony-Sponsored Bootcamp For Girls
Sony, through its PlayStation brand, will be sponsoring a bootcamp in Liverpool, England, for local girls with ages of 11 years old to 14 years old. The bootcamp, which is being organized by Liverpool Girl Geeks, will last for six weeks.
Liverpool Girl Geeks is hoping to get more local girls to work in the technology and video games industries, and the group is doing a great job at the endeavor. The group's various programs and courses have attracted many applications, with the eight-week coding academy held last week as an example. The program attracted 90 applications, but there were only 15 spots open for interested girls.
This year, Liverpool Girl Geeks is targeting the participation of 400 girls in its programs, which would go a long way in setting up a more diverse future for the technology and video games industries.
"There is a gender imbalance within our technology sector and we need to take action now to ensure a more balanced and inclusive industry for the future," said Playstation senior release manager Michelle Tilley, adding that young women should be encouraged to work in what she describes as "amazing" industries.
Tilley also said that young women should be inspired and empowered to achieve their dreams, and Sony's support of Liverpool Girl Geeks will bring about a change in the male-dominated culture of the industries.
Sony PlayStation's History In Liverpool
Sony's PlayStation brand actually has an over two-decade history in the city of Liverpool, stemming back from when it purchased Psygnosis back in 1993. The studio was the one behind futuristic racing title Wipeout, which Sony used as a launch game for the first PlayStation console in North America and Europe.
To this day, Sony still has a significant presence in the Wavertree area of Liverpool, where testing procedures are done for various PlayStation games.
Workforce Diversity In Tech
Diversity has been one of the more prominent problems in the workforces of the technology and video game industries, as companies are usually dominated by white males.
One of the recent popular issues relating to workforce diversity are the scalding reports released in September 2016 wherein leaked emails revealed a toxic and sexist work environment in Apple. The company responded to the reports by saying that Apple takes such cases seriously and personally, and that the environment described in the leaked emails is not reflective of Apple and its culture.
Companies are now starting to implement measures to improve workforce diversity, with Microsoft said to be thinking of tying the company's employee diversity goals with the bonuses that executives are eligible to receive. Such a move would push executives to give the issue more importance in their daily workflow.
The programs launched by Liverpool Girl Geeks will surely help workforce diversity in the technology and video games industries, and kudos to Sony for sponsoring such intiatives.
