GROWING GIRL GEEKS

BARATANG MIYA, FOUNDER OF THE GIRLHYPE CODING PROJECT, IS PASSIONATE ABOUT HELPING YOUNG WOMEN PURSUE A CAREER IN TECH.

- JOANNE CAREW

WHEN BARATANG MIYA LOOKS BACK ON WHAT INSPIRED HER CAREER IN TECH, SHE BELIEVES IT ALL
started in the small mining town where she grew up. It was a mining community. so technical jobs were in high demand and she was taught that being an engineer was important because their skills were so sought after. But none of the girls in her class had aspirations of being engineers, because no one told them it was something they could do. Careers in STEM fields simply were not being promoted as viable options for girls.

When Miya was first exposed to computers, she instantly realised the huge impact these tools could have. She wanted to make sure that future generations of young girls and young women were given the opportunity to pursue more technical roles, so Girlhype was born.

We asked Miya about how the program has developed since it started out more than two decades ago.

How has Girlhype evolved over time?

Girlhype is now more mature. It's not an emotional passion project anymore. It's become a business. We have moved from focusing only on upskilling high school girls in tech towards becoming a pipeline for university students to enter the workforce.