Kicking off summer with Girls Who Code

Girl power is gaining momentum in the workforce, but we only hold 25 percent of the jobs in computing and technical fields. Deep down Expedia is just as much a technology company as we are a travel provider, and our commitment to providing resources to educate and equip girls with the knowledge and skills they’ll need to succeed in technology fields is one of the greatest ways we are working to enhance our community.

That’s why we are super-psyched that the Girls Who Code Immersion Program and Expedia Apprenticeship Program officially have begun at Expedia.

As part of these programs, 30 girls are spending part of their summer at our headquarters in the exciting tech hub here in Bellevue, Washington. During their visit, they will receive intensive training, take field trips, get hands-on experience across a variety of computer science disciplines, and receive mentorship from industry leaders.

Summer Immersion Program participants will experience a robust curriculum of daily classroom instruction, as well as workshops and demos led by a hand-picked team of Expedia’s remarkable female Computer Science engineers, designers, and leaders in the technology sector. The girls will receive more than 250 hours of intensive training, as well.

The apprenticeship program is brand new. It will provide a unique and engaging educational experience for local young women who previously have participated in the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program. Participants will be embedded directly into Expedia’s engineering teams and coached and managed directly by our employees. This level of one-on-one mentoring, guidance, and encouragement from top CS professionals will provide unparalleled opportunities, perspective, and advocacy toward establishing careers in the industry. How I wish this program existed when I was their age!

We started the new program to help close the gender gap, and the idea came right from our very own director of technology, Elena Camerini (who will tell you more about the girls later this summer). Her daughter was in a Girls Who Code program and Elena was so inspired by what she saw that she and the rest of the Expedia team decided to get on board to keep momentum rolling.

We are so thrilled to see the strides our students are certain to make this summer. Stay tuned for more updates on their progress along the way!