One of the things that strikes me about the Ladies Learning Code experiences is that each learner is motivated and driven by their own unique desire to learn to code. Whether it’s to gain a new skill, start on a different career path, deepen their knowledge base, handle their company’s website, promote their own business, connect with their tech-savvy kids, build their brand or try something new, I always feel so enlivened and better connected to the community of similar, lifelong learners like myself. It’s a courageous thing to venture into learning a new skill. I should know. I took my first coding class at a Ladies Learning Code Signature Event years ago; National Learn to Code Day. It was Data Insights with Python. It was fun and challenging. I had moments of joy and frustrations, all in one day. It was humbling and rewarding; I wanted more. I joined up with the Toronto Chapter’s first Digital Skills cohort as a learner. Went on to do a part-time Web Development program. Then, I started working with Canada Learning Code.
Sadly, I don’t do much coding these days. By day, I work in patient education research, learning about and endorsing health literacy, plain language, and eLearning. By night, with Canada Learning Code, I nurture digital literacy, advocating for gender parity in tech, and promoting inclusive and collaborative learning spaces. In both roles, I’m driven by my fellow learners. I see in them what I’ve seen in my own continued learning; taking a workshop is not only about learning code but also learning a bit about ourselves in the process. For me, my learning-to-code experiences opened me up to embracing new and potential opportunity, because you just never know. One of those things is building a community dedicated to learners in my hometown of Mississauga.
We’ve brought coding to Mississauga before. Last year we hosted National Learn to Code Day, where we had learners diving into Solving Problems with Data: Intro to AI and Machine Learning. We also ran not one but two past National Girls Learning Code Day events! We even ran a small but strong Ladies Learning Code workshop to a group of enthusiastic learners who, after the workshop, all wanted to know, When’s the next one?
We have lots of big things in store for sprawling, suburban Mississauga! As one of the newest chapters in Canada, we will be kicking off the Mississauga Chapter launch with Ladies Learning Code HTML & CSS for Beginners: Learning to Build a One Page Website from Scratch on Saturday, April 21st. We’re so lucky to have seasoned Lead Instructor, Mississauga born and raised Stacie DaPonte guide our learners in the first of many beginner-friendly workshops to come! Sponsored by ICUBE UTM, this workshop will take place at Spacebar, a woman-led coworking space who are welcoming us again into their busy coworking, meeting and event space in Meadowvale. We are also bringing a third National Girls Learning Code Day, Collaborative Game Production event, which will take place on Saturday, May 12th. Keep an eye out of for other workshops coming down the pipe, including HTML & CSS for Beginners: Learn to Build a Multi Page Website from Scratch, that will run for two Wednesday evenings on May 23rd & May 30th.
Looking forward to learning and connecting with you!
Janette Brual
Mississauga Chapter Lead
janette.brual@archive-clc.canadalearningcode.ca
Interested in getting involved with Canada Learning Code? Want to bring coding education to your community? We’re looking for passionate individuals nationwide to join our team! Learn more at jobs.canadalearningcode.ca