Third Annual Pearson Student Coding Contest

Will you join me in following and promoting the Third Annual Pearson Student Coding Contest open to all undergraduates with an interest in coding cool education apps? Students could win up to $5000 or a chance to intern with Pearson, a leader in Education solutions.

Where would we be without programming? You can ask your phone for directions, you can synchronize your email appointment with calendar reminders. You can take a class! You can teach a class! You can monitor your health and fitness on your phone…and keep in touch with family and friends at the touch of a button, all because of programming skill.

Coding and IT skills support a growing American Tech economy, an industry which grew even during the Great Recession. Between May 2007 and May 2011, IT jobs grew by 6.8 percent, contributing $37 billion to an economy that was otherwise flat. IT investment by companies typically increases the numbers of jobs instead of decreasing them. As a portion of the American Gross Domestic Product (GDP), IT increased from 3.4% in the early 90s to an aggregated (IT and associated services) number of 7.1% in 2011.

Yet, despite consistent growth, there is a huge deficit in programming talent and an even greater gap when it comes to the numbers of women in the field, who make up roughly 29% of the IT workforce, down from 35% in 1990.

Join me in encouraging students to learn to code!  #alwayscoding