Peru is a country with a rapidly growing economy, but unfortunately, there is still a significant gender gap in the workforce. Women face discrimination and are often underrepresented in certain industries, including technology. Laboratoria is a Peruvian social enterprise that is working towards closing this gender gap by providing women with the skills and opportunities they need to succeed in the tech industry.
Founded in 2014, Laboratoria has trained thousands of women in software development, web development, and user experience design. The organization provides intensive, six-month coding boot camps, during which participants learn coding languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. After completing the program, graduates are equipped with the skills they need to obtain jobs in the tech industry.
The impact of Laboratoria has been impressive. Over 80% of graduates go on to find work in the tech industry, and they earn an average of 3.5 times their previous income. This is a significant achievement, especially given that many of the women who participate in the program come from low-income backgrounds.
Laboratoria is not just helping individual women, but it is also helping to boost the economy. By providing women with the skills they need to succeed in the tech industry, Laboratoria is helping to create a more diverse and inclusive workforce. This is good for businesses, as studies have shown that diverse teams are more innovative and perform better than non-diverse teams.
In addition to training women, Laboratoria is also working to change perceptions of women in the tech industry. The organization actively promotes the idea that women belong in tech and highlights the achievements of its graduates, which also matched with the mindset of the global society. This helps to break down stereotypes and make it easier for other women to enter the industry.
Laboratoria's work aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 8, which aims to promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. By providing women with the skills they need to succeed in the tech industry, Laboratoria is contributing to economic growth and promoting full and productive employment.
Moreover, by focusing on women who come from low-income backgrounds, Laboratoria is also helping to reduce inequality, another important SDG. Women who come from low-income backgrounds face significant barriers to entering the tech industry, and Laboratoria is helping to remove these barriers by providing training and opportunities.
In conclusion, Laboratoria is an organization that is making a real difference in South America by promoting gender equality and economic growth. Through its coding boot camps, it is providing women with the skills they need to succeed in the tech industry, and it is helping to change perceptions of women in the industry. By doing so, it is contributing to the achievement of SDG 8 and helping to build a more inclusive and sustainable future.
More information: https://www.laboratoria.la