KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Zoe Richardson walks into her office each week with a wave of gratitude and excitement.
“I think it’s a powerful position for a woman,” said Richardson.
She is an employee at Viagio Technologies, a software development firm. This position is a stark contrast to her past jobs in retail and art.
Richardson took a course at LaunchCode, a local nonprofit teaching coding basics for free to anyone willing to dedicate 24-45 weeks of their time.
“Now that I’m in this field, I feel like I’ve grown so much more,” Richardson said. “Understanding that I can do whatever I want if I just put my mind to it.”
Viagio developed a relationship with LaunchCode, creating a path from graduation to full-time employment for some.
LaunchCode’s newest course, which starts in January, aims to recruit women and gender nonconforming people.
Women+ will teach the same skills as their other courses, with an emphasis on creating connections for women in the field.
Viagio’s Vice President of Talent, Sarah Tate, sees a benefit to getting applicants from varying backgrounds.
“The reality is that adding diversity to the tech space can only add new perspectives,” Tate said. “I really focus on inclusion and knowing that including all sorts of backgrounds brings better problem solving and that is really what it is about.”
The most recent data from KC Tech Council shows women in Kansas City make up 49% of the workforce but 27% of technology jobs.
“Reflecting the need to create a more diverse workforce for women and nonbinary individuals,” said LaunchCode Managing Director Kate Kershaw.
Some big names in tech have made major moves with their staffing over the last few weeks. Layoffs at Amazon, Meta and Twitter are among the largest cuts.
People in the field locally said the layoffs are more closely related to the economy than a diminished need for tech jobs.
“It’s not that those companies are not doing well or that there is not a bright future for tech,” Tate said. “Kansas City is strong in the tech space.”
Applications for the course close Nov. 27.
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