2020 will see an estimated 1.4 million tech jobs available in the U.S. Some 70% may remain unfilled. Tina Lee, the founder of MotherCoders, is determined to bridge that gap by arming moms with the necessary tech skills to land these well-paid opportunities.

Lee first thought of the idea when she was on maternity leave from her job as a director of innovation for the California State Controller’s Office. She realized that her lack of tech-knowledge was limiting her ability to succeed, and she knew she couldn’t be the only one: she posted a Google poll to gauge interest in a coding meet-up where moms could learn together, without the domestic distractions. That survey got nearly 100 responses in one week, with respondents from women all over the world. In 2013, MotherCoders was founded as a training program with on-site childcare, catering to moms wanting to gain the skills, knowledge, and community needed to break into tech careers.

In 2019, MotherCoders opened its first non-California based program in New York City as part of the city’s Women.nyc initiative. The program offers a nine-week tech training program for women with college degrees and work experience.

“The diversity of our talent is what sets NYC’s tech sector apart, and makes it one of our fastest-growing industries. We need to do all we can to connect talented people with tech opportunities – including mothers, who have historically been underrepresented in the field. MotherCoders innovative combination of training and childcare takes that issue head-on, helping us to build a tech ecosystem that is truly representative of NYC.”

Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen.

And the benefits to all New York City residents and visitors are fast coming. Ntianu Eastmond-Visani, a graduate of the NYC MotherCoders, has augmented the New York City subway map to include stroller icons, indicating stations that are stroller-accessible. Her next goal is to make the app interactive so that subway travelers can enter a destination and find the most stroller-friendly route.