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Computer gURLs
by Alyson K. Sickels, 08.29.02
While Net know-how is valuable no matter what, those computer skills can turn into lucrative tech careers later on. So let's find out: What level of computer gURL are you?
Net Novice
The only thing more useful for a beginning Web woman than learning to boot up is how to e-mail all her gal pals. In fact, for all Internet users, beginners to experts, e-mailing seems to be the biggest reason for logging on.
Another novice skill is surfing, but not the kind you do in the ocean. To surf the Net means to explore cyberspace without a particular destination, much like a weekend road trip with parents or friends. While the Net used to be overrun with teenage boys, these days, cybersavvy teen girls are taking the Web by storm.
Webmistress
Where is the femme tech trend going? In a word: Webmistresses. Reaching beyond e-mail, these gURLs are not only familiar with basic coding languages such as HTML and software tools like Dreamweaver, Adobe Photoshop, and PaintShop Pro, but also use them to build their own sites.
Eran, 16, built her Web site as a tribute to Mariah Carey two years ago and has worked almost daily to improve it ever since. "I didn't even know HTML when I started," she says. "I just downloaded programs from the Web and learned how to use them from other sites."
Nicole, 17, constructed her girl's hockey site with step-by-step instructions her Web host provided and expertise gained from years of Net/computer use.
While both girls appreciate their computer knowledge, neither wants to make a career of it. "I do think knowing how to use a computer is constructive and rewarding, but a tech career isn't that appealing to me," says Nicole.
SupergURL!
Here are the career computer gURLs. They know Java, C++, Corba, and many other advanced programming languages. While girls are still very much in the minority here, their numbers are steadily growing, thanks to career advancement possibilities, high salaries, shortages of qualified techies, and changes in perception.
Gone are the days when techies were stereotyped as anti-social nerds with pocket protectors. In fact, many computer careers, such as Web design, graphic art, tech writing, support, and sales require lots of creativity and excellent interpersonal skills.
Carrie, a software engineer, admits she hadn't planned on making computers her career. "I started out like everyone else, communicating with my friends by e-mail and IM," she explains. "I really became interested when I was using the computer daily for a research and development job I had during college. That's when I decided I wanted to be a computer geek," she says, laughing at the stereotype.
Carrie also says she's glad more women are entering the field since she started three years ago. "My computer science classes were less than 10 percent women, so it's nice to see more in my [engineering] department. There's definitely an unspoken camaraderie among us."
So gURLs, don't squash those techie tendencies if you think they make you a geek — because there's nothing cooler than being smart and successful, and being yourself! |
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