This year at BullCon17, we’ve partnered up with General Assembly DC, and their instruction manager, Lauren Jacobson, will be leading a workshop on why you should learn to code.
Lauren is a community organizer and activist in the Women in Tech community. Currently, she works as the Instructor Manager for the Immersive programs at General Assembly DC. She teaches coding classes and workshops, with a focus on Javascript, and works as a front-end web developer in her off hours. Lauren is the Network Director of Women Who Code DC, the largest women in tech organization in DC. In her free time, you will find her biking around her neighborhood in her helmet covered in the all the stickers she can’t fit on her laptop or reading a book while holding a giant cup of coffee.
We caught up with Lauren for a quick Q&A and to learn more about how and why we should all know the basics of coding. Check it out here:
Hi Lauren! We’re so excited to have you join us this year. Can you tell us a little bit about what to expect from your workshop?
My workshop is entitled “Why you should learn to code”. During the workshop, we will talk about why coding is a valuable skill for any professional and learn how to applying coding and related tech skills in your everyday work or side-hustle. Prepare for a fun and interactive workshop.
If you could give one piece of advice (without giving too much away) to someone who’s considering jumping into the world of coding, what would it be?
Coding is not magic! It is also not an inscrutable black box. What does that mean? — Everyone is capable of learning to code. In an article I really enjoyed by Cecily Carver entitled “Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me When I was Learning How to Code“, Carver explains “Coding is a skill like any other.” I want the women who attend my workshop to understand that while every skill has levels of complexity, they are capable of learning and applying this skill.
BullCon17 is literally right around the corner, but can we cyber stalk you in the meantime?
Follow me @lauren_cjay on twitter. That’s where I do most of my musings
Join Lauren and the rest of our badass speakers this November 2-5 at The Bullish Conference.
