Free online course SheDares helps women shift to a career in tech

The Dream Collective has joined forces AWS to help women overcome the barriers to entry when transitioning to a career in tech with a new free online course, SheDares.

SheDares aims to inspire professional women looking for a career change to consider technology. Recent research from AWS conducted by Alpha Beta found Australia will need 6.5 million new skilled and reskilled digital workers by 2025, which is an increase of 79% of the existing workforce.

Tech skills will be in high demand.

To meet this demand, the average Australian worker will need to develop seven new digital skills within the next five years to keep pace with technology advancements. Despite this, the research suggests women will often ignore technology as a potential career pivot, discouraged by a lack of female role models, and perceived barriers to entry.

The SheDares curriculum was designed to help women overcome these barriers.

The free program features four, online 45-minute self-paced modules focused on expanding perspectives, understanding transferrable skills, and equipping participants with pathways to build skills and find job opportunities.

Modules include practical advice for breaking into the technology industry, worksheets to apply new learnings, a career skills quiz, and fireside chats with women sharing advice about how they successfully transitioned into tech.

Sarah Liu, founder and managing director of The Dream Collective, said SheDares was created to encourage women from a non-tech background to consider applying their skills to the tech sector.

“If you love working with people, if you are creative, and if you want to help solve the world’s biggest problems, then the tech industry is an ideal calling for you, and I encourage you to consider the opportunities the sector presents,” she said.

Following completion of the course, participants can access three practical pathways that will help them prepare for a career in tech.

For more information and to get started, go here.