Local program looks to help women break into tech industry

SALT LAKE CITY — A local program called Tech Moms is giving women the skills they need to land tech jobs. 

Tech Moms

The Tech Moms program offers a foundational education in coding, cyber security, and data science. Tech Moms also features workshops with guest speakers. 

Tech Moms founder and RizeNext CEO Trina Limpert says the program is structured to be accommodating to those who sign up. 

“Really trying to make sure that being a mom isn’t a barrier,” said Limpert. 

The program is currently offered at Weber State University, Utah Valley University, and Salt Lake Community College. 

Limpert says they are seeking additional funding to offer Tech Moms at other institutions around the state. 

Classes are offered Saturdays and childcare is provided. 

Local program is changing perceptions

In an industry dominated by men, Limpert says Tech Moms is also about changing attitudes. 

“Tech jobs are mom jobs. The remote working, the flexibility, the opportunities that are there, the higher pay, the gender wage gap is lower in tech,” said Limpert. 

She says they receive applications from different age groups, socioeconomic backgrounds, and career paths. 

“We have high school graduates to doctorates. We have women that have said for decades ‘I wanted to be in tech, I just didn’t know how’. We’ve taken women that are in their 50s that were executives at banks and transitioned them into tech roles at various tech companies here in Utah,” Limpert said. 

According to Limpert, Tech Moms has more than 80 alumni. She says there are currently 60 women enrolled in classes. 

The program also appears to be quite popular. Limpert says they currently have a backlog of as many as 300 women trying to get in. 

More information is available at www.tech-moms.org.