In efforts to increase the number of women and girls pursuing careers in technology, Thinkful, the #1 industry rated tech education provider, today announced a partnership with national nonprofit organization ChickTech.

“The tremendous work that ChickTech is doing to engage women while envisioning a more inclusive technology culture for everyone, is something we are honored to be a part of,” said Darrell Silver, Thinkful CEO. “They're creating more opportunities for women in technology. It's inspiring and fits exactly what we're great at as a school.”

"ChickTech Portland is excited to partner with Thinkful,” noted Janel Hull, ChickTech Portland Community Manager. “By working together, our two organizations can provide more opportunities for more women in Portland to succeed in the technology industry."

Monthly partnership events led by Thinkful’s mentors and instructors will be hosted at the ChickTech Portland office. The first event will be held on November 8: Build Your Own Website with HTML/CSS, led by local Thinkful mentor Danielle Heberling, a professional developer at Cascade Energy.

“We like to invest in communities where the need is often the greatest while promoting inclusive, accessible professional growth that moves the student and community forward,” said Emma Holland, Thinkful Community Manager. “Members of the ChickTech Portland community will be able to apply to the newly launched Income Share Agreement (ISA) with $1,000 scholarship applied to their deposit, so they won’t pay tuition until they get a job.”

Thinkful, who recently celebrated its five year anniversary, offers in-depth curriculum led by their mentor network of experts for those who are willing to work hard to accelerate their career while developing a pipeline of top talent for the Portland tech industry. Find out more about Thinkful Portland on their website.

In alignment with the TechTown PDX Diversity Pledge, we too believe it is necessary to do more than just talking about the need for a more diverse tech sector. As tech professionals, we think collective action and accountability are required to address the underrepresentation of women, LGBTQ+, and people of color in our industry.

Sponsored by Thinkful, the #1 coding boot camp in America by Course Report, join panelists from Chick Tech, Free Geek, Out in Tech, Lesbians Who Tech, WeWork and more for a discussion on how some organizations are continuously working to empower diversity and digital inclusion in our community.

Panelists: Justin Hulog - Out in Tech, Portland Chapter Founder Sara Rasmussen - Free Geek, Digital Inclusion Manager Janel Hull - ChickTech, Community Manager Heather Knight - Lesbians Who Tech, Portland Chapter Representative Marianne Moyer - WeWork, Community Manager

Moderator: Emma Holland - Thinkful, Community Manager

Thinkful is a career accelerator that supports graduates seeking high-growth careers in technology. We focus on the flexibility and accessibility offered online with the support and networking opportunities offered in-person. Thinkful grads are job-ready after working alongside professional engineers through 1-on-1 mentorship, in-depth curriculum and a learning model that emphasizes real-world application over theory. Ranked #1 best overall Bootcamp in America by Course Report, 91% of our graduates finding a job within six months. Find out more about Thinkful Portland on our website.