Women in Tech - Georgina’s Story
Tags: minoritiesintech, womenintech, testimonial, react
Published: 2020-01-15 14:55:22

---
title: Women in Tech - Georgina’s Story
published: true
date: 2019-12-13 23:00:00 UTC
tags: minorities in tech, women in tech, testimonial, reactjs
canonical_url: https://www.reactgraphql.academy/react/women-in-tech-georgina-story
---

Table of contents:

- Meet Georgina, [go to canonical section](https://www.reactgraphql.academy/react/women-in-tech-georgina-story#meet_georgina)
- Watch Georgina’s Interview, [go to canonical section](https://www.reactgraphql.academy/react/women-in-tech-georgina-story#watch_georginas_interview)
- Why React GraphQL Academy?, [go to canonical section](https://www.reactgraphql.academy/react/women-in-tech-georgina-story#why_react_graphql_academy)
- What was the React Bootcamp like?, [go to canonical section](https://www.reactgraphql.academy/react/women-in-tech-georgina-story#what_was_the_react_bootcamp_like)

At React GraphQL Academy, we pride ourselves on our commitment to helping under-represented groups get into the technology sector and/or expand their tech skills. After winning a scholarship, we were thrilled to invite Georgina along to a React Bootcamp to get her up to speed on all things React. Here’s more on her experience.

## Meet Georgina

Georgina is a developer from the UK and mum to five children. She has been working in technology for a few years, and is even a trainer herself. Georgina proudly trains young women and girls at Bletchley Park Coding Club for Girls, where she helps to build up young women’s confidence so they can take on junior roles or move onto advanced developer training courses, like our own Bootcamp.

In 2019, Georgina wanted to expand her skills and, because she didn’t use React enough on an ongoing basis, catch up on React. After a successful week at our Bootcamp, we interviewed Georgina to see what she thought...

## Watch Georgina’s Interview

[Related video .](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lG50I6KmzsQ&start=1)

## Why React GraphQL Academy?

I asked Georgina "Why React GraphQL Academy?”

Georgina hadn’t worked in React for a while, not needing it for her day-to-day job. But she wanted to change that. Technology moves so fast, Georgina said, but with this Bootcamp she could get caught up to speed quickly. Although she isn’t using React at the moment, the Bootcamp has given her new confidence and she knows she could jump back into React in no time at all now.

## What was the React Bootcamp like?

Georgina has a lot of experience attending dev conferences, and every one of them has something in common: an under-representation of women. On average, she said, there would be 10-20% women at these events.

However, at the React Bootcamp there was a 50-50 split. Georgina pointed out that under-representation can make it intimidating for women in tech to get fully involved in tech training, but the 50-50 split meant the atmosphere was very encouraging.

That encouraging atmosphere was vital because Georgina said that she was eager to learn. Some people think that Bootcamps aren’t effective because your questions don’t get answered, but Georgina’s experience of our React Bootcamp was a lot different. After explaining a topic, our trainers gave Georgina and her group examples to work through and were on hand to answer any questions.

> The trainers, they were just amazing. Richard and Alex, they’ve got so much energy between them, which you need for a Bootcamp.

[Related video about: "Georgina's opinion about the trainers ".](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRklXvD6m3Q&start=1)

And Georgina had questions. She was keen to point out that there’s no point going to a Bootcamp knowing everything.

> You’re not supposed to walk in knowing everything, otherwise why be on the course? The point is to make mistakes and Richard and Alex were good at setting that sort of atmosphere where actually you’ll learn more by not doing it right first time.

The whole point is to make mistakes, because you’ll learn from them and you’ll remember them. Georgina had the space, time and encouragement to ask questions and get the most out of the React Bootcamp.

That’s the kind of value Georgina gained from our React Bootcamp, and something we want to bring to more women and ethnic minority people going forward.

### Get Into Tech with React GraphQL Academy

> It was brilliant [...] it was well organised from the beginning.

Georgina’s experience is just one of many that women have had at React GraphQL Academy, and we want to ensure more women in tech can upskill in the same way.

If you’d like to learn React or GraphQL and unlock more pathways in your career, [get in touch with us today](https://reactgraphql.academy/#contact-us). We’re keen to support all groups, including women and those from an ethnic minority group, to get into technology. Our [Bootcamps](https://www.reactgraphql.academy/react/training/bootcamp/) are a safe place to build your confidence and learn new skills.