When you hear “tech education for girls,” coding probably comes to mind first. And yes, programming is important. But the truth is, coding alone won’t set young girls up for long-term success in tech. Soft skills, community, and exposure to diverse roles matter just as much.

Take the work of Miss Nine, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering girls through innovative education. They run a unique program that teaches girls to code, but also emphasizes creativity and leadership. More than just building technical skills, they create spaces where girls can explore tech in their own way — and see themselves as future leaders in the field. You can learn more about their approach on their website, but I’ll share some lessons I’ve picked up from working with young learners in similar programs.

Coding Is Just One Piece of the Puzzle

Of course, coding is valuable. It teaches logic, problem-solving, and how technology actually works. But if we stop there, we miss the bigger picture. Girls need to understand that tech isn’t just about writing lines of code—it’s about collaboration, communication, and applying creative ideas to real-world problems.

A handful of after-school programs take this seriously and combine technical skills with design thinking or even entrepreneurship training. That’s where I see real growth. When girls learn how to build a prototype and pitch it to a group of peers—or even a panel of mentors—they start seeing tech as a tool for change rather than just a rigid set of rules.

Community Builds Confidence (And Keeps Girls Interested)

The tech industry still has a diversity problem. Women make up only about 26% of computing professionals, according to recent data. When girls don’t see people who look like them in tech roles, it’s hard for them to imagine themselves in those positions.

Organizations like Miss Nine fix that by creating supportive communities where girls can learn together and connect with mentors who’ve walked similar paths. Peer support matters just as much as technical training—studies show that students in all-girl groups often persist longer in STEM fields because they don’t face the same stereotypes or imposter syndrome early on.

The Right Role Models Make All the Difference

The fact is, most girls don’t know what jobs even exist in tech outside of the obvious ones—like software engineers or web designers. Let’s be honest: “tech jobs” sound abstract when you’re 13. But when they meet women working in UX research, data science, or cybersecurity—and hear their stories—suddenly it feels real.

The most effective programs introduce girls to local professionals through workshops or guest speakers. That’s when they start making connections between what they’re learning and where those skills could take them years down the road. Nothing replaces seeing someone like you succeed in a field you’re curious about.

What Can Parents Do?

You don’t have to be an expert in computer science to help your daughter explore tech interests—and you shouldn’t wait until she’s older either. Here are a few ways parents can foster curiosity early:

• Encourage playful experimentation. Scratch, Tynker, or even drag-and-drop tools like MIT App Inventor let kids build simple games or apps without deep technical knowledge.
• Ask thoughtful questions. Instead of saying “Can you code this?” try “What problem would you like to solve with technology?” The shift from skill-based tasks to creative problem-solving opens up possibilities.
• Highlight different types of tech jobs. If she’s into biology, talk about bioinformatics. If she loves art, discuss digital design or animation careers.
• Support lifelong curiosity over perfection. It’s okay if her first app crashes or her website design looks messy at first. The goal is persistence—not perfection.

The truth is that no single program or skill will guarantee success in tech—but creating opportunities for exploration absolutely makes a difference by offering support at every stage.