The name of the organization hosting this workshop which is being held on Saturday, March 8 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the office of iQmetrix (500-2221 Cornwall St.) is somewhat misleading since participation is not restricted entirely to women. The workshop is intended to serve as a primer for anyone interested in learning how to program using HTML (HyperText Markup Language) and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets — which is a tool used to format a document written in HTML).
“Ladies Learning Code began in Toronto a few years ago,” says local organizer Eden Rohatensky. “In the past year and a half they started an initiative to spread across Canada. And the Regina branch will be holding its first workshop this weekend.
“For those who have some background in computer programming, it’s a good refresher,” Rohatensky says. “But you’re not required to know anything about HTML or CSS. It’s geared toward beginners and through the use of mentors along with a lead instructor [Chad McCallum of iQmetrix)] we make sure the environment is especially conducive to learning.
“By the end of the day you’ll have a website that looks good,” says Rohatensky. “We just usually do one page at the beginning, but you’ll develop the skills you need to do a full website with multiple pages.”
At a recent workshop in Saskatoon, Rohatensky adds, “we had everybody from high school students to senior citizens. And they all seemed to enjoy the workshop very much. HTML and CSS are used in every website you see on the Internet today, so having an understanding of how they work is a real help for people if they’re looking to put content on the Internet.”
That could include everyone from artists and small business people to volunteers at community organizations. It could even serve as a nice addition to a person’s c.v, says Rohatensky. “There’s a huge demand in the job market for people with soft skills related to marketing and communication and having an understanding of how the tech works can be a real asset.”
The workshop is $50, and includes a catered lunch. So it’s a pretty low-cost option for anyone interested in upgrading their knowledge of computer programming. “We plan to have three or four workshops per year,” says Rohatensky. “Those will vary in topic. This one is on HTML and CSS, we might do WordPress or JavaScript or Python in the future. The only thing that you’re required to have is a laptop. We send you all the materials and software that you need for the day. And then you’re ready to go.”
You can register for the workshop here.
