Career choices continue to be shaped by traditional stereotypes: While boys are often oriented toward technology, girls more often choose social professions. Yet both the digital transformation and the move toward greater sustainability require new skills. The Germany-wide Future Day for Girls and Boys - Girls' Day and Boys' Day - aims to break down these role stereotypes: It opens up new areas of experience for young people, regardless of gender, and enables them to make career decisions based on their own interests, talents and personal motivation.
App development made easy: schoolchildren get a taste of IT and healthcare management
For this year's Girls' and Boys' Day, those responsible had put together a varied program - for girls as well as boys. From 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., young people could attend Girls' Day at the Faculty of Information Management and Boys' Day at the Faculty of Health Management.
On Girls' Day, everything revolved around apps and their development - because: In view of the digital transformation, it is all the more important to encourage female students to help shape the future. Prof. Dr. Dany Meyer gave a presentation on "Developing MY App! - Start with fun for female computer scientists", Prof. Dr. Dany Meyer introduced female students aged 13 and older to programming and showed how easy it is to get started. The participants quickly programmed a variety of apps for their own smartphones, including an animal sound app and an app for controlling a small spaceship.
The Boys' Day program was also dedicated to apps, in connection with the topic of health management: Prof. Dr. Alexander Würfel held a workshop entitled "Fitness app: Your design - for creative people in health management". The goal was to design an app that provides motivation and incentive to live healthier and more active. Students aged 13 and older attempted to design an app that would encourage young people in particular to act in a health-conscious manner. Participants were also able to tour a lab and try out an age suit.
The program for all students included a get-to-know-you session, an introduction to the HNU library, and a shared break with drinks and snacks. The young people also had the opportunity to talk with professors and students.
Contact
Alina Geßler, Research assistant for the field of "Gender-sensitive marketing and implementation of IT study programs".
