Clarkston Consulting partners with Girls Who Code to close nation's IT gender gap

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Aug 09, 2017, 07:00 ET

DURHAM, N.C., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Information technology has taken hold of almost every industry with salaries topping $100,000 annually, according to Indeed.com. But where are the girls? Today, Clarkston Consulting announces a partnership with Girls Who Code, a non-profit working to close the gender gap in Technology. After 25 years of giving back to many organizations, Clarkston is excited to add Girls Who Code (GWC) as a major national focus of giving.

"Clarkston has a commitment to a workplace rich in diverse skills, strengths, personalities and culture. More is possible when more perspectives are at the table. We are looking forward to sharing our experiences with girls who may not otherwise understand that a profession in technology or consulting is an option," said Irene Lewis, Associate Partner of Clarkston Consulting.

As a 2017 Summer Immersion Program sponsor, Clarkston Consulting hosted close to 50 girls from GWC this past July to participate in a half-day workshop. Clarkston Consulting leadership provided an overview of a day in the life of a consultant and gave an introduction to the life sciences, consumer products and retail industries. At the end of the day, the girls developed a case study, solving real-world challenges Clarkston Consulting clients face today. The initial feedback from participants like Girls Who Code participant, Chiara was overwhelmingly positive.

"I really enjoyed learning about careers in consulting, which I knew nothing about before. I was engaged the whole time and the speakers did a good job evaluating the level at which to explain the concepts," said Chiara.

"The question isn't whether or not girls can become information technology leaders but why girls aren't being exposed to computer science at an early age in the first place," said Kelly Parsisi, VP of Marketing & Communications for Girls Who Code. "Through our partnership with Clarkston Consulting, we can provide mentorship and hands-on learning that show them, 'Look, you can do this. You can code this. If you want to become a software engineer, computer programmer or delve into any area of IT, it's yours for the taking.'"

"Having been in the IT field for over 25 years, we have seen the industry improve but there's still a lot of work to be done. We're excited to support an organization like Girls Who Code, that will move the needle on the gender gap in the years to come," said Tom Finegan, CEO and Co-Founder of Clarkston Consulting.

In addition to being an official 2017 Summer Immersion Program Partner in both Atlanta and Chicago, the partnership spans year-round and nationwide. Clarkston Consulting stewards will engage with GWC clubs in Atlanta, Raleigh/Durham, Chicago, and New Jersey throughout the 2017 – 2018 school year on a regular cadence. Additionally, Clarkston Consulting will run two annual company-wide fundraising events that will continue to support GWC nationally.

About Girls Who Code
Girls Who Code is a national non-profit organization working to close the gender gap in technology. Through its Summer Immersion Program and Girls Who Code Clubs, the organization is leading the movement to inspire, educate, and equip young women with the computing skills to pursue 21st century opportunities. Additional information is available at www.girlswhocode.com.

About Clarkston Consulting
Clarkston Consulting provides management, operations and implementation consulting services for life sciences and consumer products companies. Clarkston has achieved a 16-year average client satisfaction rate of 97% by continuously pushing for success for our clients, our consultants, and our company. For more information, please visit www.clarkstonconsulting.com

SOURCE Clarkston Consulting