Only 13% of girls consider a job in tech — a figure from Randstad that sits alongside another stubborn one: women still represent just 23% of the STEM workforce, barely changed in nearly 40 years, according to McKinsey. For Anita Huang Teshima, interim executive director of Hackergal, those numbers tell a story that starts long before anyone enters the workforce.

"Girls' confidence in STEM often begins to decline in middle school," she says, citing UNESCO research, "especially when they have limited exposure to practical technology experiences, fewer visible role models, and environments that still signal, whether directly or indirectly, that STEM is not 'for them.'"

Hackergal is a national charity working to change that. Through free programs for girls and gender-diverse youth in grades 6 to 12, the organization offers coding workshops, hackathons, and an expanding curriculum focused on AI literacy — helping students understand how AI works, build practical skills like creating chatbots, and examine questions of bias, ethics, and real-world impact. The programs are offered at no cost, making them accessible to schools across Canada.

The AI focus is deliberate. As AI becomes embedded in everyday life, Huang Teshima argues, it matters who is designing and governing those systems. "Encouraging girls to become AI literate isn't only about preparing them for future careers," she says. "It's about ensuring they have a voice in shaping one of the most transformative technologies of our time."

Hackergal also emphasizes the A in STEAM — arts — because, as Huang Teshima puts it, "the future belongs to people who can combine analytical thinking with creativity to solve real-world problems." A newer program, developed in collaboration with Vancouver-based Dr. Poh Tan and STEMedge Inc., gives students the opportunity to explore innovation through building a biotech startup.

Vancouver plays a meaningful role in Hackergal's work. The city's tech ecosystem, world-class universities, and concentration of women in STEM organizations create opportunities for mentorship and partnership that the organization is actively building on. This past spring, Hackergal joined educators from the Comox Valley School District for its National Hackathon, where middle school girls created digital stories designed to inspire positive change in their communities.

What Hackergal is trying to shift, Huang Teshima says, goes deeper than skills. "When girls and gender-diverse youth are given opportunities to explore, create, and solve meaningful problems, they begin to believe: I belong here. I can make a difference." That shift in mindset — from user to creator — is the point.

Alex J., a Hackergal Ambassador from Mara, B.C., joined the program hoping to connect with others interested in STEM. The experience ended up reshaping her plans entirely — away from journalism and toward something in the medical field. "Hackergal has changed my perspective on leadership, coding, interacting with other people, and STEM as a whole," she says. "I am honoured to be a part of this incredible group, and I look forward to seeing the future it builds for other girls hoping to get involved."

Huang Teshima is candid about the headwinds. Charities across Canada are navigating rising costs, a competitive funding landscape, and the pressure of keeping programming current in a field that moves fast. "The challenge is in keeping pace with what youth need to prepare for and succeed in a world that continues to be rapidly transformed by technology."

But the case for the work, she argues, is straightforward. "This is not about teaching girls to code. It is about applying the skills they learn to solve real-world problems, which will ultimately help Canada stay competitive globally."