Study of female representation in a Technical Course in Computing

The article analyzes testimonials from female students and graduates of a Technical Course in Computer Science Integrated with High School at the Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Rio Grande do Sul from research developed between 2020 and 2022 and seeks to understand the reasons why female students persist or abandon the computing field, especially when they come from a technical course in the area. In addition to bibliographic research on the subject, semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve graduating students or graduates from the mentioned educational institution. The results show that, although some continue in technical education, the majority opt for other fields, despite recognizing the importance of computer science education. This highlights the need for technical courses, especially in STEM (acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), to focus on gender issues and the role of women in professional and academic careers. https://doi.org/10.21723/riaee.v21i00.1919102