Google Inc. is pouring US$50 million into a new program that would teach women how to code as part of its bid to close the gender gap in the tech industry.

The tech giant launched its Made with Code program with the participation of some celebrities and 150 high school girls. The new program will teach these girls how many of the things they use every day are "made with code," ITWire explained.

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According to Google, less than 1 percent of girls exhibit interest in computer science. The Made with Code program will show that they, too, can use code in various areas including apps, television, websites, and movies.

Google is funneling US$50 million to support the program in the next three years. Among the program's partners are Chelsea Clinton, Mindy Kaling, Girls Inc, Girls Who Code, MIT Media Lab, the National Center for Women and Information Technology, and the Girl Scouts of the USA.

In May, Google announced that women constitute only 17 percent of its employees and vowed to exert efforts to close that gap. Young girls could be encouraged to try coding, said Google X EVP Megan Smith.

At present, coding us used in interior designing, music, architecture, medicine, and other fields, according to YouTube chief Susan Wojcicki in a Google blog. She added that there are "far too few" females in the tech field.

Included in the Made with Code program are video profiles of women who use code in their dream careers. Parents can also use the program's resource directory to spark their daughter's interest in computer science.

Google is presently collaborating with DonorsChoose.org to give rewards to teachers who support girls studying computer science courses on Khan Academy or Codecademy. The firm has also established ties with the Science and Entertainment Exchange to get television and film entities to depict more female characters as engineers.

Made with Code aims to solve the gender gap problems in the tech arena and encourage young girls to venture into coding. It also aims to give them more people to look up to, such as in TV shows and movies.

TagsMade With Code, Women in IT