It’s safe to assume that when most people hear the words ‘tech entrepreneur’, they picture someone male. And bespectacled. With a side parting.

But all that could be about to change if a new graduate scheme programme has its way. Entrepreneur First, a not-for-profit graduate programme that helps young people launch their own tech start-ups, has just launched a course that they hope will encourage more lady types into the technology industry.

Set to begin summer next year, the Code First: Girls course will be open to 30 lucky female graduates who are keen to take their first steps into a career in technology. They’ll be given four hours worth of tutorials a week on basic coding, which the organisation hopes will give the young women the language they need to start their own technology start-ups. They’ll learn the logic behind coding, the differing coding languages and how to create web applications.

Alice Bentinck, the COO of Entrepreneur First, told Wired about the programme:

"It is no secret that there is a lack of female participation in the technology industry and, for many young women, a lack of basic programming expertise can put them off entering the exciting world of tech start-ups."

She added that university isn't the only way of getting into coding: "You don't need a degree in computer science or ten years of coding experience to build a technology business; you just need to be smart, creative, hard working and willing to learn. By giving ambitious, talented female graduates a strong grounding in the language of their technical peers we want to bring more women into the UK start-up scene."

Each student will be assigned a female mentor from the tech industry to give them support and guidance on how to navigate the predominantly male tech start-up world.

Entrepreneur First are currently taking applications – will you be applying?