The theme for this years’ International Women’s Day is #ChoosetoChallenge. There is a number of ways to support this mission, not just on IWD on March 8th, but the whole year-round. Choose to challenge gender stereotypes and bias, choose to call out gendered actions and assumptions and choose to seek out and celebrate women’s achievements.
As tech continues to be a predominantly male-influenced industry, we pledge a commitment to employing a more inclusive workplace, support those currently part of our team in their career progression, and celebrate their achievements.
We asked our team to share what it’s like to work in tech and what they love about their role.
Azzurra Ponti, Senior Digital Marketing Executive
Being a woman working in a man dominated field has given me the opportunity to get challenged and to challenge back, bringing a different perspective to the table. Luckily, I work with open-minded people, both clients and colleagues, but sometimes it hasn’t been easy. In the past, people’s prejudices and old ways have made me think less of myself, hitting on my confidence. Still, I’ve always believed that persistence and hard work, learning and improving myself, would in the end help me push through and achieve my goals. And that’s how I try to approach work and life every day.
Sofia Sardo, Project Manager
As a young woman starting out in my career, in an industry in which I am still learning, my biggest challenge is finding weight in my voice and ensuring that my input is just as valued as my experienced male counterparts.
The way in which I deal with this is by simply being assertive and confident in my skills, whether it be giving direction, consulting or leading project success. My daily activity includes managing a team of 15, predominantly made up of a male workforce, so I pride myself in being able to stand strong and equal to those around me, whilst also using my more personable skills when it comes to client-facing roles, building relationships and ensuring the work is delivered to a high standard, in time and on budget.
Lauren Smith, Executive Assistant
As a woman whose entire career has been based in male-dominated industries, I’ve used this not as a challenge but as a choice. A choice that has pushed me out of my comfort zone, and has offered amazing opportunities. From gaining my yacht license to jumping out of a plane, these experiences have helped shape me into the strong, resilient woman that I am today. A strong woman that has been lucky enough to work with and learn from other strong women! Having recently entered the world of tech, I am excited to be challenging myself further and learning from the powerful women that surround me in this industry.
Jade Baker, Project Manager
Having been interested in tech since a young age and attaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science on a course of just 6 females out of 200 students, I knew there would be challenges to be successful in the industry. After graduating I had the opportunity to relocate to the Middle East and travel to over 70 countries and work with over 100 nationalities, I gained a wealth of valuable experience giving me the confidence to believe in myself, stand up and be counted for. My career naturally transitioned towards a Tech Project Manager role allowing me to utilise my customer service skills and tech background to fully engage and understand all aspects of Project Delivery. I love working with a great team of developers and building client relationships to bring a shared vision to life.
Asu Guvercin, Software Developer
As a developer at the start of my career, I haven’t faced too many challenges as a woman in the industry. However, I see other women around me and realize what difficulties I may have to tackle in the future. Being in a male-dominated industry, the challenge can become really exhausting at times. Still, I love this job and will continue to work to do it better on behalf of all women who want to choose this profession.
