International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women around the world. Here at iMovo, I am part of the tech team where I have been for almost two years. I have only been in the tech industry for a short time. I graduated a few years ago and am currently pursuing a Master’s degree.
From my experience as a student, I can say that university courses attracted many more men than women. The low number of women in technical courses is perhaps due to the perception that STEM subjects and careers are more associated with men than women. When we imagine someone working in IT, we tend to think of an introverted geek with glasses and a hoodie, sitting behind his laptop all day hacking, as we have seen in many movies.
However, this association is just that – a stereotype. This scenario is very different from what the industry is really about. We do not all wear glasses and hoodies, and programming is not the only role in the industry. There are different roles in the industry to suit the different characteristics of people, whether they are introverts or extroverts, prefer to sit behind their laptops, or prefer dealing with customers.
As a female member of the tech team at iMovo, I have never felt disadvantaged or in the minority; on the contrary, I have always felt part of the team. Opportunities exist for everyone, and during my time with the company, the number of women in the company has increased, with many more joining the team. There are no stereotypes of what someone who works in tech should be or look like, in fact, we are all a family ready to work together on
I feel that the women of today are breaking the stereotype as they become more and more present in the industry. However, I believe there is much more to be done. I would like to take this opportunity to encourage female students to consider the tech industry as their potential workplace and to believe in themselves, have confidence, and embrace their individuality. The industry is broad and varied and I’m sure that they will be able to find something which they like and enjoy.
And I am not alone. Read what my colleagues have to say about women in tech!
Since I began my career in tech it has been very rewarding. I have come across many challenges and have learned how to problem solve, rise to the challenge, and succeed. I have never stopped learning and my tech career is very versatile!
The tech world has limitless possibilities from engineering to robotic process automation and I would love for more women to take a leap and join future leading enterprises.
Marina Shalneva – RPA Developer, iMovo
Whilst most might think that a career in tech may only be technical in nature, the tech industry offers opportunities for careers in a large array of professional areas. Being such a fast-changing industry, the tech sector provides us, women, with rewarding jobs that are constantly evolving, presenting us with bigger opportunities for development and career progression. I am inspired by how the ethical use and application of technology helps unlock people’s potential and provide our clients with ecosystems that help them better support and nurture their customers and employees. This is the kind of impact and the transformations that I enjoy supporting through my work, and what inspires me to be in this industry.
Sarah Borg – People & Talent Development Manager, iMovo