“ TO WORK IN TECH, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT CURIOSITY, BUT ALSO THE TENACITY AND PERSISTENCE TO DEVELOP SOLUTIONS TO THOSE PROBLEMS.”
DR VANESSA VALLELY OBE, FOUNDER & CEO, WEARETECHWOMEN
the analytics and research side of marketing. I started to teach myself Python – a programming language – on the side. I joined PA Consulting’s women in tech group and took a big leap. It’s opened so many doors for me, allowing me to move into new areas of the business.” For those looking to make the
“From there, I became the
person who could manage data files, to the person who looked capable of managing the IT for a 50-strong global and mobile organisation on the cutting edge of remote access and security control. Terrified, I said OK. I took on the challenge of IT manager, managing tech contracts, front-line service support, implementing new software, writing business cases and dealing with data centres. “I remember labelling the
wires coming out of the back of the computers when I first started, so I could remember where to plug things in when swapping out machines. I was learning on the job. Making it up as I went along really. But it was a huge opportunity. “Once I got the measure of it,
I took a bigger role in IT service management at UCL, supporting over 1,000 people. From there, I started taking on newer and larger responsibilities,” she added.
TAKING A LEAP Next, was data scientist Kaitlin Brabec, a former marketer, on why she chose tech as her second career. “When I graduated in marketing,
there were so many people applying for roles in marketing. When I got a role, I was elated, but the day-to-day felt mundane. I was very aware of tech being the future and loved
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switch, Brabec has three tips. First, explore what makes you tick. “Take the time to discover what it is you really want to learn. Maybe you want to build the tech, or maybe you’re more interested in security or, say, the front-end. Then, try and speak to people in the fields you are interested in to see what it’s like.” Second, be versatile. “There is
a real benefit to being versatile and doing side projects to add skills. I specialise in data science, but have recently started exploring the front- end more as clients were often interested in AI virtual assistants and that gave me a more informed understanding of a project I was working on. I like to join other professional groups on LinkedIn to build out my skills and keep interested and up to date. It also helps me discover new approaches and angles to my work.” Lastly, don’t be afraid to ask
for help. “I had some challenges at the start and got thrown into a highly technical project very quickly, but don’t be afraid to interact with people and find out the best way forward.”
GROWTH MINDSET Switching career paths or returning to a shifting tech industry can be hard, but Kathryn Lewis offered some sound advice. “I’m often still the only woman
in the room and there are always challenges to overcome, but I like to home in on the problem I’m trying to solve. I stay focused on the customer or end user no matter what the task, whether it’s a new solution, product or strategy. If I keep focused on the end user, I can give my best to the day and the
project and get the right outcome without being sucked into the minutiae of the day-to-day or the things I can’t do.” Maintaining your curiosity and
what Lewis calls “a beginner’s mind” is key when working in tech. “I love problems, so working in tech always remains so fresh and interesting to me.” Indeed, curiosity was a reoccurring theme in several sessions at Women in Tech Week. “Tech people are problem solvers,
that’s what we do,” said Vanessa Vallely. “To work in tech, you have to have that curiosity, but also the tenacity and persistence to develop solutions to those problems.” Ana Fernandes, a legal graduate
turned digital trust, data protection and cyber security specialist, discussed her switch from policy to
tech and her experience of
returning to the sector after maternity leave. She also dispelled some of the myths around working in tech and the skills needed to make the switch. “It might seem intimidating to
move into tech, but it’s not just made up of computers, devices and wires and highly specialised technical roles – there is space for everyone to leave their mark in tech,” said Fernandes. “You can often learn many specific
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