WOMEN ROCK.

A feel good story from Alexandra Wood this week 🥰We love to hear about someone – especially a woman – who’s had a great journey into the tech industry – surrounded by incredible mentors and learning new skills on the job…enter Alex! It’s so important to share these feel good stories to prove it CAN happen that way!Women Rock ambassador Izzy chatted with Alex last week about her journey and there’s some sound advice here for anyone looking to get into tech, including the importance of taking a break! In this case – making plum jam! We’ll await for our jar in the post Alex…Enjoy 🥰HEY ALEX! CAN YOU START WITH GIVING US AN INSIGHT INTO YOUR STORY SO FAR PLEASE?Sure! I started by doing a Maths degree, well actually, although I had really enjoyed my Maths GCSE and A-Level I didn’t think I would be able to do Maths at university level so I applied to study Adult Nursing originally. It turns out I didn’t really have the right personality or skills for nursing and I wasn’t enjoying it so I quit after about 6 months and applied to do Maths instead, it’s hard to know what you should do when you are 18 but maybe trust your gut instinct and try and ignore the “I can’t do this” thoughts, if you enjoy it then you probably can do it with a bit of commitment and hard work.Anyway, I studied Mathematics, I had the option with my course to do a placement year – I highly recommend doing this – I wasn’t so keen about the statistics side of Maths so I looked for something a bit different (the careers department at my university helped with this) and applied for a placement position with an engineering company called Renishaw, they placed me in the software department and that’s how it started. After the placement year had finished they offered me a graduate place and I went from there! I had an amazing team who taught me so much, I owe a lot to them. I worked primarily with C# on desktop applications, after 5 years there I decided it was time for a change and worked for a company building websites in C# using ASP.NET and Blazor, I’ve been there over 2 years and its now time to start the next challenge, still doing web but using a slightly different tech stack and for a different type of product.AWESOME. IT’S SO ENCOURAGING TO HEAR WHAT A GREAT START YOU HAD IN THE INDUSTRY. CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THE WORD “DIVERSITY” MEANS TO YOU PLEASE?It means different.Applied to a single person I think it would mean keeping yourself varied having lots of interests… a career is important but make sure you have other hobbies outside of work, a relationship with one person can be nice but make sure you regularly see friends and family too. Too much of one thing can be bad.Applied to the context of a team I think it means having a group of individuals who have contrasting but complimentary personalities so that they can work together to achieve the best possible outcome.IF YOU COULD GIVE ONE BIT OF ADVICE TO SOMEONE WHO’S THINKING ABOUT FORGING A CAREER IN TECH – WHAT WOULD IT BE?You don’t need to be obsessed with coding to have a career doing it, I really enjoy my job but I don’t code in my spare time and I rarely look at my computer outside of work hours unless I’m trying to learn about something.Also, it’s worth noting that there are a whole range of roles that make up a software team, to name the ones I’m familiar with: Business Analyst, Product Owner, Product Manager, Software Developers, Quality Assurance – there is such a variety of roles that even if you don’t feel that you are naturally a ‘tech’ person there is probably still a place for you, as I mentioned in the previous answer, for me diversity means different and different is good.GREAT TIPS! AND WHAT DO YOU THINK COULD BE DONE TO PROMOTE THE REPRESENTATION OF FEMALES AND DIVERSE HIRES IN TECH?It’s difficult. Personally, I’ve never had any problems with being in software because I’m a woman, the men and women (mostly men) that I’ve worked with have always treated me with the same respect as they have others and I’ve not had problems getting hired. I think it probably boils down to what pathways are taken at a younger age and what a person feels they are capable of. I hadn’t thought I would be capable of doing a Maths degree but luckily I eventually went for it anyway and it worked out really well for me in the end. Telling others of the success stories I think helps, SR2’s Women Rock initiative is a great way to do this, it inspires confidence.THIS IS SO REFRESHING TO HEAR! IS THERE ANY ONE THING YOU WOULD CHANGE ABOUT THIS INDUSTRY?For me nothing, I’ve had a great experience working in the tech industry. Pretty much everything I’ve needed for my job has been learnt as I’ve gone along and I’ve had fantastic mentors. The people I’ve come across in the tech industry are great – please don’t be afraid!YOU’VE MENTIONED HAVING AN AMAZING TEAM AT RENSHAW, BUT WHO OR WHAT INSPIRES YOU IN YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE?Friends and family.Family – my parents worked really hard to bring me and my sisters up, my whole family is really supportive, I just want to make them proudFriends – those who are also in software know so many things, they’ve been doing it a bit longer but I want to be able to have the confidence and knowledge they have so I can do my job as well as themWHAT DO YOU ENJOY DOING IN YOUR FREE TIME?Lots of things! I’m lucky to have a garden so I do enjoy doing some gardening – I planted a small plum tree last autumn and made plum jam this summer. I decided I wanted to be able to make my own clothes so I am learning how to sew – to date I’ve made 1 top, 2 skirts and 1 dress, I’m in the progress of making a 3rd skirt (this is over a period of about 3 years so its slow progress). I have a dog so I walk most days and I like to go on longer walks with friends and family on the weekend. I also like to read, and to do Pilates and I like to make and eat nice food and sometimes I like just sitting and doing nothing at all.WOW! WHAT A WHOLESOME LOAD OF HOBBIES! DO YOU HAVE A MANTRA YOU LIVE BY?Don’t compare yourself to others, only compare yourself to you.It really doesn’t matter what other people are doing and if you try to constantly compare yourself to others you are probably going to make yourself unhappy, enjoy your achievements.Expressed much more poetically in Haemin Sunim’s ‘The Thing You Can See Only When You Slow Down’:“My dear young friend, please don’t feel discouraged just because you are slightly behind.Life isn’t a hundred-meter race against your friends, but a lifelong marathon against yourself.Rather than focusing on getting ahead of your friends, first try to discover your unique colour.”Wonderful words Alex – you rock 🤘

The conversation around the gender pay gap continues as the government’s latest gender pay gap report has revealed that last year, women in the UK were paid 90p for every £1 earned by a man – there is still so much to be done. However, there are other gaps we should also definitely be minding – like the class gap. And that is exactly what Heather Lockley from DWP is here to talk to us about! Heather’s passion for social mobility and championing leaders from working class backgrounds is apparent in her chat with Women Rock Ambassador Matt Fullford as she describes her own journey through education and into a STEM role she NEVER thought she would be in!You can’t help but feel empowered to do something new after reading Heather’s story…so we would like to take this moment to apologise for any career plot twists this week!!HEY HEATHER! THANKS SO MUCH FOR GETTING INVOLVED WITH WOMEN ROCK, WE FEEL LIKE THIS ONE IS GOING TO RESONATE WITH SO MANY! SO CAN YOU START WITH TELLING US ABOUT YOUR STORY SO FAR?Unsure how far to go back, but my story and feelings start on reflection from my upbringing!I’m from a single parent family and was the first member to go to university, so my journey through education was an experience I went through without much first hand knowledge and experience from family. My journey through education was interesting as I was diagnosed late with dyslexia during my A-levels.I’m now in a STEM job which is strange to think as I still to this day don’t quite consider myself a techie. It wasn’t what I thought I’d be doing as back in school I wanted to be a barrister!I graduated with a degree in Philosophy which meant my career choices were quite open. I heard about the Civil Service fast stream programme, which was a way for graduates to train in several disciplines and was able to get on to that scheme.I essentially fell into a Business Analyst role after my first 9 months which really led me down the path to where I am now as a Product Manager working on the Universal Credit service in DWP.FOR THOSE OUT THERE THAT MAY NOT BE COMPLETELY FAMILIAR WITH THE ROLE OF A MODERN PRODUCT MANAGER, WHAT DOES YOUR DAY TO DAY LOOK LIKE?I think a Product Manager is someone who’s responsibility it is to figure out what the most valuable thing is for a user and a business. Then the rest of our job is bringing lots of people together to educate and inspire them to bring them on the journey.BEING SOMEONE WHO ENGAGES WITH PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF THE TECHNOLOGY WORLD, HOW DO YOU FIND THE DIVERSITY SPLIT WITHIN CIVIL SERVICE?I’ve personally had a very good experience throughout DWP and HMRC. Generally, our make-up is a 50:50 split, however, the types of roles that women tend to hold in tech are on the business facing side of things such as BA’s, Product, Content, Design etc.Almost exclusively developers have been male with a couple of women front-end devs or QA’s.HOW DO YOU THINK WE CAN CHANGE THE NARRATIVE TO ALLOW AN EASIER ENTRY FOR WOMEN INTO TECHNOLOGY?The challenge when talking about technical roles is that people don’t often have the ability to re-train once you’re in the workplace without taking a hit on your progression or pay. So you have to combat this is by capturing women before they enter the workplace and giving girls role models. There are fantastic organisations like “girls who code” that try to combat this, but I don’t think it’s systemic yet from a school curriculum standpoint.When I was at school, ICT classes weren’t about how to build software, it was all about how to use software which is the wrong strategy altogether. That wasn’t all that long ago (kind of!) so it feels like we’ve got some catching up to do in the UK on that front!WHAT COULD BE A MAJOR DIFFERENTIATOR FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE EDUCATED ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THIS IF NOT PRESENTED THROUGHOUT SCHOOL?I’m passionate about social mobility and I’m proud of being a woman in tech from a working class background. A big barrier for me when coming into the workplace was that I didn’t have many professional role models as my family were in different types of jobs. It wasn’t until I went to university and met some of my friends and their parents that I had my first civil service and tech role models.I’m most passionate about working-class children seeing themselves as leaders. In my opinion the class gap is far bigger than the gender gap now. For example, in the BBC it’s less than one fifth of employees are from a working-class background which is crazy to think about, given its influence on society. I would like to see more conversations about class diversity in organisations, and how we can encourage more working class people in professional environments. Diversity of thought, gender, class, race etc are all so important for building public services that properly represent the people we serve.WE’VE SPOKEN A LOT ABOUT ROLE MODELS AND WE KNOW THIS IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT! DO YOU HAVE A STAND-OUT ROLE MODEL THAT HAS PLAYED A HUGE IMPACT IN YOUR CAREER SO FAR?Yes. I have two, maybe three!I have such a great privilege through DWP. Their female leaders are truly exceptional. In my first universal credit piece of work, we had two outstanding leaders. Deborah Boore and Lara Sampson. Lara was what became our Head of Product and Deborah was our Head of Operations. I’ve worked with them both multiple times throughout my career and they’re the people that drastically improved my confidence and belief in myself. Deborah is now a Director at DWP, and Lara is a Partner at Public Digital.If there’s room for a 3rd one, I need to mention Nancy Kelley. She is now the CEO for Stonewall but we worked together for a short time in DWP and she had a huge influence on me. Her background and knowledge and the way she thought so inclusively about so many groups of people when building a public service was impactful and has influenced how I managed public services even now.WHAT ARE YOUR PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENTS (PROFESSIONAL OR PERSONAL)?Personal – raised just short of £5000 for ovarian cancer due to an impact in my family.Macro – I’m privileged to be in a position I never thought I’d be in as a child.Micro – nominated for young digital professional of the year, for my role in the Kickstart programme.WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO WOMEN STARTING OUT IN TECH?“Take up space” – advice that Nancy Kelley gave to me early in my career and I always come back to it.WHAT QUOTE OR MANTRA DO YOU LIVE BY?Have the confidence to put yourself forward. It’s very rare people get plucked from obscurity so you have to put yourself forwards and advocate for yourself, even when it feels uncomfortable.Right, we’re off to get uncomfortable! Thanks Heather – you rock! 

We are all to aware of the struggles lots of women face when trying to juggle childcare with work, not just logistically but also mentally. There may not be a simple solution for everyone, but here at Women Rock we make it our mission to speak to like-minded women in tech that are navigating this very journey, in hope that these stories resonate and offer advice and inclusivity. Just like Charlotte Richmond’s story! Charlotte share’s her experience with Women Rock Ambassador Aoibheann and also talks about her journey from Mental Health Nursing to an internal recruiter and how understanding mental health is crucial when building teams and businesses…HEY CHAR! DELIGHTED TO BE SPEAKING WITH YOU AND SHARING A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR CAREER JOURNEY SO FAR. A GREAT PLACE TO START IS YOUR AWESOME “ORIGIN STORY”. SO, TELL ME HOW YOU WENT FROM STUDYING MENTAL HEALTH NURSING TO TECH RECRUITMENT TO YOUR CURRENT ROLE AS HEAD OF EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AND WELLBEING IN A TECH & DATA COMPANY?When I left school, I had no idea what I wanted to do… I just knew that I wanted to work with people. I took some time out to travel and worked in a local recruitment agency before a friend told me about Mental Health Nursing. It sounded perfect for me so off I went to complete my training at the University of Hertfordshire.Life doesn’t always take us in the most direct of paths and I found myself on a bit of a zig zag journey after uni. I worked for a charity but was struggling financially to support myself, so ended up joining a consultancy in their in-house recruitment team.I spent 10 years working in internal recruitment, the skills I gained studying and working in mental health really came in handy for growing teams and businesses. I always worked with wellbeing at the forefront and last year the time felt right to move away from the recruitment element of my role and focus in on engagement and wellbeing.YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU HAD A CHALLENGING EXPERIENCE ADJUSTING TO LIFE AS A WORKING PARENT IN TECH. HAS THAT EXPERIENCE SHAPED HOW YOU SUPPORT WORKING PARENTS IN YOUR CURRENT ROLE AT AIIMI?Most definitely. I have always used the phrase “it takes a village” when talking about raising my daughter, and Aiimi is a huge part of my village! I struggled with juggling childcare, a partner working shifts, commuting into the city 4 days a week… I could go on! Luna was 14 months old when I joined Aiimi and they gave me the space I needed to be both a mother and a employee. My approach to others in the company that are starting or growing their family has been led by that example. I take the time to understand what their specific needs are and then work with them to get the right support in place, adapting as needed as any working parent will know it is never a smooth ride!(Here is a blog I wrote about it for context if this helps 😊)A LOT OF WORKPLACES MAY SAY THAT THEY SUPPORT THEIR EMPLOYEES WITH THEIR MENTAL HEALTH, BUT IT’S ONE THING TO “TALK THE TALK” AND A WHOLE OTHER THING TO ACTUALLY CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY CAN BE OPEN AND ACTUALLY ASK FOR SUPPORT IF THEY NEED IT! HOW COULD SOMEONE GO ABOUT CREATING A SUPPORTIVE WORKPLACE?Openness and honesty is key to this, but it really needs to be driven from the top down. Seeing our CEO, Steve Salvin, talk about his own journey with their mental health in my first month at Aiimi was such an eye opener! From there, other people started opening up and soon I found myself standing up at a team meeting talking about counselling I was having via Aiimi and encouraging others to seek support if they needed it. Fostering a safe environment to talk about mental health isn’t easy and takes time, we are always working at getting this right, seeking feedback, adapting as needed. It should be seen as an ongoing process that needs to be nurtured.FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO PERHAPS DON’T HAVE AN INFLUENCE ON SPECIFIC MENTAL HEALTH POLICY IN THEIR WORKPLACE, WHAT’S YOUR ADVICE TO THEM TO SUPPORT THEIR OWN MENTAL WELLBEING AT WORK?If I were in this situation I would consider who might have the influence needed to impact change and speak to them. Rallying others who are similarly passionate about mental wellbeing in the workplace and seeing if as a collective you could be more impactful would be my advice. Setting up an internal initiative that focuses on finding ways to support both yourselves and each other can be a great starting point and is likely to open up ways of looking after your own mental health that you wouldn’t have come across otherwise.AS A CAREER CHANGER MYSELF, I ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR HOW OTHERS HAVE MADE THEIR OWN CAREER TRANSITIONS AND WHAT ADVICE THEY’D GIVE TO OTHERS. IF THERE’S SOMEONE READING THIS WHO WANTS TO BREAK INTO TECH BUT DOESN’T KNOW WHERE TO START, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THEM?Research, research, research! Really take the time to understand what it is you want to do in tech, where you want to do, the type of company you want to work for, the values they have and how the align to you. Once you narrow down the field, tech is a much less daunting place and you can then do a really focused search and find the right role, at the right company that will see you flourish in your new role in tech!FINALLY, ARE THERE ANY QUOTES/MANTRAS/WORDS OF WISDOM THAT YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE WITH OUR WOMEN ROCKERS?Something I wish I had realised earlier on in my career is that you don’t always need to know everything about a job to be able to do it… sometimes having the passion and drive to gain the experience on the job is just as attractive to an employer!We couldn’t agree more! Thanks Char – you rock! 

Meet Tim. He’s an engineer, a technologist and a management consultant. Husband, a father and a brother and a runner, a woodworker and VW camper van enthusiast – maybe not in that order! He’s also been a huge advocate of Diversity and Inclusion for the whole of his career – our kind of guy! Women Rock Ambassador Ryan, chatted with Tim about everything from fighting for fairness – to the mind-blowing legalities surrounding homosexuality underneath Thatcher’s reign as PM in the early 90’s. It’s a fascinating read – get stuck in!HI TIM. THANKS SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO SPEAK WITH US! COULD YOU PLEASE GIVE AN INTRODUCTION TO YOURSELF?Whenever I’m asked to introduce myself I’m reminded of the Jack Nicholson character in Anger Management who puts increasing amounts of pressure on Adam Sandler’s character to “Tell us about yourself”. Not what he does, or where he works, or his his hobbies, or his personality… “Who are you Dave?”It feels like we are always under pressure to define ourselves so that others can decide if they want to get to know us or listen to our story. That’s hard because it means that we’re always second guessing our audience and trying to conform to our perceptions of what other people might think about us. So with that in mind, here is me on a few different dimensions.I’m an engineer, a technologist and a management consultant.I’m a husband, a father and a brother.I’m a runner, a woodworker and VW camper van enthusiast.I’ve built chemical plants, made shampoo, helped save jobs, implemented IT projects, transformed working practices and been part of building some amazing teams.I’m an ageing rude-boy, a left-wing idealist and an optimist who looks for the silver-lining in every cloud.Importantly in this context: I’m a middle aged, middle class, straight, white man that wants to use whatever privilege I have to fight for fairness, equality and opportunity for all.BEST INTRO EVER! WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE QUOTE?I’m not big into self-help or management books but a friend recently recommended Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman who wrote for The Guardian for years and who’s columns I used to look forward to reading.It’s a hugely positive and uplifting book once you get past the stark reality that the average, human lifespan – at least in the part of the world that I’m lucky enough to live in – is just 4,000 weeks.This isn’t a direct quote but it sums up the message that I took away from the book. “You are going to die and your life will amount to nothing in the grand scheme of things. Now go and do something that really matters to you with the time you have”This isn’t about contemplating what higher meaning we should be searching for, or a hedonistic licence to do whatever we want. It’s about looking at what is important to us, the things that we feel we can and want to contribute to. That might be as a partner, a carer, an entrepreneur or an employee. But equally it might be as an activist, a campaigner or a revolutionary. No matter what the history books say, the best that most of us can hope for is to be thought of with love by those that we have touched as we pass through this world so we should focus our efforts on that not trying to hack our productivity and respond to every email and IM that comes our way.YOU ARE PART OF NTT DATA’S DIVERSITY & INCLUSION STEERCO, COULD YOU TELL ME HOW YOU BECAME PART OF THAT AND YOUR MOTIVATIONS BEHIND THIS?I have been active in various aspects of what would now be called D&I initiatives since being part of a team that re-wrote The Boots Company’s “equal opportunity policy” in the early 1990s.This was at a time when Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government had introduced Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988 that made it illegal for schools to “promote homosexuality” or “promote the teaching… of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship”. This was awful for young people growing up who had their identities denied and were left with no one to talk to at a very confusing part of their lives.We worked with Stonewall and several other FTSE100 companies to include LGBT equality alongside gender and ethnic equality for the first time in the company’s history. This was a huge step for what had been a very conservative business and I remember very clearly going out celebrating to a club in Nottingham with gay friends the night the board signed it off; we couldn’t believe what we had achieved within that environment and in the prevailing political climate.A few years ago a colleague, and I’m proud to say friend, within NTT DATA, was setting up a D&I initiative. Kim Gray is an absolute visionary in this space and took the approach that this should be a grassroots-led initiative rather than a top-down, corporate mandate. She recruited various of us on the leadership team to sponsor initiatives and to support the actions of those who stepped forward to participate.Thanks to Kim’s leadership we now have active Women’s Business Network, LGBT+ and Allies Network, Cultural and Ethnicity Network, Mental Health and Wellbeing Network, and an emerging Neurodiversity Network.I am very proud to sponsor the LGBT+ and Allies Network that has been brilliantly led by a couple of colleagues over the years, initially Paul Barwick-Copeland and now Gareth Lewis-Jones. My job is really to find budget, remove organisational barriers and say “yes” to the amazing ideas around education and celebration that emerge from within the community. When I consider the progress this country has made from when I started work to where we are now I am hopeful that my children will get to work in a genuinely inclusive environment where “equal opportunities” policies and D&I initiatives are, eventually, no longer needed.COULD YOU PROVIDE AN EXAMPLE OF THE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES YOU ORGANISE?The things that we do fall into three overlapping categories: education, networking and celebration.On the education front we make a point of sharing individual stories and highlighting key aspects of the LGBT+ journey during LGBT+ History Month and days like IDAHOBIT (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia) and the International Day of Pink.We’re a sponsor of the myGwork community which is an LGBT+ networking platform and we regularly organise networking events internally and with client and partner organisations.Finally, we celebrate. Often! We organise events for Pride and regular informal get-togethers as well. The emphasis is on inclusivity and the invite regularly goes out to the all-company distribution list.WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE IMPORTANCE OF RUNNING ACTIVITIES LIKE THIS?I recall a conversation with a colleague a few years ago. He told me that he didn’t attend the get-togethers because he didn’t want to be defined by his sexuality in work. He then confessed to feeling guilty for not supporting them as the knowledge that they happened and that this was something that his employer was actively supporting was very important to him. It was one of the reasons that he loved working for the company.The real importance for me is in keeping D&I initiatives and changing behaviours at the top of the agenda. It is important that we keep creating and supporting safe spaces where people can share stories, seek support or just celebrate together with colleagues, friends and allies. And it’s really important that the company shows that its support is both active and genuine.WHAT AREA OF D&I ARE YOU MOST PASSIONATE ABOUT?The topic that I keep coming back to is “fairness”.The whole point of D&I initiatives, to me, is to create an equal workplace, organisation and society. That means equal opportunity, equal treatment and equal rights. It also means that people need to see themselves reflected in their leadership, arts and society to know that the opportunity really exists and to have role models to learn from. It means that we have to remove conscious and unconscious bias so that everyone is treated with respect and in a way that enables them to flourish. It means that fairness, which is very much a two-way principle, is enshrined in every way of working, policy document and law.I read a brilliant book recently about the Slung Low theatre company in Holbeck near Leeds. The Club On The Edge Of Town tells how the theatre company did a deal with the Holbeck Working Men’s Club to take over the running of the club in exchange for creating a performance space. Because they followed through on their principles of fairness they ended up running a non-means tested food-bank supporting the families of Holbeck and beyond.Their principles are: ”Be kind. Be useful. Everyone gets what they want, but no one else gets to stop others getting what they want.” which emphasises the two-way nature of fairness. As Alan Lane, the Artistic Director of Slung Low says in the book “no one gets opera until every child has crayons”.YOU HAVE DONE SOME AMAZING THINGS IN YOUR LIFE AND CAREER TO DATE. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS YOUR PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENT?I am always proud when I see others carrying on something that I started. While the LGBT+ and Allies Network takes a lot of organising in the background, it is now being done by a passionate group of volunteers who are making it their own. I’m asked for my input but the team have strong ideas about what they want the Network to be and that is as it should be.I’m proud to have been part of starting and enabling the journey and I feel the same about many of the causes that I’ve been part of over the years and now have differing levels of involvement in.AND FINALLY, YOU ARE A PRETTY KNOWLEDGEABLE HUMAN BEING! WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE BOOK?My stand-out book of the last few years though has to be Benjamin Zephaniah’s autobiography, “The Life and Rhymes of Benjamin Zephaniah”. I have long been a fan of his poetry, first his performance work and then the written stuff. I’ve also deeply admired, and tried to emulate, the thoughtful and compassionate way that he addresses issues of equality and rails against the inequalities that he sees around him, taking practical steps to address them as well as using his platform to lend weight to the cause.It’s a harrowing read of what it was like growing up in a racist culture where opportunity wasn’t just denied, it was taken away based on issues of race and class. It is also a message of hope and love, and the redemptive power of both of those. It made me realise (all over again) the importance of using whatever privilege we have to create solidarity with those who don’t enjoy the same opportunities.Thanks Tim – you absolutely rock!

What do you get when cross a huge “Passion” for people and a genuine curiosity in the Tech and Engineering sector? You get Eva Spexard, Head of HR at Passion.io.Women Rock Ambassador Cameron had the pleasure of meeting Eva via their LinkedIn communities to talk all things culture and diversity within the workplace, specifically how we can makes things easier for women to succeed without sacrificing – a topic very close to our hearts!HEY EVA! THANKS SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO SHARE YOUR STORY. CAN YOU BEGIN WITH A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF YOUR CAREER TO DATE PLEASE?Sure! I’m Eva, currently Head of HR at Passion.io and I’m more or less born into a People and Culture position in Tech/Engineering. My mom is an HR Manager and my dad is an Electrical Engineer that moved into development (he has always been very eager to teach me how to do anything from changing light bulbs up to developing code for the big cutting machines his company sells).Now as you can see today, my passion for people and work environments was a little stronger and I decided to start my first role after my studies in recruitment. I was responsible for the E-mobility sector in the company I worked for at that time and learned how fulfilling it is to help people find a job they can thrive in and see them succeed.In the following years I worked in HR consulting and as an international HR professional, all mainly in Tech and Engineering companies until I joined Passion at the beginning of this year and I can say that I’ve really “found my home” here, as one of my amazing team members always says.AND HOW HAVE YOU SEEN REMOTE WORKING AND FLEXIBILITY FUEL ED&I, MAKING IT EASIER FOR WOMEN SPECIFICALLY TO SUCCEED WITHOUT SACRIFICING?Remote working and flexibility are great tools to enable ED&I. It can give companies access to the talent they usually would not have access to (in different countries and locations and from diverse backgrounds, not just the people that are within a commuting distance from your offices). It can also increase women’s ability to advance in their careers by offering more flexibility to work from anywhere and anytime. It can make them less dependent on a certain location and its availability of child care and nursing services – women are still the primary caregivers in our society.All that while saving them time and cost to commute to an office and not having to make that work with pick-up times at schools and day care. The accessibility of remote work can also open new opportunities for those who aren’t able to afford transportation costs or for people that are neurodivergent or people with disabilities. This goes hand in hand with a culture that encourages flexibility, of course, async work, autonomy, parental/caregiver leave, mental health support, and so on and so forth.It absolutely doesn’t mean that remote work is the solution to everything and for everyone and there are certainly many things we as a society need to improve on to make it easier for women to access certain industries and roles but it can be one tool to attract and also support women with whatever their career aspirations might be without them having to sacrifice other aspects of their life.FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE HOW IMPORTANT IS DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE?It’s not even a question of importance for me – it is absolutely vital for any company from my point of view. Companies that don’t make it a top priority will not survive the next 5 years, if you always do what you did because you hire the same people you always hired and promote the people you always promoted your workplace and company will not be able to adapt to the always changing reality. Diversity is THE number one advantage when it comes to building a culture that fuels the success of an organization from my experience. It drives innovation and enables challenging conversations that more often than not lead to positive changes, learnings, and improvements.WHO IS THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSON/PERSONS IN YOUR EARLY CAREER?I did my LL.M. in Labour Law and my M.Sc. in Business Psychology both at the same time while I was working full time between 2016 and 2019. Looking back, it was one of the toughest times for me and also one of the most stupid decisions I made in my life (would not recommend it, like seriously :D). Anyways, during this time I had a professor at university that was an absolute role model for me. She was different from other profs, more relatable and not afraid to say “I don’t know” or “I’m sorry I’m late, it’s because…”. She told us about her mistakes and learnings, how she struggled and then found her way. How difficult it can be for a woman in a male-dominated environment. That did not make her look weak or less professional, it only made her students open up to her more, build trust and do the best work they can. That was when I realized I want to be that kind of leader and contribute to making the world of work a little bit better.IT’S PRETTY CLEAR YOU’VE DONE SOME PRETTY COOL THINGS IN OUR CAREER SO FAR! WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE YOUR PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENTS BOTH PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY?Personally, I am super proud I managed to walk the Bright Angels trail into the Grand Canyon and back up (where back up is the actual achievement here haha). It was a pretty cool experience for me because it showed me once again how much we can achieve if we really really want it. But also that it only works if we have the right support and environment. It’s a little bit like a career you really want and you’re willing to work hard for it but if no one shows you it’s possible, gives you a chance, a map and some good shoes, you’re set up for failure.Professionally my proudest achievement is probably my current role at Passion. I always wanted to be in a People & Culture role that allows me to create a culture and environment that is diverse and inclusive and where people can bring their whole authentic selves to work. No bs, no work-face. An environment that is willing to learn and improve. One of our values at Passion is #levelup and I think that’s exactly what every organization, CEO and people leader can do when it comes to ED&I and for instance women in tech: aim to get better and find ways to improve. Some amazing takeaways there – thanks Eva you rock! 

Kate Ratcliffe is here to prove you can be a woman, have a family, be a great leader and support other women at the start of their careers in the tech industry – read that again! Kate has been working in Product Management for the past 10 years and is Head of Product Management at Eagle Eye – a marketing tech company that works with retail and hospitality companies, helping them develop their loyalty and promotions programmes. Women Rock Ambassador Doug spoke to Kate about her love for the tech industry and the incredible Purple Women community – a platform to develop women’s careers in tech and allow them to reach their full potential.HEY KATE! COULD YOU START WITH GIVING US A LITTLE INTRODUCTION ABOUT YOU AND EAGLE EYE?I grew up in a small village in Lancashire and was always pretty academic, so I knew I wanted to go to a great university to get my degree but honestly, I didn’t have a clue what I would do once I graduated. Once I finished university I decided to look into graduate schemes for inspiration and stumbled upon one focused on Product. I quickly fell in love with working in Product Management and 10 years later, I still feel the same. Now I am Head of Product Management at Eagle Eye.Eagle Eye is a marketing tech company that works with fantastic retail and hospitality companies around the world, helping them develop their loyalty and promotions programmes. It’s our tech that powers initiatives such as Pret A Manger’s coffee subscription scheme and Asda’s loyalty program. It’s my role to help Eagle Eye define and develop products and solutions that deliver true value to our clients.WHAT IS IT LIKE AS A WOMAN IN TECH WORKING FOR EAGLE EYE?I LOVE being a woman in tech at Eagle Eye. We have a 50/50 gender split in the product team which is amazing. I truly believe the best, high performing teams are diverse; diversity brings rich skillsets, better communication and problem solving. Our senior leadership team is also filled with incredible women who, on a daily basis show you can be a woman, have a family, be a great leader and support other women at the start of their careers.WHAT ARE EAGLE EYE DOING TO HELP WITH D+I?We have an ERG group which has provided education and awareness on our diverse group of employees. We’ve learned about different religious festivals, veganism, had some emotional speeches on the Black Lives Matter movement and have now set up a successful women’s ERG group called the Purple Women.Our Purple Women have implemented a new Family Friendly Policy covering topics such as enhanced maternity and paternity pay, the menopause, flexible working and work experience. They have also been looking at ways to attract more women into the tech sector to try to boost the number of applications we receive from female candidates.We’ve taken small steps such as adding a slide in our job description deck with a statement around being able to offer flexibility and consider applications from candidates who don’t feel they necessarily meet all the suitability criteria for the role, plus advertising the Purple Women’s Family Friendly Policy and all its benefits.Lastly, whilst not yet required by law to report on the Gender Pay Gap, we have started looking at this internally and using the data to inform our own salary reviews annually.WHAT IS YOUR PURPLE WOMEN ERG GROUP AND HOW WILL IT IMPACT LIFE AT EAGLE EYE?Our Purple Women group was established to represent the incredible ladies in our business and make Eagle Eye a great place for our Purple Women to work. It’s a community that is everything from a friendship group and support network, to a platform for us to develop our women and allow them to reach their full potential.WHAT HAVE YOU AND YOUR TEAM DONE NOW THAT COVID RESTRICTIONS HAVE ENDED?I actually had my first baby during lockdown so whilst remote working has been incredible in terms of easing back into work after maternity leave, I couldn’t wait to get back to the office to see everyone. In the last couple of months we have got the whole team together for a delayed Christmas party at Flight Club, and Google hosted us for a storytelling workshop and team builder activity which was great.We are also having our first in-person Company Day in 3 years in July where we fly all of our international team over to the UK and get together for 4 days of teambuilding. I am so looking forward to finally meeting all of our new team members in the flesh.FINALLY, CAN YOU LEAVE US WITH YOUR FAVOURITE SAYING / QUOTE THAT REALLY SUMS UP YOUR OUTLOOK ON LIFE AS A WOMAN IN TECH?If you think something nice about someone, tell them. Small acts of genuine kindness are exactly what the world needs right now. Thanks Kate! Keep rocking!

Meet designer turned developer Alexandria Gilliott. 😊A very special human who Women Rock Ambassador Charlotte Baker has been super lucky to get to know and work with over the last couple of months 💙.Alex is a super hard-working and inspiring individual – she decided to take a leap of faith when she went from seven years as a designer to a software developer, without a related degree-level qualification 💥 .From being a designer to a developer, part-time science documentary lover, gamer, and a big foodie. Alex has a curious mind and loves to surround herself with like-minded people ✨.Alex proves it is all possible as she chats to Char about what diversity means to her, who inspires her daily and her manta 🧘‍♀️We highly recommend getting comfy, having something to sip on and giving this a read 📖.TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND WHY YOU’RE HERE TODAY?I grew up on the beautiful south coast of England, with ever changing ideas of what I wanted to do from palaeontologist to astronaut to gardener and everything in between. Throughout my education, I could never settle on one ‘thing’ and therefore have a rather diverse set of skills such as film & game studies, photography, geography, and even floristry.As mentioned, I am a designer turned developer. I fell into digital design at a part time job I had while at university (studying something else) and I enjoyed being a designer for several years before eventually taking the leap to become a developer.I am here today with the hope that by sharing my experiences, I can offer that small nudge to take a chance or try something new.HOW HAS YOUR JOURNEY BEEN (MOVING FROM DESIGN INTO DEVELOPMENT OR JUST IN GENERAL?) HAVE THERE BEEN ANY BUMPS IN THE ROAD ETC?At the beginning, I was acutely aware that I didn’t have any formal education around software engineering and the sheer breadth and depth of topics, languages and technologies that exist was so over-whelming. Knowing where to start seemed like an almost impossible task and every job seemed to want a related degree-level qualification.With some advice from peers in the industry and support from friends I chose to start with the front-end technologies mainly because my design background helped me here the most, and after a few months of self-learning using various courses and tutorials, I managed to get my first development job.There have been ups and down as with anything. I have been fortunate to be surrounded by so many fantastic peers and mentors who strive to uplift those around them, and I have grown the most from working with those people. But I have also experienced the negative side of being a woman without formal qualifications in a male-dominated academically biased industry. There is outdated views and gatekeeping behaviour still around, but they are fading and there is support there for you if you are affected by it.WHAT DOES THE WORD “DIVERSITY” MEAN TO YOU?Diversity is success – it makes us all the best we can be and achieve more than we ever could alone. When I collaborate or I am open to other points of view or listen to other people’s experiences, the outcomes from that far exceeds anything I could have achieved by myself or with only liked-minded people. Diversity gives us so much strength and the opportunity realise and improve many things that would have otherwise gone unnoticed.IF YOU COULD GIVE ONE BIT OF ADVICE TO SOMEONE WHO’S THINKING ABOUT MAKING A CAREER CHANGE INTO TECH – WHAT WOULD IT BE?A “full-stack” developer is a myth. While it is good to have a working knowledge of each aspect of development there is far too much you need to know now for one person to be deeply and equally skilled in all aspects. This expectation to know everything, especially if you are just starting out, is what makes it feel so over-whelming.No one knows everything! So, with that burden removed, I would recommend getting hands on and having a play around with a few different languages/frameworks by doing their tutorial projects to find out which flavour captivates you the most and progress from there. If you do what you enjoy, you can’t go wrong.WHAT COULD COMPANIES DO TO SUPPORT WOMEN WHO ARE JOINING A MALE-DOMINATED TEAM/COMPANY?Everyone is an individual so generic solutions are hard to identify so for me it is about ensuring equity, awareness and being flexible to the needs of any minority.On an individual level, they should avoid spreading women out just for the sake of looking more diverse. Saying “we have a woman in every team” sounds great, but realistically, it can be quite isolating and make you feel like ‘diversity points’ rather than a valued team member. Teams should be made based on skillsets, experience and personalities not gender.On a wider level, companies should be pro-actively addressing the gender pay gap. Women are both more likely to be underpaid and much less likely to negotiate their salary, and this is taken advantage of either deliberately or inadvertently. Having a regular and open process of evaluating compensation that also considers market rates and other economic factors would go a long way to addressing this problem.IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT THE TECH INDUSTRY, WHAT WOULD IT BE?It’s accessibility for people from all backgrounds and places. There is a large barrier to entry to this industry, especially if you don’t follow the traditional educational routes and an even bigger one to work with some of the industry leading companies that drive global change. I can’t help but wonder what potential revelations we are missing out on by excluding so many undiscovered voices.HOW DO YOU UNWIND AFTER A LONG DAY?I log a lot of screen time per day so heading outside for a walk really helps. I am also a big foodie so making a fancy dinner with my partner and paired with some nice wine is my usual Friday treat.I also love gaming, all different sorts of games, because it is a great way to switch off work-mode and stop my brain from thinking about code! There is something I call the ‘code dream’, which most developers I know have experienced, where your brain is still mulling over a problem in the background, and you end up either dreaming about solving it or waking up with a potential solution! The brain is a funny thing, and this is an incredibly thought-intensive job and so having a good work-life balance is very important.WHO/WHAT INSPIRES YOU IN DAILY LIFE?I am constantly inspired by the people I work with; it was a big factor for my career change because I hadn’t met a developer who wasn’t inspiring in some way. And having worked in a tech-for-good company, it naturally attracts certain types of incredible people who are humbling and motivating at the same time.They say to surround yourself with people who have traits that you aspire to have, and I am lucky enough to say I have done that and hopeful enough to say that I have achieved some of them.WHO/WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? (PODCAST/MUSIC ETC)I do love a good science channel to learn about the weird and wonderful. It’s not a podcast but I am working my way through “Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell” videos. They answer fun questions in a short, animated videos such as “Can you upload your mind and live forever?” to “Why do beautiful things make us happy?”. If you fancy being fascinated, check them out.YOUR MANTRA?I have a few for different contexts but a particular mantra from a workplace with an amazing culture has stuck with me: ‘Kindness, Candour and Good Humour’. It sounds obvious at face value, but it helps adjust your thinking. For example, sometimes when you are stressed it helps you notice if your good humour slipping and you might be less open to feedback, or when trying to be kind you realise you are not being candid and that might be detrimental to progress. Similarly, if you are being honest about something, you make sure it is constructive and fair to uphold kindness. They all balance each other out and are all traits I want to have and encourage in those around me.Thanks Alexandria! Keep rocking!

Have you ever felt like you haven’t had enough support and advice at school when it comes to you career choices? We find it incredibly shocking that some schools are still so behind the times when it comes to girls wanting to get into tech! Here, Women Rock Ambassador Jacob speaks with Fadumo Aideed  about her journey into this male dominated space. As a woman who is black and Muslim, Fadumo came up against many challenges but if anything this made her even more determined to create a safe space for Women in Engineering, Science & Technology (WEST).Prepared to be inspired…TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR STORY SO FAR (HOW YOU GOT INTO TECH, YOUR TIME AT SCHOOL, TIME AT UNI, TRANSITION INTO CODING ETC.My journey into tech was more of a discovery than a final career goal. During my time at school, I was always interested in STEM subjects but felt like I didn’t get enough support or advice from the school for continuing it without advocating for myself. My earliest experience of this was when I wasn’t allowed to sit GCSE science exams but teachers felt it was better if I opted for more vocational BTEC courses. Disheartened by my teachers for not seeing my potential, I was driven to prove them wrong. With the help of my parents and home tutors, I was finally able to sit them.To my dismay, this would not be the only experience. Another similar situation occurred during A levels when I received “advice” from teachers on picking more practical subjects as I was interested in physics, particularly a career in astronomy. Again, I didn’t listen and went with my gut and decided I wanted to pursue Applied Physics at university. This turned out to be the best decision I’ve ever made. With no career goal in mind, I really enjoyed studying physics at university, particularly research in photonics which led me to my internship within the university’s photonics institute and gave me insight into academia and what studying a Ph.D. might be like but I was still unsure about my career goals.After I graduated in 2020, I took a few months to think about what I wanted to pursue and during the summer I started to learn web development for fun as a hobby while I looked for graduate physics jobs. I had some experience programming during university but I did not enjoy it at all then. I was very lucky to stumble across the School of Code boot camp which was a lightbulb moment that completely changed my perspective and my career. I never considered tech as a career option as I always thought I would need further master’s qualifications to apply. School of Code didn’t only teach me how to code, it was a personal transformation that gave me important life skills which I am forever grateful for.WHAT IS WEST AND WHY DID YOU FOUND WEST (WOMEN IN ENGINEERING, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY)?Studying a male-dominated subject had its challenges. As a woman who is black and Muslim, sometimes you are not taken seriously, you get many slight remarks, mansplaining, comments and microaggressions, especially when voicing your opinion and getting yourself heard. I met some amazing and inspirational women who had similar experiences and our stories brought us together. What we thought were isolated individual experiences were deep-rooted unconscious/intentional gender bias.We decided we wanted to create a safe space for Women in Engineering, Science & Technology (WEST) to come together, feel empowered and provide them the tools and opportunities to overcome the same issues we faced. Our vision then became to “engineer an inclusive culture for all”. Our success only accelerated as we all shared the same passion for increasing representation in STEM and was met with heavy support from the university, student union, and company sponsors.As we grew we came across an opportunity to make an impact internationally. We decided then to branch off from the society and become a community interest company (C.I.C.) which allowed us to work on projects funded by the government. A bioenergy start-up PyroGenesys approached us with a proposal to help bring clean cooking energy to rural parts of Nigeria. We partnered with them to create a gender equality and diversity strategy to ensure that the technology they were introducing to these communities was inclusive, commercially viable, and would not result in any unintended consequences. After the project, we had the opportunity to do a TEDx talk, present our findings to the royal academy of engineering, and present at the International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists about how our projects are aiming to solve global humanitarian challenges.We realised how important our work is in thinking about inclusivity from the early stages of innovation. Sometimes this can be overlooked and can lead to solutions that exclude some groups in society leading to gendered innovations and our vision to work toward more inclusive innovationsWHAT CHALLENGES DID YOU FACE AND DO WOMEN FACE IN TECHNOLOGY AND HOW DID YOU OVERCOME AND DEAL WITH THOSE BARRIERS?I am very fortunate to not have experienced any challenges in my tech career so far however many women face many challenges especially when climbing up the career ladder. Breaking the glass ceiling is very difficult as there is no diversity in senior tech roles. I feel like it is a multitude of factors that prevent women in tech from progressing. The two main factors that come to mind are gender bias/discrimination and career progression into senior roles. Many women find it difficult to get their voices heard on their contributions and achievements which ultimately can drive them out of the industry.HOW DO YOU THINK WE BRING ABOUT REAL CHANGE IN THE REPRESENTATION OF FEMALES AND DIVERSE HIRES IN TECH? WHAT DO YOU THINK CAN BE DONE ON BOTH PERSONAL AND BUSINESS LEVELS TO ATTRACT MORE UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS INTO TECH?Real change comes from the bottom up. Teachers should not be reinforcing stereotypes about what students can achieve. It is very disheartening when teachers who are there to teach, inspire and uplift the next generation do the complete opposite and deter them from STEM altogether. The main drop-off point I feel is when they finish GCSEs. My passion is to do outreach to students and make them aware of the career opportunities that are out there. I myself didn’t even know what engineering was exactly until I was in sixth form so if a young kid is aware of the wide range of career options and knows it is possible to achieve it they will do well.As for business, most junior tech job descriptions have unrealistic expectations. They want you to already have years of experience after you have only just graduated. Job criteria like this deter women as there are loads of statistics that show that women only go for roles when they meet 100% of the criteria compared to men who just apply if they meet around 60%.WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO WOMEN THINKING ABOUT GETTING INTO TECHNOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT?Don’t be afraid to reach out to people already in the industry for mentorship or adviceLook into free online resources like freeCodeCamp or online tutorialsApply for boot camps! There are loads of free ones like the School of CodeJoin women in tech communities and find others on your journeyApply to jobs even if you feel like you don’t have enough knowledge, In most tech roles you learn a lot on the jobPractice by doing! Incorporate your current interests with programming and create something coolDon’t be a gatekeeper! If you find useful opportunities or resources, SHARE THEM!Finally, BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!A FAVOURITE QUOTE AND WHY?The quote that stuck with me is “You can’t be what you can’t see – Marian Wright Edelman”As children, we rely on stories, images, role models, and leaders that help us form our worldview on who we are and who we could be. Without anyone who looks like us, anyone who has paved the way for us to follow, we are unaware of the opportunities that lie in front of us and it becomes almost impossible to get your foot in the door.A MOVIE OR BOOK THAT INSPIRED YOU AND WHY?The movie that inspired me the most was Hidden Figures. It was a movie based on the three African-American women who were the mathematicians behind the NASA space launch. Despite the racial discrimination and gender bias, they accomplished incredible things. There are a lot of women in history who are hidden figures that contributed significantly to innovations that history has forgotten or ignored.WHAT BARRIERS HAVE YOU PERSONALLY FACED SO FAR AND HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THEM?I have always faced some sort of barrier where I have gone against the norm and someone says I can’t do it e.g. teachers or peers. What stopped me from listening to the negative noise was my parents’ support. Having a good support system at home is so important when making career decisions at a young age and I am lucky to have parents that have supported me every step of the way.PROUDEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT?My proudest professional achievement was teaching Code First Girls only a year into my tech career. It was both nerve-racking but also exciting that I could inspire women into the tech industry having only just begun my own journey. I would definitely encourage people to give back to the community even if you don’t feel like you know enough or it’s too early in your career.Thanks Fadumo! You absolutely rock!

What do you get when you fill a room with female students who are eager to learn more about the world of tech and some of the countries inspirational female leaders in tech? You get #GirlTech 💙Women Rock Ambassadors Andy and Hannah spoke with Suzie Bell – Project Manager at Ahead Partnership and Founder of #Girltech and Nicky Mikulla #GirlTech Ambassador to find out how the event was breaking the bias for women in tech.