WOMEN ROCK.

Heya all,    Thanks for being here and welcome to Women Rock – a voice for diversity in tech!  I’m Alicia, founder of Women Rock, co-founder of SR2, founder of Technology Volunteers organiser of Codebar (phewwww) I’m a positive vibe advocate, lover of constant learning, mushrooms and anything pickled, dislikes pigeons, bad manners and baked beans! Outside of all of that, I’m probably best known for my handstand ability and my almost 10-year tenure as a Tech recruiter in the UK, born and bred in Bristol!    Over the last 10 years I have been a huge supporter of diversity in Tech but always felt I could do so much more, Women Rock is the start of my more. In the early part of my career, it was rare that I spoke or represented women in the industry. Technology wasn’t offered to me as a career when I was leaving school, and my family or friends weren’t interested in Tech so probably naively I didn’t know women were in tech and that makes me sad and we all know we still have so much more to do but not just for women, we’re talking about diversity as a whole.    I love to build relationships every day and in starting this blog, being supported by our awesome Women Rock ambassadors and some of the best companies who are committed to talking about and improving ED&I across our industry I really hope we can make the world a better place!  Women Rock isn’t just for women, we have, and will, continue to hear stories from folk from ethnic minorities, folk who have physical and hidden disabilities. We have incredible stories from trans and gender-diverse peeps and we have spoken to many allies who are committed to live, work and support diversity in their workplace, careers and lives.    Included are conversations about successes, people's struggles, frustrations and commitment from their perspective. We have seen so much improvement when it comes to ED&I but I just don’t think we are sharing and shouting about it enough so that others can follow suit.  I want to create an incredible community and Women Rock to be the place to go to that celebrates diversity.   I’ll leave you with my favourite quote ‘’No matter where you are in life, inspire and empower the women around you. Success is never reached alone. And wisdom and wealth are sweeter shared.’’  Be kind, get enough sleep and don’t change for anyone.  Smiles,  Alicia x 

"Be yourself and bring your whole self to work." ✨ That’s just one of the many gems from Kyle's incredible conversation with Joana, a Data Science and AI Managing Consultant at IBM Consulting. With a PhD in Computer Science and AI, Joana's journey started in Portugal before moving to Belgium in 2018 to kick off her career as a research engineer in the industry. Joana is deeply passionate about getting more women into tech. With 6 years of experience in AI, she’s eager to give back, sharing her views on the challenges women face in tech, the misconceptions, and her ideas on how we can improve. This interview not only delivers valuable insights but also leaves us with plenty of food for thought around the barriers in tech, the evolving role of AI, and actionable steps we can all take to drive positive change in the industry.  

"It’s only you that's going to make it happen" ✨ We couldn't agree more Marion. Mark sat down with the CEO of Red Helix, a leading cyber security provider. With an impressive 30+ years of experience, Marion’s journey from technical roles to executive leadership is truly inspiring. Growing up in a small town in Scotland, she always had a knack for Science, Maths, and English, but she was determined to follow the subjects she loved throughout her education. In this interview, Marion highlights the incredible initiatives that Red Helix is implementing to support and give back to their local community. Her passion for social mobility and neurodiversity shines through as she shares why diverse talent drives innovation. Marion also discusses her belief that there are many paths to success—her siblings took different routes—and that you don’t need a university degree to reach leadership positions. She also offers valuable insights on how we can expose young people to the tech industry and inspire them to pursue careers in this exciting field. Interviewed by Mark Reddy

Ever felt stuck in a career that doesn’t excite you, but unsure of the next step? Calie’s story might be the inspiration you need. After 16 years at Vauxhall, she took a leap of faith, leaving the motor industry behind and unexpectedly finding her way into coding through a GirlsCode meetup in Milton Keynes. Now a Frontend Developer, Calie has worked on countless projects, from boot camp learning to implementing cutting-edge UI testing frameworks. For those starting out in tech—or anyone looking for that push to take the leap—Calie shares her experiences with imposter syndrome, trusting your instincts, and navigating male-dominated industries. Plus, she reveals her top book recommendation for beginners in tech! Hey Calie, thanks so much for being part of Women Rock! We'd love to hear a bit about you and how your tech journey started. After 16 years working in a variety of roles for Vauxhall Motors - like a lot of the people who grew up in Luton - I got an offer I couldn’t refuse and took voluntary redundancy.  I wanted something different but didn’t have a clue what life looked like outside the motor industry, so I downloaded the Meetup app and started trying to broaden my horizons.  I quizzed everyone I met about what they did for work, what they liked and didn’t like about it, what their dream job looked like and so on.  Eventually, I ended up at a group in Milton Keynes called GirlsCode - they were so friendly that it helped ease a lot of preconceptions I had that coding was only for the super intelligent, or people who had been using a computer from the age of 3.  After an hour on FreeCodeCamp, I began to realise it might be something I could learn to do, and eventually, I decided that a boot camp was going to be the best way for me to kick-start my new career.   We’d love to hear about some projects you’re proud of. Back in boot camp, I created a picture-sharing app as my final project. Considering what I already achieved in the past 12 weeks I was proud of how far I had progressed.  Completing that boot camp course was incredibly intense and is still probably one of my proudest achievements! I’m also incredibly proud of all the milestones from my first engineering role - completing that first ticket solo, leading sprint retrospectives, and contributing missing features - the lack of which were blocking customers from buying our products.  In particular, I helped to implement a UI testing framework and TDD approach to building these features; I presented all of the reasoning and findings to the R&D department and was pleased to be told my enthusiasm had helped one of the seniors overcome his initial reluctance to change our approach to building out the UI. Looking back, what do you wish you’d known when you first started your tech journey? Googling isn’t cheating, in fact, it might be the best tool in your kit if you use it right. Don’t be intimidated by senior developers.  It might seem like they have all the answers but what seniors actually have over you is just experience.  The best senior devs have learned how to apply their experiences to new scenarios and want to help you do the same, so try seeing them as a source of inspiration - tap into their wealth of knowledge and experience wherever you can. Trust your gut, know your worth and don’t settle for less. I’m currently reading “Keep Calm and Code On - A Tactical Guide For Navigating The Pitfalls Of Software Development” by Alex Lau - with the benefit of hindsight I’m realising I’ve fallen foul of a lot of the cases he explains so it’s a bit of a tough read!  Every developer should read this, especially those just starting out. As a woman in tech, what’s been the best and toughest thing you’ve experienced in the industry? The best would be the huge support network that exists between women in tech and also their allies. Yes, we’re largely under-represented but there’s a lot of us that want to help lift each other up. I’m used to working in male-dominated industries but it’s usually been a much lonelier experience. The worst bit, I think, is always going to be based on personal experience. Having been an apprentice car mechanic in my 20’s then a junior developer in my 40’s, for me it’s probably the difficulty getting started. You’ve got to have a lot of self-belief, not accept low-ball wage offers, then when you do land that first role, have the confidence to speak up or even walk away if your developmental needs aren’t being met. As women, this often feels difficult due to the way we are conditioned growing up.  What do you do outside of work? I like to keep up with tech outside of the area I’m currently focusing on.  As mentioned before, the path to senior relies heavily on experience, so it makes sense to try and build this up in your spare time as well - you never know when that article you read or video you watched might come in handy.  There are plenty of newsletters that do a great job of condensing the news into a regular email (I especially like ‘Frontend Focus’, ‘This Week In React’ and ‘Javascript Weekly’), and sites like Meetup and CFE.dev are a great starting-point to find seminars and talks you can watch online. Outside of tech I love to watch football and cycling, and I also like to do yoga, knitting and crochet to relax.  So far I’ve taught myself to make a few cool bits of clothing and blankets, and some gifts for relatives.  My husband and I adopted a rescue dog 5 years ago so we are out walking a lot, always trying to find cool new places to explore.  We are both keen on travel and live music.   Finally, could you leave us with your favourite quote? I’ve got 2 - when I was little my dad said to me “don’t worry about what everyone else is doing,  you just look after yourself”.  I think he was telling me not to be a busybody, and that one has been a guiding principle that’s stuck with me for life.  The other is “what is meant for you will find you” - it’s important to be open to all opportunities and consider that things usually happen for a reason. Interviewed by Ben Dennison

Careers are daunting no matter what you do. Particularly when facing change! Charles Hoskins sat down with Amelia Watkins, Head of Talent at Geomiq, a digital manufacturing start-up where AI meets Design Engineering. Amelia is smashing her career! She came from a background in agency recruitment, upskilled herself with the right qualifications to take on an internal role, and rose to a ‘Head of’ position having established solid Recruitment and HR policy. For those in (all forms) of recruitment, this is one not to miss; they covered, tackling that change from agency to internal, the importance of role models and useful tools to ensure D&I is embedded in your talent acquisition strategy. Hi Amelia, thank you for being involved with Women Rock. Could you tell us a bit about you and your role at Geomiq? Originally from the countryside, I grew up on a farm and moved to London after university after studying Exercise, Health and Nutrition. I got into recruitment following several internships during my final year of university,  knowing I wanted to have the potential to make the commission, whether that be recruitment, sales or working in finance. I went into life science recruitment and grew my career further from there, working in a few agencies and also within Executive Search. A year before I joined Geomiq as their first internal talent/people hire I knew I wanted to develop my career away from agency and completed APM Project Management Qualifications to develop my skills which helped me to get this role here at Geomiq. Over the last 2 years I have developed their recruitment process, talent development process as well as human resources function and now have an additional 2 people within the People Team.  Geomiq is a digital manufacturing marketplace that connects mechanical engineers or design engineers with manufacturers. We were founded in 2017 and have since reached Series A investment in August 2022 and over doubled in size since, including opening a quality hub in Porto, Portugal to enable us to work with more European manufacturers as well as help with product distribution post-Brexit. We are continuing to grow, moving from a startup to scale up, and look to head towards Series B funding in the next 6-12 months.  Head of Talent at a startup is no easy job. What’s been the hardest part? I would say getting the company to understand that people are what makes a company grow and develop further and for that to happen you need a strong and developed people strategy. This would include demonstrating the importance of an ATS system, or a clear career pathway and developing processes. Within startups, you need to stay fast-paced but in order to grow you have to start implementing processes so it’s finding the right balance between the two. We previously spoke about role models. How have they helped your success in this role? I grew up with several family members who were growing their businesses around me so that demonstrated to me the importance of hard work, resilience and never giving up in order to get where you want to be. Working in a startup or even a VC backed company means you're constantly on your toes and striving to develop, automate and grow so you have to work fast-paced which can be tiring as you’re facing constant changes; but watching family members do the same from a young age as helped me and reminded me that if you keep pushing and learning you can also deliver success.  As an ex-agency recruiter, how did that start to set you up for success in Talent? Any advice for people looking to make the move? Working in agency recruitment taught me how to be resilient and how to not take things personally when things don’t go your way or to plan. With agency recruitment you are relying on people making decisions that align with your vision for you to hit a target and be successful, people are unpredictable and can make a sudden change in decision at the last minute so you have to always be prepared for that and understand some things are out of your control so you need to focus on what you can control.  For people interested in moving into an internal talent or people role, I would say, make sure you are moving for the right reasons as it is a big change. I moved because I wanted to help a business develop but more importantly, I wanted to see and help to develop the people I placed in these roles. So, when looking for a new role, find a company that aligns with what you’re looking for as a career and once you find that you’ll enjoy the internal talent role more. When it comes to D&I, any shout-out to tools/decisions you’ve made that have been a big help? The first thing I did to help D&I here at Geomiq was find the right ATS system. I went for Teamtailor as it allows Geomiq to blind CVs and also evaluate candidates in an unbiased and equal manner. I would recommend this tool to anyone in an internal talent role. We also, here at Geomiq, offer a certain number of Skilled Worker Visas for certain level roles per year which brings us talent from all over the world, I think it’s a great way to develop an inclusive and diverse workforce. Here at Geomiq we are still looking to develop our D&I further as we are working in a heavily male-dominated environment, both in tech and engineering, so we are always looking for new ways to help us here.  We are building a Spotify playlist for everyone on the blog, so what’s your current guilty pleasure to add? I do like to listen to guilty pleasures while on my morning runs and at the moment it still seems to be Austin by Dasha. Interviewed by Charles Hoskins  

Meet Danielle, a Technical Lead at Redgate Software. In her own words, she’s a tech nerd, petrol head, dog-mom and just a little bit crazy. It’s also abundantly clear from speaking with her that she is a wonderful, kind-hearted, driven and incredible woman. Her energy and passion shine through in an instant and we’re very excited to be sharing her story. From her early years of dreaming of becoming a fighter pilot to now being a super successful software engineering manager across many amazing companies over varied industries. Her career is nothing short of remarkable and inspiring. Danielle is a compassionate leader with a hunger for leading teams to greatness through transparency, support and personal progression. She has a personal soft spot for the LGBTQI+ community & will always push to ensure a safe, accepting and loving space for all people! Now a Women In Tech Nominee and Public Speaker, Danielle continues to use her experience to drive teams to greatness, inspire others through talking at meetups and just generally being a great human. Hi Danielle, thank you for being involved with Women Rock, can’t wait to get your story out there.  Could you tell me a bit about how you first got started in Tech? Hi, thanks for inviting me! My tech journey is a little different to most I think. I originally wanted to be a fighter pilot, however, after washing out of selection I did a degree in the first thing that sounded interesting, which was ‘Computer and Multimedia Systems’. I only went to university because I had no other ideas on what I wanted to do with my life and that degree covered everything from the math and physics behind the hardware all the way up to web development and databases; things I found really interesting. During my time at university I found that software development came quite naturally to me, so I stuck with it and built a career from there. You mentioned your dream as a child was to be a fighter pilot? How hard was it for you when this didn’t happen and what advice would you give to someone whose first career choice didn’t work out the way they wanted it to? I was told I washed out exactly seven days before my 17th birthday, and honestly, I just went back to bed, cried, and then slept it off. Certainly not a healthy way of dealing with it. However, I’d also put all of my efforts into achieving that one singular goal and had no backup, which, on reflection, made everything worse.My advice for anybody whose first choice doesn’t work out is to look at what skills you have, look at what you enjoy doing and focus on the things that – even if they don’t make you happy – just make sense. I have a lot of people in my life whose initial career dreams never worked out, from a professional scuba diving instructor to a university lecturer. They aren’t doing what they dreamed they would do, but they’re living their best lives surrounded by amazing people and still finding fulfilment and enjoyment in what they do today. It can feel soul-crushing in that moment when you find out it’s not going to work. It is quite literally having your dreams crushed, and that can be truly traumatic. Lean on your friends and family for support and talk to someone, anyone, and I’ll be here for you too if you need someone to listen. You are a Technical Lead at Redgate, we love to see a woman leading from the front within a Tech company. How would you describe your leadership style and what do you enjoy most about managing people? What I enjoy most will tell you a lot about my leadership style. I love seeing people open up, push themselves, take on bigger and more exciting challenges and ultimately grow; both personally and professionally. I try and embody what it means to be a servant leader. From enabling my engineers to building cultures of trust, respect and diversity, and through the spaces I’ve built I’ve seen individuals go from strength to strength, land those promotions, land new roles and go on to inspire others. Every success that my engineers - past and present – achieve is another little success that I silently cherish. As a woman in technology, what would you say is the best and worst thing you’ve encountered within the industry over the years? How did you overcome these things and who supported you through it?  Oof, that’s a tough question. The worst thing? It’s a coin-flip between being a token hire or the silent sexism I’ve endured in some roles. I don’t want to dwell on it as it’s behind me, but it took one of my own engineers to point out the sexist behaviour I was brushing off and it was a light-bulb moment, where all the struggles and fights I’d endured in that role somehow made sense, and it prompted my resignation. The best thing is by far seeing so many other women in tech. I’d worked with a few women in project management roles associated with tech teams, but I’d never met a female engineer until I met Christine, and though she might not like me saying it, she’s my role model. Since then I’ve worked with (and hired!) several female engineers and it makes my heart glow You mentioned your role model was your old boss Christine (She sounds incredible!). Can you tell us why she was your role model? What did you first think when she came into your office? What made her so good? How and why did she in inspire you? So I first met Christine around 12 years ago I think now. I started a new role and Christine joined about a month after I started. She rocked up to an office looking like a million dollars and rather than sitting in an office and commanding from “on-high” like others I’d worked for, she came and sat down with me and the other engineers. She worked beside us, talked to us, got to know us personally and in time became integral to everything we did.Christine wasn’t a soft touch that would let us goof off, she was strict when needed, but she would listen to us all, she’d give us the space to explore our options, she’d defend us when the business pushed for too much. Christine also supported me personally through some of the most difficult times in my adult life, and I’ll always be thankful for the support and kindness she showed me. What was it like being the only female employee in the engineering team and sometimes office? How important was it for you to have other women or more diversity in the workspace? I’m pretty sure I’ve been a “token hire” at least once in my career, and you’re right, one time I was the only woman in the office. It was a really weird situation to be in, and one of the more difficult environments I’ve encountered.When you’re quite distinctly the “odd one out”, it’s not easy to form any type of relationship, and I constantly felt like I was encroaching on other people’s cliques or chuckling at other people’s inside jokes. For me personally, having other people around me that I can relate to and form a relationship with is essential to me feeling like I belong in a company. Professionally, I crave the diversity of thought and opinion that comes from a diverse team, so having people of colour, different sexualities, different genders and religious beliefs in a team enable such creativity and healthy challenges that can never be achieved by a team of straight white middle-aged men. Having led both, I can promise you the difference is stark! Why would you say that Redgate is a great place to work for people from all different backgrounds and walks of life? What makes them a great employer and what could other companies adopt from their way of working to be more inclusive and better employers? I’ve been with Redgate for 7 months now, so my experience isn’t as deep or well-rounded as some of the folks I lead who have been with the company for years. I think the veteran on my team has been with Redgate for 10 years now!Redgate are honest from the start, and that makes the world of difference. On the second paragraph on our Diversity web page, we openly admit we’re not yet as diverse as we’d like to be, but we’re working on it; and that’s true – we are working on it! For the first time in my career, I’ve gone into a role and not had to boot-strap a people-first culture from the bottom-up. Redgate is a people-first company right down to the core. On top of that, we run internships, diversity events, provide enhanced benefits for women on maternity leave and so much more. Redgate even has a term for people who leave then come back – they’re boomerangs, and there’s a lot of them! I’ve never worked for a company where leavers actively want to come back. If you could go back to your freshly graduated old self, what advice would you give? Putting yourself first isn’t selfish. Sometimes it’s necessary.I think 21year old me would really need to hear that, both personally and professionally. What do you think is the biggest thing tech companies could do to attract more female talent? And I guess, if it was you looking – what would attract you to a company? Social responsibility and diversity are both crucial for me. Maybe in my 20s I’d have told you something different like career progression, benefits package or pay, but having chased all those things I honestly feel the impact of what I do and the values of the company I work for are way more important than my pay packet.  I appreciate that I’m in a very privileged position where I can be picky about where my income comes from and I certainly don’t take that for granted, but when choosing between an extra 5grand or a company who will embrace me with open arms – flaws and all; I’ll take that hug, thank you very much. How to attract more female talent? Honestly, there’s talent out there, but companies need to engage with them. Sponsor events, sponsor social groups, provide boot camp scholarships for women moving into tech, and make sure the wording used on job adverts actually encourages – rather than discourages – female applicants. There’s a world of research on this, so it’s definitely worth reading up on. We didn’t get the chance out speak about this on the call – It would be great to hear more about your Public Speaking, Women In Tech Nominee and anything else amazing you’ve achieved throughout your career!! Oh wow, yes. My Women in Tech nomination came before I started public speaking, so I’ll start there. While I was working for Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), we needed to expand my engineering practice from only a handful of developers to several fully-staffed teams as quickly as possible in order to deliver the digital arm of Manchester’s “Bee Network” – the local equivalent to the Oyster Card system in London. Naturally I spent a lot of time interviewing and hiring, and at each step I was focusing on building and enhancing a blame-free culture where everybody could work in concert with each other. My nomination was for building a huge engineering practice from the ground up with minimal business support, all while keeping everything together. As for public speaking, that kind of started by accident. One of my contacts in recruitment asked if I wanted to attend a talk on the future of tech, which I gladly jumped on. A few weeks before the actual event she called me and asked when my slide deck would be ready! You can imagine my panic!Anyway, rather than look daft or admit I was wrong, I promised it would be in a few days and somehow I managed to deliver. My first talk is on Youtube somewhere, and you can see how nervous I was. Since then I’ve given over a dozen talks on a variety of subjects and I enjoy it more every single time. Finally, could you leave us with your favourite quote?  “You are not worse for your association with the world, but it is better for its association with you.” Brandon Sanderson; Oathbringer, Book recommendation? Way of Kings, by Brandon Sanderson.This book was my gateway into Brandon Sanderson’s bibliography and while it’s a high fantasy setting (which isn’t really for everybody), it’s unique in its world building and its novel focus on the individuals, their plights, mental health and depression, rather than the big picture which of course is there, but it’s woven between the threads, rather than being everything. There’s so much about this book and the rest of this series that has shaped my life, from the quote at the end of the Q&A I sent you, to the tattoo I’ll be getting on my forearm, to the oaths I’ll swear if I get married. Song recommendation? Better Off Without You, by Mallory KnoxThis was such a difficult decision and I’ve gone with my favourite track from Mallory Knox because it’s one that’s always going to get me singing along, not because it’s particularly catchy but because the lyrics mean everything to me. From the open statement “You got it all wrong, you think I’m indestructible…” to the tone of managing with depression and anxiety, to the battle that the band went through on their road to releasing that album and how it mirrors the battles I faced at that time, the scars I carry despite my surviving it.Interviewed by Matt Johnson

From teenage coder to tech lead, meet Hannah O'Malley—a Full Stack Developer with over 30 years of experience in the tech world. Starting her coding journey at just 16, Hannah has witnessed the tech landscape evolve and has been a front-row observer of the shifting role of women in the industry. Today, Hannah leads innovation at Health & Her, where she leads the development of a groundbreaking application tailored for women navigating menopause. Working within a predominantly female team, she’s not only pushing the boundaries of tech but also showcasing the remarkable opportunities and rewards a career in tech can offer. Listen to the full interview below for a very insightful and interesting conversation.    Interviewed by Imogen Meston

Meet Dr. Humera Noor, a distinguished technology expert with an incredible background. Holding a PhD, she specialises in Computer Vision, Machine Learning, and cutting-edge technologies. Her educational journey began in Pakistan, followed by the US, where she honed her expertise in advanced computational techniques. Now based in Germany, Dr. Noor has made significant contributions as an engineering leader. She has held key leadership roles at eyeo, Cliqz, and co-founded 4Pilots, a startup focused on automotive safety solutions. In addition to her professional achievements, Dr. Noor is committed to fostering personal and professional growth. She is dedicated to empowering her team members and helping them reach their full potential.  Can you tell us about your journey into the tech industry and what initially inspired you to pursue a career in engineering? I was a trouble-maker as a kid: always looking for tricks to dodge the homework and splitting open the electronic devices to see what’s inside. Growing up, sandwiched between two sensible sisters and under the supervision of a civil engineer father and a lawyer mom, it was crystal clear right from the beginning that education would be our superpower. My papa guided me towards computer engineering. It was an emerging technology in the 1990s and suitable for the next generation of female professionals. My undergrad studies in my homeland Pakistan not only helped me build my foundation but also uncovered my love for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and teaching – the two have remained with me ever since. I started my teaching career, at my alma mater, right after final year exams, and stayed over a decade full-time in the field – as Assoc. Prof. and departmental Co-chairperson in the last few years. In parallel, I continued my journey of Ph.D., a joint program with University of Central Florida and finally postdoc at Technische Universität München going more in-depth into AI, machine learning and computer vision. A lot happened during that journey, including me landing in Germany after getting married (interesting stories there ☺) and finally moving from academia to Industry where I get to find my new love – Big Data. There has been no turning back. What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced as a woman in tech, and how have you overcome them? I’ve been fortunate in my journey as a woman in tech, and I acknowledge that not everyone has the same experience. I’ve had the unwavering support of my husband, who has been instrumental in helping me maintain a healthy work-life balance and navigating the corporate world. He’s a torchbearer of education and women empowerment, always encouraging me to pursue my career aspirations while also valuing our time together as a family. This support system has taught me the importance of being there for others. I’ve learned to uplift those around me, offering support and encouragement whenever I can. I believe that by fostering a culture of support and empowerment, we can help each other overcome the hurdles that come our way. Of course, like anyone in this field, I’ve faced my share of challenges. But I’ve learned to approach these situations with a mindset of seeing the glass as half full. By focusing on the positive aspects and opportunities within each challenge, I’ve been able to turn difficult situations into learning experiences, ultimately making the most of whatever comes my way. What has been your proudest achievement in your career so far, and what impact do you believe it has had on your team or the industry? “Ms. Humera Noor, we congratulate you on becoming Dr. Humera Noor” – my most prized achievement, which never gets old, is getting my doctorate. It gave me a rock-solid foundation not only in my further academic research life but also in my transition to the industry. Moreover, it taught me the lessons of resilience, the power of being focused & dedicated, not being afraid of exploring uncharted territories, etc. It helped me become the kind of leader that I am today.  More recently, and on a technical front, I led eyeo’s initiative to become the industry pioneer in commercially applying machine learning to automate online ad detection for over 15 million users. In the process, I ensured that ethics in AI are given due consideration. One of the ethical aspects of technical advancement in general and AI in particular is to ensure that no harm is done to the environment. Hence, I led efforts to make eyeo’s machine learning infrastructure environmentally friendly. Compared to the industry standards, eyeo’s models save more than 1000x the energy than the standard Large Language Models for training. During inference, the energy consumption of the models is 200 times more efficient than a fluorescent light bulb and 600 times than that of an incandescent lamp. I’m proud of finding the balance between using technology for innovation while ensuring that we don’t harm the planet Earth in the process.   Can you share some advice for young women who are considering a career in tech or who are currently working their way up in the industry? For women starting their careers in tech, here are 3 concrete pieces of advice from my side: Pick your niche and become an expert in that: Many people ignore this tip that the more you excel in your field, the more your confidence will naturally grow. Focus on what you love to do and go all in. Believe in yourself: Have confidence in your abilities and believe that you belong in the tech industry. You have unique perspectives and skills to offer, so embrace them wholeheartedly. Establish your Brand: Speak up in public and share your knowledge. Make your achievements and contributions known, and establish your brand. Be visible! What initiatives or projects are you currently working on that excite you the most, and how do you see them shaping the future of technology? AI, AI, AI - I started my journey with Artificial Intelligence (AI) over 25 years ago, and the technology and growth still amaze me. I'm excited about artificial intelligence because of its potential to revolutionize various industries and improve countless aspects of our lives. AI's ability to analyze data, recognize patterns, make predictions and especially the pervasive use of large language models opens up numerous opportunities for innovation and problem-solving, impacting both large tech and small business. Its ongoing advancements promise to make our world smarter, more efficient, and more accessible. What do you see as the biggest opportunities and challenges for women in tech over the next decade? The biggest challenge that I see is that we do not encourage our young girls to enter STEM fields. It is important that we address this issue at its root, and start supporting our school-going girls to develop interest and skills in tech, engineering and Maths. Programs like coding camps, robotics clubs, and mentorship initiatives can make a significant difference. A stronger inflow at the foundational level will give more opportunities at the lead level. We’re in a spiral that we need to break.  This lack of presence causes more challenges, like: Persistent Gender Bias and Stereotypes: Despite progress, gender bias remains a significant hurdle. Women often face stereotypes that question their technical abilities and leadership potential, which can hinder their career advancement and lead to a lack of representation in senior roles. Underrepresentation in Leadership Roles: Women remain underrepresented in senior leadership and decision-making roles in tech. This lack of representation perpetuates the cycle of bias and limits the influence women have on shaping the future of the industry. Combine these with imposter syndrome, balancing career and family, and lack of role models and mentorship makes it even more challenging for women to enter and excel in tech. However, it’s not all doom and gloom! We’ve now started talking about diversity and creating awareness to empower women. Women themselves know they need to lean in and get a seat at the table.  The biggest opportunities that I see out there are: Entrepreneurship and Startups: The tech startup ecosystem continues to grow, offering women more opportunities to create and lead their own companies. Increased access to venture capital specifically targeting female entrepreneurs also presents a significant opportunity for women to shape the future of tech. If you can’t get a share in the pie, create your own pie. Increased Focus on Diversity and Inclusion: Many companies are recognizing the value of diverse teams and are implementing more robust diversity and inclusion initiatives. This focus can open doors for women in tech, providing greater access to leadership roles, mentorship opportunities, and equitable pay. Moreover, we’ve communities and forums like Women Rock that highlight women's journeys and give them the boost that they need. What are some common misconceptions about women in tech, and how can we work to dispel them? The  biggest misconception that I’ve seen is that: Women are too nice and kind to be a strong leader. This is not true. The empathy and emotional intelligence of women give them an edge that is still not digested by the masses. It’s a different kind of leadership, however no less in any way than other leadership styles.. According to recent research (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S004873332100127X) companies with female CTOs are more innovative than those with males.   The solution is two-fold: create awareness and invest in getting more females in tech. What is your favourite song? Counting Stars by OneRepublic - It’s motivating, rebellious and energising at the same time.   What book would you recommend for our Women Rock bookshelf? Oh, this is the toughest question because I have so many 🤩. If I can pick only one, that would be Atomic Habits by James Clear. This is because habits make us who we are, and if we can control our habits, we can control our destiny. Some others that I keep going back to, depending on the context: Radical Candor by Kim Scott - How to be a kickass manager without losing humanity The four by Scott Gallaway - eye-opening read for business owners and consumers alike Culture Map by Erin Meyer - if you’re part of, and especially leading, multicultural teams, this is a must-read. Interviewed by Ryan Delaney

Meet the fabulous Louise, Head of IT Operations at Northumbrian Water Group (NWG). This incredible advocate for "learning while you earn" has been a game-changer with NWG's Digital Degree Apprenticeship, offering practical experience and a debt-free degree. Talk about opening doors to tech careers! Louise is all about creating inclusive workplaces that celebrate diversity and help individuals thrive. In her interview, she dives into some of NWG's amazing initiatives like the Young Citizens Work Experience Festival, the Women in STEM working group, and female-only assessment centres. No wonder NWG has been recognized as a Great Place to Work for Women for three years running! Get inspired by Louise's journey and the fantastic work she's doing at NWG.   Hi Louise, thank you for taking the time to speak to us. Firstly, please can you start by talking me through your position at Northumbrian Water Group?  My name is Louise Patterson and I am Head of IT Operations and Resource Management at Northumbrian Water Group.  I look after our Service Desk, User Experience, Cloud & Infrastructure, Networks, Service Management and Quality Assurance teams. Please tell me about your story so far. How did you get into the world of Tech?  Whilst I was studying for my Marketing degree at Newcastle University, I decided to do a year in the industry for my third year.  I worked at IBM in the Office of the CIO which gave me great insight into IT telecommunications and I got the opportunity to work on some of their key projects, which I went back to support with during the summer after I graduated.  This placement was invaluable as it gave me experience in the workplace which helped me stand out against other graduates and really helped me work out what I had a passion for and ultimately led me into a career within Technology.  Following my final year at university, I joined the Asda Technology Graduate scheme starting as a Project Manager and this gave me a great platform into working in Tech as I spent 10 years getting the opportunity to move around various roles within their Technology team including Service Management, Governance and Programme Management. Before moving to Morrisons Technology team where I became Head of Service Management before moving back to the North East to my current role with Northumbrian Water. Work experience counts for a lot, and university isn’t the only pathway to a career. Please can you tell me more about why you are an advocate of being able to “learn while you earn”?  Absolutely, I have my year in the industry to thank for the opportunity I got when first leaving university.  Times have changed from when I went to university, young people are leaving with a degree, a lot of debt and little to no work experience.  So, I’m a real advocate of apprenticeship schemes which I think give young people a far better start in their career.  Earn as you learn and a degree completely debt free - it’s just a no brainer for me and why we have launched our new Digital Degree Apprenticeship scheme earlier this year. NWG’s Digital Degree Apprenticeship sounds incredible! Please can you tell me more about it and who will be able to access it?  Of course I’m really excited to be welcoming our new apprentices starting in September.  They will spend 4 days a week working in our head office in Durham and then spend every Friday at the University of Sunderland to study for their Digital Technology degree.  We’ve worked with the University of Sunderland to put together a broader technology degree which is the IT consultant pathway.  This allows the apprentices to study a broader range of topics rather than specialising in one area.  Throughout the 3 years they will move to work in a different teams, around every 6 months, which will give them a taster of the various roles they could go into once they’ve completed the scheme and they can gauge from the learning in their degree and from their work experience, what direction they want to take their career in.  As a Women in STEM myself, it’s fantastic to see that around 70% of the apprentices that are joining our Digital Degree Apprenticeship are female. You mentioned that you are also setting up a work experience programme for Year 10s. Why is it important for students to make the most out of work experience and how can employers make their work experience offering more valuable to students? Yes, alongside our Innovation Festival at the Newcastle Racecourse in July, we’re also holding our very first Young Citizens Work Experience Festival.  This is open to Year 10 or above students, to attend onsite at the racecourse between 9th – 12th July.  We have a fantastic programme where they will have the opportunity to build up specific skills e.g. teamwork, communication, critical thinking, creativity amongst many more.  As a takeaway they will be able to put together a CV of all of their skills online.  There is also an opportunity for schools to get access to our online work experience if they can’t attend in person.  It’s so important for young people to gain key transferable skills which will help them to be successful when applying for apprenticeships or jobs in the future.  And employers need to put more focus onto the younger generation to give them these opportunities as they are our workforce of the future.We spoke about the importance of diversity in the workforce and whilst there needs to be a drive to get more women in STEM, it is also equally important to foster an inclusive culture that welcomes everyone, and which will in return mean being able to retain great talent. Please can you tell me more about the work NWG are doing to foster an inclusive environment? Diversity is something I am incredibly passionate about and I am part of our Women in STEM working group where we look at how we can foster a more inclusive environment.  It starts with recruitment, and this is something we’re really working on and have seen some great results just recently.  When recruiting for the Digital Degree Apprenticeship we reviewed job adverts and our website to make sure this would attract a diverse group of individuals and adapted our recruitment process.  As an example, we held a female only assessment centre, as research shows that females have more confidence and perform better when they are not a minority in group exercises, and it is important for us to be inclusive and give everyone an opportunity to perform at their best.  This received positive feedback from female candidates.  As an employer NWG is well known for being a great place to work and we’ve been recognised as a Great Place to Work for Women for the past 3 years.  But we are always reviewing how we can continue to make it an inclusive environment, whether that being flexible working amongst many other support offerings. We spoke about the importance of having great role models. Who is/are your greatest role model/s and why? I’ve always been surrounded by strong female role models in my family from grandmothers, my mother and my older sister, which has probably had more of an impact on me than I’ve previously realised.  My whole career has been in Technology, where women are a minority, but I think this early influence has given me the confidence when I have been the only women in a room, to not feel intimidated. If there was one book, song, and/or podcast you would recommend, what would it/they be and why? A book I’ve just recently read is ‘Zcomomy’ by Jason Dorsey and Denise Villa.  It looks at how Gen Z will change the future of business and what to do about it.  It’s an interesting read and gives some great insight for leaders to think about when recruiting or working with Gen Z.  I think sometimes different generations can be critical of each other, so it’s important to better understand young people better as they are the future of our workforce.  Any last words of inspiration?  Say yes to opportunities that come your way to help work out what you are passionate about and always be your true authentic self.Interviewed by Bella Snell