WOMEN ROCK.

“Designer by day, Illustrator by night” – An interview with Kiwani Dolean.I met Kiwani just over a few weeks ago now where we spoke about everything across design, inclusion and good food – obviously we had a lot to talk about! Kiwani is the Head of Product & Design at limber which is a platform which helps empower gig workers to work flexibly. Originally from Italy she came to the UK – starting her journey in London before coming to Bristol where she’s here to stay, hopefully! Already she’s fallen in love with our city and has created some beautiful illustrations which represent everything Bristol stands for – you’ll see them below.With everything that Kiwani and I spoke about we both felt obliged to share it with the universe, so here it is!SO, YOU’RE ORIGINALLY FROM ITALY – AMAZING! HOW HAVE YOU FOUND BEING IN THE UK?I’ve always loved the UK and I really enjoy the life here, especially in Bristol. Working in the tech sector, I can’t appreciate enough the amount of brilliant startups and companies that innovate and disrupt the market. From a creative point of view, I’ve found the UK, and Bristol, to be a fantastic place that allows people to express their talents and offers many opportunities. Plus, it’s so beautiful!WHEN DID YOU FIRST REALISE YOU WERE THE CREATIVE SORT?This happened very early on – I was a curious, perceptive child who loved exploring and creating. I’d draw for hours, write and illustrate mini short stories, experiment with paint, watercolour, clay, natural elements. I couldn’t imagine a world without creating and it’s always been a part of me.WHEN WE MET, YOU MENTIONED YOU LOVE WORKING ON PROJECTS WHICH GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY – WHAT’S BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE PROJECT TO DATE?All the projects I’ve worked on have something special and I remember them fondly for different reasons. I loved being involved with Good For Nothing Bristol, where I collaborated with other creatives and makers on a project to help Chandos House (the only residential rehabilitation centre in Bristol) with a fundraiser. The most rewarding part of the project was to attend the fundraiser and meet the people we were helping, knowing that my contribution had made a difference in their lives.DO YOU FEEL THAT THE DESIGN COMMUNITY IS PRETTY EQUAL IN REGARD TO MALE-FEMALE-NONBINARY GROUPS?I’ve worked with many talented and diverse designers of all genders. Especially when working in London, I had the pleasure of collaborating with some wildly talented women and non-binary folks – it looks like in the UK the design community is quite diverse and I find it brilliant. I’d love if there was more inclusivity and openness from companies regarding non-binary folks, as I’ve seen it can sometimes be challenging for people to use pronouns they are not familiar with and respecting all identities.“DESIGNER BY DAY, ILLUSTRATOR BY NIGHT” IS THE FIRST THING WE READ ON YOUR LINKEDIN. IT’S GREAT YOU’VE GOT SUCH AN INTERESTING HOBBY WHICH YOU’RE CLEARLY GOOD AT – CAN YOU TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR ILLUSTRATIONS?My illustration work has been defined as quirky, conceptual and delightful. I always search for meaning and love telling visual stories with the use of textures, watercolours, contrasts and words – illustration is not just a hobby for me, but something that gives me meaning. You might have seen my work on the £B20 Bristol Pound’s banknotes or at my exhibition at Harts Bakery, where my Weird Wonderful Words project was on display.    WHAT KIND OF THINGS WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE MORE OF IN DESIGN TEAMS?I’d like to see more diversity, not only in term of genders, and more openness and trust between team members and organisations. Also, more fun and playing! I love how doing fun activities together creates stronger bonds.70% OF WOMEN AND JUST OVER 50% OF MEN HAVE HAD IMPOSTER SYNDROME. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN A VICTIM OF THIS?Absolutely – especially at the start of my career and when I made some bold choices, such as moving from Italy to London. It’s very important to talk about this in order to know that we’re not alone when we experience imposter syndrome. What has helped me overcome it has been reframing my thoughts in a positive light, talking to my peers about it, and letting go of the idea of perfection.DO YOU HAVE A MANTRA OR PRACTICE WHICH YOU INCORPORATE INTO YOUR ROUTINE WHICH YOU LIVE BY?I love questions like these! I don’t have a specific mantra or practice, but I try to approach every situation with curiosity and an open mind – this is applicable in my design work as well as my illustrations and every other area of my life.WHAT’S ONE THING YOU COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT?Everything considered, basic necessities aside, it would be music and art. I could certainly live without it, but it would feel like a much less joyful life. If you’re looking for a more “materialistic” answer, I’ll say the Internet – we have so many connections and opportunities thanks to it!WHO’S YOUR ROLE MODEL?My mother. She’s raised me nurturing my creativity and giving me the ability to dream big. She’s given me nothing but support and I’ve always admired her strength and resilience in everything she’s done in her life. Thank you for taking the time to speak to us Kiwani – we’ve loved getting to know you!An interview by Charlotte Baker.A voice for diversity in tech <3I: @womenrockbristolT: @womenrockbrstl

I am delighted to share this awesome interview with you, Sarah Beharry is a Software Engineer who has just taken the plunge of moving from Southampton to Bristol to start her new job with OVO Energy this month. She was first introduced to me by a friend of hers in Southampton who had suggested to get in touch with us to help find a role in Bristol. Of course, I was so excited to help her! I was struck by Sarah’s confidence but also calm nature and positive outlook on life, she gave me some very honest (and useful) opinions on how tech companies can attract a more diverse mix of people and not just focus on attracting more women.This interview is definitely worth a read if that’s something you are trying to improve within your organisation, thank you so much Sarah for sharing your story with us ????SARAH, I KNOW THERE’S BEEN SOME BIG CHANGES HAPPENING FOR YOU RECENTLY AND A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS ON SECURING A POSITION WITH OVO ENERGY IN BRISTOL. WHAT WAS IT THAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THE COMPANY + ALSO TO BRISTOL?Bristol’s always been a city that has been attractive to me: I have friends there, the music scene is incredible, and the tech opportunities are so exciting. When I heard about OVO and started reading about them, I realised it was a place where I would be able to learn so much in a short time, and be given quite a lot of autonomy to make technical choices, which was pretty attractive. (The office is also gorgeous!)HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN YOUR CAREER AS A SOFTWARE ENGINEER?I did a Masters in Mathematics and decided to continue my studies further wasn’t right for me, so I decided to find work after graduating. I ended up working for a small software house that took STEM grads who didn’t know how to code yet and trained them up. I remember coding up a basic calculator in my training and just falling in love with being able to get my code working… The rest is history! 🙂THERE IS A LOT OF STIGMA AROUND WOMEN IN TECH POSITIONS, AND A LACK OF DIVERSITY IN MOST TECH COMPANIES. WHAT DO YOU THINK COMPANIES COULD DO DIFFERENTLY TO ATTRACT A MORE DIVERSE MIX OF PEOPLE?Some people think of diversity as simply being “more women” or “more folks of ethnic minorities”, but I believe so many more types of ways in which we are different: some of us have kids, some of us are disabled, some of us are night owls or teetotal or just really really shy! Workplaces should make it clear that all of the ways people can be different are expected and accepted. They can do this by demonstrating quietly, but constantly, that people are accommodated for what they need without it being a big deal. Things like flexible working, and varied social groups can help, but there are lots of things (big and small) that can be done. Once you start doing that for all the ways people are different, accommodating for someone being a woman should follow. Hopefully 🙂AS A FEMALE IN THE TECH INDUSTRY, WHAT HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST BARRIER YOU HAVE FACED AND WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO MIGHT BE GOING THROUGH THE SAME THING?The hardest thing has been to deal with the micro-aggressions: every now and then, someone will assume I’m more junior than I am, or need more assistance than I’ve asked for, or just say something off-colour and not very professional.I’ve dealt with this in multiple ways in the past: generally, I will want to correct the person, especially if it’s someone I will be expecting to be working with for a while. But sometimes, it’s better to make like Elsa and “let it go”!I KNOW THAT YOU LOVE TO SING AND PERFORM, IS THAT A PASSION YOU THINK YOU WOULD FOLLOW MORE NOW THAT YOU’RE LIVING IN BRISTOL?Absolutely! I’ve had a bit of a search online and there are more choirs than I could shake a stick at! I hope to join a choir very soon once I’ve settled in.WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU THINK YOU WILL BRING TO THE ENGINEERING TEAM AT OVO ENERGY?I am pretty good at trying to translate between those who understand the details of building software and those that understand the details of a customer’s desires – I aim to help teams that I join to stay customer-focused while also being able to explain to our stakeholders about the technical sticky patches that always hold things back from time to time.TELL ME SOMETHING THAT WOULD SURPRISE PEOPLE ABOUT YOU?I was misdiagnosed with tuberculosis in my early twenties – it was just a nasty case of pneumonia but they had to quarantine me for weeks!2020 IS HERE – WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE IN THE NEW YEAR?Successfully moving and settling into Bristol is the main goal! Secondary goals are to learn more about functional programming, and attempt making puff pastry from scratch.DO YOU HAVE A ROLE MODEL?I have found a great deal of inspiration from Pat Kua (@patkua) and Captain Awkward (@Cawkward): between them, I’ve learned a lot about how to be a good tech lead and how to handle difficult situations with grace.IF THERE IS ONE THING YOU WOULD WANT PEOPLE TO REMEMBER YOU BY, WHAT WOULD IT BE?I do try to find the positive in almost anything – and I will always find myself volunteering for everything going!WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE QUOTE?A general quote: “Nothing worth having is easy to get”.One more about software: “First make it work. Then make it good. Then make it fast.” Thank you for being our first interview of 2020!An interview by Steph Jackson.A voice for diversity in tech <3I: @womenrockbristolT: @womenrockbrstl

Year 2 is done and dusted and it’s been a great year for Women Rock! I am so proud of what it has become and hugely excited for the plans we have for Women Rock in 2020!I am very proud of my fab ambassadors Char, Steph, Darcie, Rach, Sam, Caitlin and Sophie who have been at the forefront of Women Rock in 2019. The blog is packed with stories from inspiring folk in technology where every story and experience are different. You girls are the best advocates of the brand and you always have Diversity and Inclusion at the front of your minds as does everyone in our business. It’s amazing to see everyone living and breathing it daily.So what has happened in 2019 and with 5 years left to achieve our mission, what is next?!We have improved our diversity placements in 2019 at SR2, and we are super proud that 39% of our placements have been of under represented folk, ok it isn’t 50% but we’re getting there and we have hired some unbelievable talent within software development. – where the real shortage is!I still hear everyday that there aren’t enough females in Senior positions. We are pretty proud of some of our female placements being CTO’s, Engineering Managers, Lead Developers, Head of Agile. We have also placed multiple testers and engineers, both on a perm and contract basis. We’ve also been really active in the Part Time market, supporting working mums especially and had a load of success from our ever growing networks.This is all great but as I have said before the idea has never been to hire women just because they’re women. We find people that are amazing at their jobs. We have been committed and responsible of actually getting the word out to the widest pool of candidates possible which has in short led to our success in this area and and we bloody love it!It’s not all sunshine and roses however and with all the great, comes the shit! I would love to write a book on how companies window dress the subject of ‘diversity’. I’ve had calls, emails and constant messages about how can we hire females. I’ve had requests for all female shortlists and ‘I only want to hire a female developer’ – You genuinely hear all sorts but I am pleased to say overall the picture definitely feels like its improving which is what it’s all about.Biggest Tip. Listen to your recruitment partner – if they’re crap and not providing a diverse shortlist then go and get a new one who is truly committed to D&I. To change takes some work. It takes time. It takes trust. But it is totally worth it.We posted 29 different interviews to the blog in 2019 and had folk who are new to the industry, returning and have been in technical roles for years. Also founders and senior managers both male and female have took part sharing their successes, challenges and some struggles throughout their careers and sharing their thoughts on all things D&IWhat’s next:We are committed to gender diversity more than ever, our first placement of 2020 was a female JavaScript Developer kicking off the year perfectly! ???? We are attending several events to keep up to date and share our insights and experience into hiring diverse talent into the industry. We are looking forward to attending the TTC annual breakfast soon on how we can actually make a real difference and drive greater inclusion and diversity in tech?Overall in 2020 you will see more of the same with a couple of changes. We are planning a couple of diversity events, planning a international womens day event, partnering with Runway East and maybe even a podcast if we can squeeze it in. We have also partnered with Tiff Dawson and working on how we can provide coaching for women in their STEM careers. We hope you will still follow and join us in celebrating gender diversity in the world’s fastest growing industry. If we can help in anyway, if it’s hiring, advice or some support you know where we are.Please remember your voice and all we ask is to use your influence because whether you believe it or not (and you should) you can promote positive experiences for the minorities in tech!Look out for our first interview of 2020 next week.Thanks for supporting.Loads of Love – Women Rock xA voice for diversity in tech <3I: @womenrockbristolT: @womenrockbrstl

I was recently invited to London to speak at 101 ways WTF (Women Tech Focus) event at the amazing Just Eat offices. I wanted to share my experiences, my successes, failures and top tips on networking. The aim is to reassure you in your own worth, ability and power regardless of the situation you are in and how you can embrace your inner Sasha.So WTF is networking?! I bet you’re thinking a room FULL of what I can only describe as a “Cumberland Sausage Factory” (that reference has stuck with me after a CTO recently called his tech team it as he took me around the office!) and we all know in the tech industry it’s pretty relevant.Networking can be associated with stress, dread, anxiety and probably some of your best excuses not to go, I know I’ve considered using the ‘I’ve got to wash my hair’ excuse many times before.You may have had a prior experience that hasn’t been great and you are now building your courage to go to something you have been told you need to go to, or you are just really interested in the topic. But how can you make it easier and why is it worth the effort?Are you thinking, this is what Networking looks like?I get it, I really do and I can’t imagine you jumping at the chance to be in a room full of sausage, and I’ll be honest now if we are talking tech then you will be outnumbered there’s no hiding that, but it is getting better, I promise! But a lack of self-confidence can limit you in your opportunities! Now we can’t all be professional networkers, but for whatever reason you are looking to go to an event whether you’re looking to hire or be hired, for example remember you can’t win the game if you don’t want to play it. So embrace your inner sasha!Here are my 11 top tips:1. JOIN A WOMEN GROUP2. MAKE THE EFFORT TO GOYou can’t stick our head in the sand and forget all about it, because in this day and age, networking is a necessity. Whatever you’re trying to achieve knowing people that can support you, offer new perspectives, and help you forward networking is a powerful thing!3. PREPARE– Make notes on the speaker– Check on Eventbrite & Meetup who is going, then start stalking. Get on social media and look them up. (What have you got in common, What do they look like?)4. PUT YOURSELF IN A GOOD MOODDo something that you enjoy. Get your endorphins going. Eat some chocolate. Go for a run. Lift your spirits, drink a calamine tea or ………………. wine!5. DRESS THE PART!Wear clothes that make you feel comfortable and confident. If you look and feel great, you will naturally be more confident. Be assured in your own worth, ability, and power, regardless of the situation you are in.6. BE SASHA!Sasha Fierce is, according to Beyoncé, her alter ego that she assumes when she gets on stage. Sasha Fierce is her persona, and what is responsible for her confidence as she struts her stuff on stage. Pretend your confident, we don’t all feel like Beyoncé even on our best days but everyone else doesn’t have to know that. Realize that how you walk, shake hands and make (or avoid eye contact each tells someone whether or not you are self-assured. So stand tall (I try, the whole 5ft1 of me) walk with purpose, smile and look everyone in the eye! This is important, you’ll soon find that even if you don’t feel confident at first you will soon.7. SMALL TALK … EH!Don’t like small talk? Don’t we all? Join in a conversation between others than start up from cold. Buddy up and let the chatter flow, if you find yourself stuck, drop your guard and say what you are thinking ‘I’m awful at small talk’ Odds are they are thinking the same thing and that connection can spark an honest dialogue.And if all else fails just roll down a hill 🙂8. QUESTIONSGetting over the first hurdle of saying anything is typically the hardest part. It’s an opportunity to find out all about them too. Turn your attention to them and you’ll soon forget to be self-conscious. The best way to do this is to plan some interesting questions in advance, try ‘what are you hoping to get out of this event?’ ‘What’s your story?’ ‘What would you say that you’re known for?’ or do you like your coke in a bottle or a can (just kidding but if you can rock it then go for it, it’s my ice breaker!)9. WORDS HAVE POWER!!!!Try to avoid asking anything that could be answered with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ – get them to open up a little. Be aware of your word choices, don’t undermined yourself such as I think or maybe, or even apologise for interjecting. You don’t have to interrupt or be rude, but use more confident words that make a statement.10. RESTING BITCH FACE?Be mindful of how your facial features or expressions may be interpreted. Maybe you tend to furrow your brows when you get nervous, or you maintain a stiff and serious expression. Be mindful of how different expressions may be interpreted.11. FOLLOW UPNetworking doesn’t end at the event, follow up and build stronger connections. You will meet incredible people you wouldn’t usually have access too.Meeting people at events is tough but it sure gets easier with practice, enjoy it and have FUN!#Womenrock

As we come to the end of 2019 and it’s almost Women Rock’s 2nd Birthday, we will be sharing our success on what we have achieved this year and how much closer we are to our mission in Jan. We have had unbelievable success this year, hiring diverse talent in technology. The idea has never been to hire women just because they’re women. We find and help women & non-binary people that are amazing at their jobs. We have been committed and responsible of actually getting the word out to the widest pool of candidates possible which has in short led to our success and we bloody love it!To round up the year we wanted to share some jobs we are looking for at the mo for our clients we are very proud to work with and how truly support Women Rock.Software Tester Bristol £30,000They have a team of 6 developers and 2 QA’s and are now looking to expand the team. You will be involved in the testing of their web based platform used by a range of clients. You will also have the opportunity to get trained up in automation (Selenium) as they currently build new frameworks from the ground up so it is a great opportunity to be able to develop skills in this area too. Work in a Agile/SCRUM environment and are looking for someone with great communications skills and eye for detail.They are flexible on the level they take on and are happy to consider anyone from Grads with an interest in testing up to more experienced testers.They offer a salary of between £20,000-£30,000 depending on experience, flexible hours , bonus, 25 days holiday (plus bank holiday), Pension, Income Protection, Death in Service and a casual dress work environment. The have just refurbished the office and have a pool table and offer free fruit sweets, biscuits and snacks.Java Developer – Bath £50,000Multiple opportunities to work with a global media company based in central Bath, they have recently acquired some new brands to add to their impressive and exciting repertoire of clients.This is an opportunity to work on a brand-new product for their sales team, which is going to involve leveraging customer data to use as leads and migrating them into the tech stack.A great fit if you are into building tech + solving problems, you’ll be joining a fun vibrant engineering team. They have a big open plan office, based centrally within Bath and just a few minutes’ walk away from the train station so easily accessible if you’re coming from Bristol or somewhere else in the South west.They have very much a work hard, play hard culture. It’s the sort of place where people enjoy going to work and taking advantage of their great company benefits! If you’re wanting to work for a business who offer career progression, their CTO recently started to provide structured career path plans for each employee so they will support you with that.The technologies’ they are working with include: Java 8, Spring, Docker, AWS, REST API’s. Their tech stack also includes another tech such as PHP, JavaScript, AngularJS, jQuery, AJAX.Requirements:2+ years commercially working with JavaExperience working with SQLBachelor’s Degree in engineering, computer science, or another software related fieldThe desire to work within a teamOh and, they offer unlimited holiday and want their employees to have a great work/life balance.The company have a huge ambition and are looking for a 3 more Java engineers to join them on that journey!Front End Developer Bristol £35,000If you like the sound of working for a well established digital product company based in Bristol with the option of working fully remote alongside a group of extremely talented individuals, this could be the one for you.They have helped over 10,000 businesses across the planet increase their efficiency and success with no plans of stopping anytime soon. In fact, they are planning to more than double in size by the end of 2020.With a number of the team working on a fully remote basis, you may wonder what the culture is like. Everyone shares the same ambition for the company, united by enthusiasm for creating great products by taking advantage of all available tools to make remote working as enjoyable as possible.They now need another Front End Developer with solid Javascript experience to join the team. You’ll be a key part of the growing front-end team, helping to develop digital products, and forming part of the product team on new products, helping shape their development from conception to launch..NET Engineer, Health Tech start-up Bristol £60,000Would you like to be part of a heath-tech start-up with big plans to help change peoples lives? They are a fast-moving start-up currently planning their next stage of growth!They are looking for a passionate engineer to work alongside a Head of Engineer, Python Developer and Data Engineer where you will help build cutting edge mobile apps which are meaningful.They move fast and ship fast and you’ll have to be comfortable working at this kind of pace, but also serious about working on something which can help everyone with any health problems.The team may be small in stature, but, they’re big on creativity. They are looking for someone who can commit to working with ambiguity and are happy to learn and adapt on the fly. This is not your average 9-5, they offer the chance to learn and grow, have impact on the world and work with flexibility.PHP Software Engineer – Remote working options, Bristol £45,000A bespoke software company whose life started over 20 years ago when two skilled software engineers spotted a gap in the market, are expanding into Bristol!! They effectively produce high quality, often complex solutions for a niche sector and are dominant within it!They have recently won a tender that will result in some growth within the team (4-5 devs over the next few months) so naturally its an exciting time to be joining.You’ll be a great fit if:You value a trusting, adult working environmentYou like some remote working flexibility but turning into the office occasionally isn’t something you’re averse toFollowing proper software engineering practices keeps you happyChallenge is a friend not a foeWant to work on interesting projects with a diverse teamYou like the occasional social!The salary on this one is up to £45,000 + benefits experience dependant. The office is in Central Bristol within easy reach of Temple Meads (10 mins).Python Developers Bristol – £30,000 – £65,000They are looking for a mid-level developers with experience from 2-5 years.The teams are split into 4, all of which are working on different projects. Once projects are completed or even during the projects, they welcome the idea of a developer switching teams to learn new skills and tech that the other team might be working with whilst generating new ideas.The tech team was formed in January 2018 and since then has developed and delivered 4 greenfield projects.You will be developing greenfield products for their end clients and will be working with data-rich applications. These products are mainly applications that are designed to improve the business value and shortened the current process that inevitably will be saving money and time.In 2020, they will be driving towards machine learning development so now is a very exciting time to be joining them. Plus they are LUSH!Junior UX Designer – Bristol £28,000We’re currently working with a green energy company who’re going above and beyond to protect and save our planet one customer at a time.This is perfect for a recent grad or someone who’s done 1-2 years’ commercial experience who’s looking to become a part of something exciting and make your mark – as well as growing your own UX knowledge.The team are welcoming someone who is super passionate about creating great user experiences across a special brand. You’ll be working closely with the other designers and product owners to create a sleek user experience on their website and mobile app. This would be done by understanding user needs, carrying out your own research, interviews, workshops and testing. (You may need to travel to their other site which is local.)If you are looking for a new job for 2020 please get in touch, we promise you’ll be in safe hands and we’ll have a laugh and make sure you are fully supported throughout the whole process.All the love xWomen Rock – A voice for diversity in tech <3An interview by Alicia Teagle I: @womenrockbristolT: @womenrockbrstl

Hannah is an experienced agency and in-house technical recruiter, she’s pretty cool too! She is also currently working through Free Code Camp, learning HTML, CSS & JavaScript and taking a product management course in September – superwoman! She is dedicated and passionate to represent women within tech and has had huge success already with some brilliant female hires within OVO! I wanted to speak to Hannah both about the industry and if being a female helps when hiring female talent.OVO are hosting Bristol Girl Geek Dinners on the 20th June – Please click here for tickets.Hannah is also a volunteer at Bristol’s first Algorave for more info and tickets please see EventbriteYOU ARE ALSO A WOMAN IN TECH ALBEIT IN A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT WAY BEING TECH RECRUITMENT. HAVE YOU EVER HAD A TIME WHERE A MALE DOMINATED ENVIRONMENT HAS BEEN INTIMIDATING?Of course! When I first started out in tech recruitment I was 22 years old and 5 ft 2. When you are walking into a room which is made up of only men at a senior level (who are also incredibly smart and towering over you), you feel very aware of how seriously you will be taken as a young woman. I worked extremely hard to understand the ins and outs of tech, including learning how to code myself, in order to prove myself as a good recruiter.HOW DO YOU ATTRACT WOMEN TO APPLY-JOIN OVO?We try and make our adverts as gender neutral as possible, and stress that we believe the key to a brilliant, progressive workforce is having teams made up of people from all backgrounds, genders & ethnicity. We also hold meetups (we have our next Women in Tech meetup on the 20th June) and try to be as active as possible in the amazing Women in Tech community in the South West & London.WITH SO MANY COMPANIES LOOKING TO HIRE FEMALE TALENT. HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT RETAINING YOUR FEMALE STAFF?We create a very open and collaborative environment in which women are given the opportunities to achieve their career goals. We are firm believers of giving our employees the tools to progress into new opportunities in the business and will always look internally first for any new roles. If we have someone who is an QA Engineer and they want to get into Software Engineering, we will try our best to make that happen!WHAT CHALLENGES HAVE YOU FACED IN RECRUITING INTO BRISTOL?Competition is fierce in Bristol, which is a challenge but also a blessing. We now have so many great tech companies in Bristol that it’s attracting more talent here from London and other areas of the UK & Europe.WHAT ARE THE COOLEST THINGS OVO ARE WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT?We are working on a brilliant Energy Platform which our engineering teams are building from scratch. We have recently launched our Vehicle-to-Grid Charger which works by pumping Electric Vehicle battery power back into the grid at peak times. We also have our Smart Storage Heaters and more recently our Home Energy Storage which is essentially a battery for your home! We focus on our customers and on clean, green energy so most of what we work on revolves around those two things.ARE YOU HIRING AT THE MOMENT?Yes! We are hiring Software Engineers across Bristol & London (we aren’t fussy on the current tech, as long as they have an interest in Functional Programming). We are also hiring for Software Engineering Managers across Bristol & London (this could be a great step up for someone currently in a Team Lead role). We also have many other roles across other areas of the business including Product & UI/UX.WHAT WOULD YOUR ADVICE BE TO WOMEN WHO ARE LOOKING TO GET BACK INTO THE INDUSTRY?Attend meetups and make the most of the great, supportive community we have here in Bristol. Take online courses and read up on the latest tech. Also get in touch directly with businesses about coming into the office and working alongside some of the teams to get yourself back into the swing of things again.DO YOU THINK BEING A FEMALE RECRUITER HELPS WITH HIRING FEMALE TALENT?Honestly, I do think it helps. I think women trust women and the support is definitely there. I believe that as a female recruiter, I resonate more with what’s important to women as I have either been through it or will go through it (having children etc).WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO RECRUITMENT CONSULTANTS BOTH AGENCY AND INHOUSE WHEN IT COMES TO HIRING WOMEN INTO TECHNICAL POSITIONS?Please do not underestimate technical women – they are awesome. If you are worried about them not fitting into teams because they are male dominated, please remember they can bring a whole new dynamic, offering a different aspect and view on things which is always a good thing! (Also don’t ask a woman ‘is she planning on being pregnant anytime soon” during an interview – true story!)WHAT DO OVO DO TO ENCOURAGE YOUNG GIRLS INTO TECH?We do kids coding club which is brilliant. We go into schools and encourage young girls as much as possible that this is very much a female industry and not just for boys! If you have any questions or want to talk to Hannah about recruitment, OVO or Women in Tech please email – hannah.biggs@ovoenergy.comThanks Hannah#yourock #womenrock 

Meet Katie, a WebOps engineer who has been working for 7Digital and is just about to start a new journey with SkyScanner! She is a keen baker and is extremely passionate about Diversity. In this interview, Katie shares her backstory with us and how she got into technology. She also gives us some food for thought around discrimination, pasta and reducing bias in tech.SO KATIE, YOU’RE A WEBOPS ENGINEER AT 7DIGITAL… TELL ME A BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THEY DO! 7digital are a B2B music and radio streaming platform. I was a member of the Systems team for just over two and a half years, helping manage the infrastructure. I’ve actually just finished up there and am about to start a new role at Skyscanner which I’m really excited about.CAN YOU TELL US HOW YOU GOT INTO WEBOPS? WAS THIS A CAREER YOU KNEW YOU WANTED OR IS IT SOMETHING THAT CAME ABOUT SUDDENLY?This career is a total accident! When I left sixth form I got a job at a supermarket as a Christmas temp and once that was over, landed a helpdesk support job at a software company. That was nearly twelve years ago now. I suppose I had something of an aptitude for it, so I stuck with it.DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IS A HOT TOPIC AT THE MOMENT IN THE TECHNOLOGY MARKET. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU?This is a difficult answer to condense into a paragraph but in an ideal world, a truly diverse and inclusive workplace should be a melting pot of cultures, ethnicity, socio-economic backgrounds, religion, language, gender, orientation, age. Everything that makes humans unique, under one accessible roof. So far in my career, I’ve never really worked anywhere truly like that, but some places have been better than others. There will always be work to do.HAVE YOU EVER COME ACROSS ANY DISCRIMINATION WHILST BEING AT WORK?Yes, and sadly I suspect everyone who isn’t a white CIS man has. The difficulty I have found is that it always seems to be left to the people being discriminated against to fight for what’s right, and more often than not, we lose. It’s a battle between survival and progress.DO YOU THINK THERE IS ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO REDUCE BIAS AND INCREASE DIVERSITY IN TECH?The barriers for entry need to be adjusted. A candidate with potential and willingness to learn shouldn’t be ruled out over someone considered more senior in knowledge. How do companies expect to hire experienced engineers if the same companies aren’t willing to give people the chance to become them? How are more females going to reach leadership roles if our ideas are overruled or ignored? How are we to overcome the gender pay gap if organisations continue to perpetuate this problem? There is only so much each individual in the lower ranks of an organisation can do to improve things if the workplace culture is toxic from the top down.WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT WORKING FOR 7DIGITAL?The tech team are a great bunch and are truly collaborative. There’s not a culture of blame when things go wrong, as I have seen in other companies.DO YOU HAVE ANY HOBBIES THAT YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE WITH US?I’m a keen cook and baker and when I’m not working I can definitely be found roaming Borough Market or reading restaurant menus. I’ll also be volunteering with Crisis again this Christmas, cooking up a few thousand meals for guests over the festive period.IF YOU HAD TO EAT ONE FOOD FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?  Genuinely the question I had to think about the longest but I reckon I could happily eat pasta and garlic bread every day.#womenrockAn interview by Sophie Edensora voice of diversity in tech.I: @womenrockbristolT: @womenrockbrstl

I am obsessed by this interview from the awesome Alice McNeil, who is a Front-End Developer at our good friends at RocketMakers – she’s definitely one to watch! Alice came into the industry through the Mayden Academy bootcamp. If you are interested in a bootcamp, mayden is a great one and Alice explains why in this interview.I loveeee Alice’s answer to ”Being a young female working in tech, what is something you would say has surprised you the most about the industry?” Have a read, support the next generation and eat all the cake!FIRSTLY CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW ROLE WITH ROCKETMAKERS, COULD YOU TELL ME A BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU DO?I am a front-end software developer. I design and build websites and apps as part of my team here at Rocketmakers. I write code to tell an application how to look and how to work. I am also doing some graphic design and branding for apps.I KNOW YOU DID AN INTERNSHIP WITH THEM AND COVERED MARKETING AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT, WHERE DID YOUR PASSION FOR TECHNOLOGY COME FROM?I wouldn’t consider myself as having a passion for technology in particular, I have a passion for creating things. I fell in love with coding because its a limitless tool that would help me create digital applications that looked and worked exactly how I had envisioned them. I’ve grown up surrounded by the evolution of technology, it is such an integral part of my lifestyle – creating it just makes sense to me.When I left school to start my internship I only knew that I liked graphic design and event management, I knew more about the kind of place and people I wanted to work with than any definitive job role. I found Rocketmakers first and after curiously looking over the developers’ shoulders for 6 months I decided the career I wanted to pursue.YOU HAVEN’T FOLLOWED THE TYPICAL CAREER PATH INTO TECH BUT COMPLETED A BOOTCAMP WITH MAYDEN, HOW WAS THAT?When I was looking at my options for learning to become a software developer I knew exactly what I wanted to get out of it. I knew that:I needed a relatively short term course so that I could get on to creating ‘real’ applications that are used by real people as quickly as possibleGoing back to a heavily academic place, like university, for 3+ years wouldn’t suit meI needed to have enough knowledge to be able to start contributing to projects when I came back to Rocketmakers.I wouldn’t have the motivation, time or focus to teach myselfMayden Academy, as a 16 week intensive course ticked all these boxes. I graduated on Friday and came back to Rocketmakers on Monday and could get straight into some project work. Mayden gave me a great across-the-board understanding of software development. Of course I still have so much more to learn but completing the bootcamp course has given me a head start.WOULD YOU RECOMMEND A BOOTCAMP FOR SOMEONE WANTING TO GET INTO TECHNOLOGY?Absolutely, it worked so well as a boost for my career as a developer. The apprenticeship scheme I am on was a lifesaver, it means I was assured a job when I left Mayden Academy, I get a qualification at the end of it and it was much more financially viable!BEING A YOUNG FEMALE WORKING IN TECH, WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU WOULD SAY HAS SURPRISED YOU THE MOST ABOUT THE INDUSTRY?The thing that has surprised me most is how little judgment I’ve experienced being only 19 and a woman working in technology sector. I haven’t felt I’ve been treated any differently and frankly I wouldn’t have it, I want to be judged on my contributions, my ideas, my conversations with the people I work with, not by insignificant factors like my age and/or appearance. Initially I was a little worried, as most women working in a majority male workplace have had some experience with inequality, I consider myself extremely lucky to work in a progressive and equal workplace.ALTHOUGH STILL RELATIVELY NEW TO YOU, AND I AM SURE YOU ARE STILL LEARNING SO MUCH AT RM BUT WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT CODING SO FAR?I love seeing a project come together. I am an impatient developer, I want to see the application take shape, to look good and be usable as quickly as possible.WHAT IS ONE BIT OF ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO IS LOOKING TO GET A ROLE IN TECH?Why not? Like really why not get into tech? This time last year I had no experience in development, very little knowledge about working in a tech team and no nerdy passion that I thought was necessary. I like creating, that’s my focus, code was just another tool for me to keep creating.WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE QUOTE?I don’t have just one favourite quote so here are a few:Know the difference between the zone and the hole, keep moving and keep making moves and celebrate every little victory and most importantly, don’t get lost in the sauce.WHO IS YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION?My mum, she was an inspirational woman. She is still the voice in my head that tells me to take a break, and to ‘eat another slice of chocolate cake’.  Thank you for taking part xWomen Rock – A voice for diversity in tech <3An interview by Alicia Teagle I: @womenrockbristolT: @womenrockbrstl

I am very excited to introduce you to Tiff Dawson, who is going to be partnering with us as of the New Year on some really inspiring work for women in STEM. Tiff has recently moved to Bristol all the way from Australia with her Husband (who also works in tech and a huge advocate for D&I too) Tiff has a degree in mechanical engineering and has worked for several global engineering consultancies for almost 8 years. The part she loved most about her job was getting to know colleagues on a personal level and guiding them through career and life challenges. During that time, she coached a number of colleagues to excel in their careers by helping them see things in a new light. She has now launched Tiffany Dawson Coaching to empower women with the tools and knowledge to blaze their own trails, and work with STEM companies to create work environments that are more inviting to women. Her long-term goal is to set up a social enterprise that provides aid to females who wouldn’t usually have the means to study or work in STEM.Last week we invited Tiff to come along to PHPSW and speak about her coaching sessions and workshops, the feedback was amazing! We are really excited to be working with Tiff throughout 2020, running workshops and coaching sessions both for individuals/groups and companies around the South West. She is working with some great companies and folk already to help them take control of their careers and set themselves free from the challenges holding them back. We are super lucky to be working with Tiff and can’t wait to see what we can achieve.Here is her story, which is a fab one.YOU HAVE RECENTLY MOVED TO BRISTOL, WELCOME, AND HAVE LAUNCHED TIFFANY DAWSON COACHING, COULD YOU TELL US ALL ABOUT IT?Thank you! I’ve loved exploring Bristol since I moved here from Australia earlier this year.My mission with Tiffany Dawson Coaching is to coach and inspire women in STEM (science, tech, engineering & maths) to unleash themselves from career advancement blockers.I do this via individual coaching, running group workshops and speaking at events – all in the aim of working towards gender equality in STEM. YOU WERE AN ENGINEER PRIOR TO LAUNCHING YOUR COACHING COMPANY, WHERE HAS YOUR PASSION FOR ENGINEERING COME FROM?I was lucky enough to grow up with an engineer role model, my dad. He always encouraged me to solve problems in a curious way. Nothing was ever too hard to fix!At school, I loved maths and physics so I ended up studying mechanical engineering at university. My degree allowed me to work at several global engineering companies across Australia and the UK which I feel so grateful for.My passion for helping women in STEM to achieve fulfilling work and home lives increased over my 8 years in the construction engineering industry. That’s why I’ve launched my business which is my true heart’s calling.HAVE YOU HAD ANY CHALLENGES IN YOUR OWN CAREER WHICH HAVE HELD YOU BACK?Absolutely! So many – and if you went through them all, you’d find a common theme. It was my own mindset that held me back time and time again.The one that springs to mind is, at the age of 27 and just 5 years into my career, I lead a team of 30 engineers and project managers to work for my company’s largest client. My biggest challenge wasn’t the actual role itself, but the constant battle with my inner critic. You see, my team was full of engineers who had worked in the field for 25+ years. Here was little old me, afraid to provide them with clear direction.I spent way too much time being fearful of what they might think of me, when all I really needed to do was fulfill the role I’d been trusted by my managers to do. Once I learned to let go of that fear, I became much more effective at my job.WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR TIFFANY DAWSON COACHING?My current plans are to tackle gender inequality in STEM from both sides. That is, to empower women with the tools and knowledge to blaze their own trails, and work with STEM companies to create work environments that are more inviting to women.My long term goal is to set up a social enterprise that provides aid to females who wouldn’t usually have the means to study or work in STEM.BEING A YOUNG FEMALE WORKING IN ENGINEERING, WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU WOULD SAY HAS SURPRISED YOU MOST ABOUT THE INDUSTRY?That so many people, including females, don’t understand why there is a gender diversity issue. If I’m perfectly honest, it took me about 6 years working in the engineering industry to start to understand the issues and I’m learning more about it every day. Not knowing ‘the why’ is going to hold back so many companies from figuring out ‘the how’ of solving the problem.I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO HELP SCHOOLS TO PROMOTE STEM CAREERS, HOW CAN SCHOOLS RAISE MORE AWARENESS IN THIS?When I was in year 10, an amazing young female lawyer came to speak to us at school about a career in law. Guess what. Fast forward 6 years, a disproportionate amount of my school peers graduated in law!If we can get more people working in different industries to visit schools and tell them about what their days look like, school aged humans will be better equipped to decide amongst a wider range of jobs. The problem with STEM jobs is that it’s so hard for children to imagine what their future would be like, as opposed to doctors, teachers and other professions they’ve interacted with first hand.HAVE YOU EVER SUFFERED FROM THE IMPOSTER SYNDROME?Oh yes. Hasn’t everyone? I still do from time to time and truly believe that everybody experiences this sort of fear. The key is to not let it stop you from achieving your goals. Fear is there to protect you but sometimes it gets the level of danger a little wrong.There are some fabulous tools and strategies that anyone can learn for hearing the fear, but not letting it get in the way.WHAT IS ONE BIT OF ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO IS LOOKING TO PROGRESS THEIR CAREER?Invest in yourself! I’m going to drop a truth bomb – no one else will care about you as much as you do. Be clear on what your career goals are and why you’ve set those goals. Is it because you think it will impress your boss? If so, start again! Career goals should have personal benefits that will serve you. Investing in yourself also means setting boundaries so nothing gets in the way of you achieving those goals.If you’re having trouble tapping into your deepest desires, find someone who will help uncover them. This is one of the most rewarding parts of my job so I’m always here to help!HOW CAN PEOPLE SIGN UP WITH YOU?If you’re a woman working in STEM who’d like some one-on-one coaching, just fill out the questionnaire on my webpage below and book in a time for a complimentary Discovery Call with me. This is a 45 minute coaching experience where we get to know each other, discuss your goal and come away with a clear next step to achieving it. Sometimes our conversation ends here because you might have found the clarity you need. Most times though, if we’re both as excited as each other, we’ll work together for the next 3 months!https://www.tiffanydawson.co/discovery-callI also run group workshops for women in STEM. These can be in-house at a company’s office, or for events run by organisations. These workshops are always so much fun and participants often walk away with a new lease on work life and stronger bonds with their colleagues. If you’re interested in signing up, shoot me an email at tiffany@tiffanydawson.co .Part of my mission is also to raise awareness of the gender inequality issues we face in our industries. I love to rile people up by speaking at events so if you’d like to collaborate, get in touch!WHO IS YOUR NUMBER 1 ROLE MODEL OR INSPIRATION?This might sound cheesy but it’s got to be my mum. She doesn’t agree, but she’s one of the strongest women I know. My mum holds everyone up around her and is incredibly resilient. When she moved to Australia with an 8 month old baby (me!) she didn’t know a word of English and still managed to find a full time job and navigate a foreign country.It was at the age of 30 that she first learned how to swim and only a couple of years after that, she became a swimming coach at a club that trained Olympic athletes! She really showed me that anything’s possible if you consistently work towards it.WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE QUOTE?“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” – Eleanor RooseveltWomen Rock – A voice for diversity in tech <3An interview by Alicia Teagle I: @womenrockbristolT: @womenrockbrstl