Intelligent Data Centres Issue 51 | Page 41

EXPERT OPINION representation of women in senior tech roles .
To tackle that issue , we need to start at the grassroots level – ensuring STEM subjects capture the interest of girls early in their education and cultivate their passion throughout the school years . It is the responsibility of individual companies to create a culture where women can thrive and feel inspired to succeed .
Building an inclusive culture will help attract and retain the best talent , regardless of gender . Employees and especially younger women want to work for a company that is committed to diversity , equity and inclusion , and won ’ t settle for any less .
There are so many stories of pregnancy or maternity-related discrimination . Let ’ s normalise women wanting to start a family , and equally , ensuring a work-life balance to achieve their career ambitions . When I started work at Telehouse as a sales manager in 2004 , I was already married , but decided to live away from my family , which was met with a great deal of astonishment within our partner company . I was lucky to have the support and respect for my decision , however , I know many women in a similar position are facing the opposite .
Women need to stand together , share our stories , support and inspire each other . I had no female mentors on my career path , however , with the rise in popularity of online media platforms now , we have the perfect opportunity to leverage technology and spark a change for the next generation of women in tech and data centre space .
Eagerness to learn
Throughout my career I never lost the passion and eagerness to learn . I largely attribute where I am today to my hunger for knowledge .
If I had to offer advice to women about a career in technology , it would be to embrace the idea of working in a traditionally male dominated industry . It is vital to forget the stereotypes as they simply just hold us back . And it is equally critical to be hungry and eager to continuously learn new things , even though you may not be a specialist in IT or technology . My degree , it is worth pointing out , was in sociology .
Hence , I am an advocate for women to find their way forward by constantly updating their knowledge of their www . intelligentdatacentres . com
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