With International Women’s Day being celebrated this week, we wanted to talk about an important topic that’s shaping the future of the technology industry. Encouraging women to get into tech careers has never been more important, especially with the looming digital skills crisis – but teachers believe that old-fashioned stereotypes about subjects, such as design and technology and computer science, are still putting girls off from choosing them at school. As a collective industry, we need to find ways to show young girls that technology doesn’t have to continue being a male dominated sector and that it can provide fulfilling and exciting careers for women.
With all the work we’ve done as a community to ensure everyone has an equal chance to pursue their passion, the percentage of women in tech roles has barely moved from 15.7% in 2009 to approximately 21.0% today.
We’d love to see this change and grow faster. So, we’ve spoken to a few of the women at Windsor Telecom about why they love working in technology, and why they think it’s a great place to start or expand your career.
Laura Patterson, Project Manager
“I joined Windsor Telecom in 2016. My second son was due to start school that year and I’d decided that it was time to focus more on my career. I didn’t have an exact plan, I just knew that I wanted to join a company that would get me excited about something outside of being a mum. I heard about Windsor from a friend and the fit was ideal. A whole new world of communications and learning was opened to me and the values and culture at Windsor matched mine perfectly.
I’ve always thrived on finding solutions and the world of tech is abundant in opportunities to do so. It’s hard to feel stagnant in this ever-changing industry. New products and technologies are continuously allowing for better ways of communicating, I’ve learned so much – and seven years on, I’m still learning.
What advice would you give girls considering a career in Technology?
Be yourself. There are so many new things to be discovered in this world – being yourself is the only way to uncover them. Learning from others will get you so far but the extra mile will be achieved from the individuality you bring. When you look around the industry you will see many amazing people who have achieved so much, one of them could be the future you.”
Lucy Messer, Sales Executive
“Back in 2019, I found myself not knowing what I’d like to do as a career. I found Windsor Telecom through a recruitment agency and have never looked back. Before I started, I thought of tech as the everyday stuff you do on your phone or laptop – changing your password, updates etc, but there is so much more to it that I didn’t expect.
Every single day is different – it isn’t just the password resets and updates, it’s being knowledgeable enough in your technology space to be able to help people solve their issues. I work with business customers, and having someone come to me with a business challenge that I can take away through providing a solution that makes their lives easier gives me so much job satisfaction.
What advice would you give girls considering a career in Technology?
Reach for the sky and don’t let anyone tell you you’re not capable of achieving amazing things, no matter the industry. Be the best version of yourself and always follow your passion.
Sally McCarthy, Customer Services Advisor
I got into technology accidentally. I decided I needed a change in careers and a friend recommended that I join her company while I worked out what I wanted to do next. After six months of working for a large company as a first line support engineer I had developed a keen interest working in the technical team but decided that a move to a smaller company would allow me to better develop my skills in a more controlled environment. I’m so glad I stuck with a technology career and made the move to Windsor Telecom as I absolutely love it.
I love working in the telecoms industry because there’s always something new to learn. I’m continually challenging myself, developing new skills and overcoming different obstacles with new technologies – there are so many products and channels to get involved in, it never gets boring.
What advice would you give girls considering a career in Technology?
Try different areas. Not all aspects of working in technology are the same. From theoretical IT, practical hardware, telecoms, software – there’s something for everyone with every skill set and interest. And remember you’re as good as anybody – with the right company and the right team around you, you will thrive no matter who you are.
Megan Tyler, Support Engineer
I fell into the world of tech at the start of the pandemic when I applied to work for Openreach. It was suggested to me by a friend who must have known me better than I knew myself as I loved it from the start. My six months with Openreach were spent as an engineer on the road, but I soon realised that I wanted to learn and expand my knowledge further and sought a more office-based technical role. I took the leap and applied to work at Windsor, where there was a whole new world of telephony and connectivity products to learn, and I’ve loved every minute of it.
I love learning about what’s new and seeing how great telecoms changes people’s day to day lives. Even in the short two years since I started in the industry, the products that homes and businesses use have changed so much, and all for the better. My favourite part of working in technology is learning in depth about specific products, and being confident that anyone can come to me for help and advice in that subject.
What advice would you give girls considering a career in Technology?
You’re just as capable as your male counterparts, and will be accepted into the world of tech with open arms. I’m the only female on our support team, but have never felt out of place. My colleagues are supportive and brilliant, everyone in this business is here to help each other.
Thank you to our wonderful women Megan, Laura, Lucy and Sally for sharing their story and experiences. Happy International Women’s Day.
For anyone interested in a career in tech, all of us in the industry would love to have you! Don’t be scared to make the leap, you might just love it!
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