Getting more women into tech

Give Us Everyday Role Models

Granted, since becoming a mum I’ve worked from home so my dynamics are different. Time has always been my enemy but that’s because I’m my own boss. Working for yourself, well that’s a whole different can of worms that’s completely separate from the world of tech. That leaves my chronic illness, but again, a story for another day that was stopping me from doing just about everything. So why has it taken me so long to get into tech?

Looking at the question with my tech blinkers on, it truly was me who stopped myself going freelance again with SheCodes sooner. I didn’t think I could do it. I thought I was too old. You never see old designers in a studio. You never think of older people entering the tech scene. I didn’t think my code would be good enough. I’d learnt from home in isolation.

There was no one that I could relate to and think “I could do that”. You’re presented with the women heralded at the top of their game, but they’ve 20+ years of experience behind them and a masters in computer science. I don’t even have a degree. I’m middle aged, and yes newly diagnosed with a chronic syndrome and at that low point of feeling so ill, I didn’t know how many years I’d got ahead of me of having enough spoons left to keep going.

There was no-one I could relate to and think "I could do that".

But at that time my biggest enemy was me, and my lack of confidence that I could just do it. I felt I was on my own because we have no exposure to everyday women working in tech outside of the industry. It’s not that we choose not to do it. Or that men make it too hard for us to do it. We just don’t even think of it as an option.

So I couldn’t resist supporting an inspirational initiative launched by Structur3dpeople to inspire more women to get into tech. You don’t need a computer science degree background, you don’t even need to be a techie, there’s a huge diversity in tech roles from graphics and UX design, pr, marketing, business & financial planning, data analysis, security, optimisation, programming… So what’s stopping you?

Find out more about the campaign on LinkedIn ‪#gettingmorewomenintotech