Country of origin
South Africa
Which company do you work for?
Nedbank
What is your specific area of specialisation?
Technology and Data in Marketing.
How long have you been in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) fields?
16 years
As a woman in a male dominated industry, what has been the biggest challenge you have faced in your career, and how did you overcome it?
You always have to earn your spot first, meaning you have to showcase your skills before anyone believes you actually can. With that I have learnt to own my skillset and voice it accordingly.
What inspired you to join this industry?
I was in boarding school, and this is where I first saw the hardware part of a desktop. I was intrigued from then and wanted to know more. It was in grade 10. When I asked our computer teacher then, He mentioned that there are courses to help one know more about computers – he specifically mentioned Computer Science, and that is what I ended up studying at university, Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Information Systems.
What changes, if any, have you seen in your field with regards to women in your field?
There is growth in terms of women in IT. From Technology to Digital to Data.
How can we attract more women to consider a career in the STEM fields?
Early exposure is key. Exposure grows interest. If one doesn’t know that something exists, they won’t have any interest. More showcases of technology and the benefit of it to the girl child at an early age is key to grow interest.
If you were to advise other young women starting their careers in the tech or within the STEM fields, what is the one thing you would say to them?
Technology is one of the many problem-solving mechanisms. It is used for problem-solving in day-to-day processes, in businesses and even in day-to-day designs. The need for technology solves is increasing.
When not working, what do you do for fun?
I enjoy outside spaces. I sometimes spend a lot of time in front of my laptop and my phone, I am always cognisant to enjoy time outside and breathe fresh air.
