Country of origin
South Africa
Which company do you work for?
Logicalis South Africa
What is your specific area of specialisation?
Managed Services, Solutions & Practises
How long have you been in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) fields?
26 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?
The biggest challenge is one that women created for themselves – the stigma that they often feel the desire to prove themselves against males in the industry. We as woman have so much to offer and should never underestimate the value we bring to the table; even in a male dominated environment. I have been really privileged to have key male colleagues/counterparts that have played pivotal roles in my career and have provided massive amounts of support, leading and being part of my success.
What inspired you to join this industry?
Having always had a strong inclination for both mathematics and accounting, I knew that my studies would have to take that direction – both from a logical perspective and being results driven. Back in the early 90’s, IT was just starting out and a B-Comm in Information Technology really appealed to me. The challenge of taking a business problem and creating a functional solution to improve how businesses operates still excites me today.
What changes, if any, have you seen in your field with regards to women in your field?
Gender equality has certainly been on the agenda at Logicalis and strong woman are embraced. Juggling a full-time career, being a mom and wife can sometimes be overwhelming and women need a strong support system. I would love to see more mentorship programs that help to grow and develop women within the information technology sector and create network opportunities.
How can we attract more women to consider a career in the STEM fields?
I am of the opinion that change is already in motion and am experiencing a stronger entrance of females in the IT industry. Having said this, interest needs to be triggered at an early age and for this reason I feel that South Africa can do with more IT aligned subjects as part of the school curriculum. Strong female role models need to be advocates and use every opportunity to promote the field.
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?
Don’t specialize too early. There is no such thing as programming is for girls and infrastructure for boys. Make sure you get to know all aspects of IT before you decide on a specific path that will form your future career. The elements are so diverse (from networking to programming, to DevOps) that you could easily miss out if you make up your mind too early in the game.
When not working, what do you do for fun?
I absolutely love spending time with the family, so fun time is family time. I hate cooking, but luckily my husband is a master chef and I love watching him prep gourmet meals whilst I have a glass of wine. As every working mom would appreciate, having kids at school does keep one busy so spare time is few and far between, but I do sneak in the odd Netflix as an escape from a busy life.
