Women in Tech: The trailblazers part two
It’s no secret that women are underrepresented in the world of IT. Depending on where you are, between 70 and 85 percent of people working in Tech are male. But while the industry’s progress towards gender equality has been slow, there many women forging a career in Tech. They’re the trailblazers… and ING has more than 4,500 of them.
"It takes plenty of courage to show up and be ready to fail!" - Martina Čuboň
How did you get into Tech?
Since the age of six, my father and brother were big influences on me showing me the world of Tech through games and repairing neighbours’ computers. As I grew older, the curiosity never left me, and I continued along this road by myself. My motivation now is to make sure I help protect our clients and our people’s interests and their data.
Why ING?
I joined ING because of the challenge of building something new. ING Hubs Slovakia had just introduced a new service and the thought of being at the forefront of this, creating, shaping and helping, was very appealing. I am extremely happy now that I have seen us grow and I’m seeing the huge opportunities in front of us. That keeps me motivated.
What do you do?
I’m what they call a data security expert lead. I spread my contribution between IT expertise and people. I support our ‘asset owners’, IT custodians, DevOps engineers to be compliant and up to date with various IT governance topics. Although not exposed to ING clients directly, we contribute to the safety of client’s data from the background.
What do you love about being a woman in Tech?
Overall, the boldness of it! It takes plenty of courage to show up and be ready to fail! But specifically at ING, it’s the equality that I appreciate. We’re treated the same way and are challenged the same way as anyone else. My success or my failure is dependent of my skills and actions, not because of my gender. That is priceless.
What advice would you give to other women seeking a career in Tech?
Be patient and hang in there! Stay focused and do not succumb to self-pity. If you believe you are right, fight for it. If you know you are wrong, acknowledge it. Be bold, dare to try things, dare to be a woman.
Find a community, visit forums, workshops, where women are present and find your own belonging in this world.
What has been the most difficult challenge you have encountered in your journey?
Not being respected. I have encountered it many times in the past, and I still encounter it outside of work sometimes. I do not need an everyday appraisal or need to have everyone agree with me, but if I know I am worthy and capable, and someone disrespects me unfairly, that’s the biggest demotivator I know of.
What advice would you give to students or others contemplating a career in Tech?
Be open minded and be ready for change. This world, especially the world of technology, is rapidly evolving and with AI and Quantum computing it will become more and more challenging. Be ready for it and explore all the possibilities until you settle for one particular area. Be ready to adapt and to try something new.
What is the next big thing when it comes to technology?
AI and quantum computing. Both are extremely exciting yet scary at the same time. I do hope we can make them work to our advantage… help us with multiple issues, from small to big. There are huge opportunities in front of us and I hope that women can play a crucial role as we have in the past.