Women in Tech: The trailblazers

In this series, we feature five of those women working in Tech. Located in all corners of the ING world, they reveal their journey and experiences in this ever-changing and dynamic industry.

How did you get into Tech?

It started with an early interest, cultivated by my father. I used to enjoy watching him assemble and experiment with computers. This interest led to my first LAN party at 12 and continued to blossom after that. Of course, my favourite movie growing up was Hackers, so my interest in Tech had always been there.

During my studies I focused on a contrasting field, the social field. Social work was very fulfilling, but I never got to a point where I was intellectually challenged. This led to a friend in Tech asking me: “why don’t you come have a look, experience the way we work and what we do and then figure out if this is something you might want?”

Experiencing the energy, the way Agile worked, automating manual tasks and solving puzzles sparked something in me. So, I signed up for a traineeship and to this day, firmly stand behind that choice! I found that challenge in Tech and you will never hear me say I’m bored again.

Why ING?

I started at ING through an external traineeship, so didn’t have a choice where I was placed. I’ve been a customer of ING since I was an infant. I had the penny account, so of all the places I could end up I was happy it was at ING. Besides that, the Orange Code suits me, and I like that ING invests in my future and what I might want to achieve, by offering courses, training, and support.

What job do you do?

Currently, I work in a platform/enablement squad, which is a team that works with and helps other teams who are responsible for customer products. It’s also called an IT for IT team because our ‘stakeholders’ are our fellow IT colleagues. They’re the ones we help to provide value for customers. We help in automating and implementing the tools that are needed around a customer product, so that the teams can quickly bring the product to the customer and have the tools in place to see how the product is doing.

What do you love about being a woman in Tech?

What I really like as woman, is the different perspective you can bring. In Tech we have discussions about complex problems. As a woman you are often more aware of the need that others have for speaking up and being heard. Here you can help set the tone for constructive and positive cooperation and have a focus on gathering feedback. I don’t think being a woman in Tech makes me look at the work differently. What I do notice is the quality that diversity brings to a team.

What advice would you give to other women seeking a career in Tech?

Surround yourself with colleagues that will listen, support you, are honest with you and about your work. Find an environment where you are able to speak up, voice your opinion and learn in the process.

What has been the most difficult challenge you have encountered in your journey?

Being a woman in Tech is not always easy, and that goes for any minority in any work environment. I have had my fair share of awkward jokes and if I look back there were situations I could have handled differently. In those situations, it has been awesome that there were others around me that recognised the awkwardness of the situation and spoke up, because having to do it alone is quite taxing. The easy thing is not to ruffle any feathers and maintain the status quo, but it is important to speak up. Not just for yourself, but also for those who will come after you. That is still something I need to remind myself of, but each time it is needed, I try to make that conscious decision.

What advice would you give to students or others contemplating a career in Tech?

Tech is such a growing and changing industry and that makes it so interesting to work in. There something new to learn each day and the path taken today can be totally different in years’ time. If you like that idea, in combination with problem solving, then don’t hesitate to dive in the deep end and have fun while you do.

What in your opinion is the next big thing when it comes to technology?

I would have to say AI. There is so much we haven’t explored yet that will help us go faster and further.