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A challenged world is an alert one.
It seems now, more than ever, inequality has the spotlight and the voices of the marginalised have reached a deafening roar. The greatest change is affected when we push back against the status quo. This is why we love seeing the #ChooseToChallenge theme for 2021 International Women’s Day.
We can all choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality, International Women’s Day campaign says. “We can all choose to seek out and celebrate women’s achievements. Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world.”
And inclusion starts with you. Be a champion for equality at home. At work. In your day-to-day life. Be ready to challenge those societal norms that have been accepted for far too long. By resisting those antiquated ideologies YOU are choosing to challenge and cultivate a ripple effect of change.
At 3 Sided Cube, this is what we love to see. With women making up 38% of the agency, we are so proud to celebrate our especially talented and amazing women in tech for good, today! And with 50% of management consisting of women, looks like we really do run the world!
So we wanted to put a spotlight on some of them today.
In most industries, it can still be intimidating for a woman to work in; but especially in tech. Nationally, women only account for 19% of the sector. For far too long it has been a bit of a boys club. That’s why we wanted to sit down and talk with some of our female Cubies. To retire some stereotypes and hear from them about how they have found working in the tech industry and how they have shattered the glass ceiling on this male-dominated industry.
Without further ado, I’m so proud to introduce our badass women in tech for good!
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Georga Turner, Tester
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Puff Story, Co-founder USA
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Charlotte Mill, Head of Marketing
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Sophia Taglialavore, Project Team Lead
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Sophie Hardiman, Production Director
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Kiri Egington, Front End Developer
What has your experience been of working in the tech industry?
Sophia:
I’ve been working in and around the tech industry before Amazon was where you bought everything, when Facebook still had relevance with everyone, Instagram was this cool new way to share photos and some guys from a company called Uber were convinced there was a better way to book a taxi. Heck when I got into the tech industry I was still using a Blackberry!
At times I’ve been in rooms where I’m the only woman and times when I’ve been one of many. But I didn’t let that phase me because with tech I’ve found it about the passion of the work that makes you stand out amongst the rest.
Kiri:
Mostly positive, worked at some great companies and worked with some amazing people on great projects. I enjoy how there’s always something new to learn as the javascript ecosystem continues to grow!
Puff:
Incredible. An easier transition from advertising and marketing to tech than I ever thought it would be. There are so many skills from other industries that can be applied to tech. I’ve learnt an unimaginable amount in my time in tech, and am excited that it doesn’t stop there… I will always be learning, and that’s ok.
We’re incredibly lucky to have such an awesome team at Cube, and I think that’s perhaps why I have so much love for the tech industry.
Sophie:
I’ve had a really good experience – lots of opportunities to learn, and I’ve been lucky enough to have some brilliant mentors in different areas along the way. It can be frustrating when you don’t understand everything, and the tech industry has a steep learning curve, but once you start to piece things together it’s massively rewarding.
What is the best part about working at a tech for good company?
Sophie:
Everything that goes with building software can be hard work – it’s complicated by its nature, there are lots of different stakeholders involved with different interests and levels of technical understanding – knowing that all the hard work is driving towards making a positive impact on the world makes the hard days easier, and the good days incredible!
Hannah:
Knowing you are actually making a real difference. Not only are you working hard for a company you want to see succeed but all your efforts are going towards projects and solutions which are helping solve the world’s biggest challenges be that climate change, disaster management or supporting those in need.
Char:
The best part, for me, is being able to see the impact we are facilitating for our clients. Our mission is to change millions of lives for the better, and by working with our amazing clients, we are able to achieve that. There is no better feeling than knowing we are having a positive impact!
Sophia:
The best part about working at a tech for good company is that you know your work makes a difference and has an impact. Because saving the planet is hard work it means that the team you work with is incredibly dedicated and will go the extra mile. The people you work with make all the difference and help find solutions to some tricky technical problems.
Puff:
Daily inspiration. Whether it’s coming from the team, our clients or the projects themselves. Every day I’m inspired to be better and do better. I’m constantly learning, and it inspires me to pass that mentality onto my kids.
What advice would you give to women considering a career in the tech industry?
Sophie:
Don’t be put off by the horror stories you hear about being a woman in tech – yes, there are dickheads out there, the same as most other industries, and yes the representation and diversity is low (!) – but, the only way to change that is to take a seat at the table and be part of the conversation. Step up, lean in, whatever you want to call it, but don’t shy away from it (or anything!) because you’re worried about being the only woman in the room/zoom.
Char:
As a marketeer within the tech industry, my key piece of advice is to always be learning. Whether that is attending events, or contacting someone on LinkedIn, there is so much to learn about tech that you need to constantly push yourself, potentially out of your comfort zone, to create a foundation of knowledge. But ultimately, just go for it, what can go wrong?
Puff:
Network and connect! There are so many incredible people working in the tech industry, and over the years as my network has expanded so have the opportunities.
Sophia:
Don’t be intimidated. No matter what career you are looking for my biggest piece of advice is to not be intimidated. A career in tech is that it’s no different than a career in anything else so don’t think it’s off-limits to you. If you’re passionate, are willing to work hard and always looking to improve then that’s what will help you succeed.
Kiri:
Be passionate about the industry, show enthusiasm to learn new things! Find a network of likeminded women – lucky to work alongside a lot of talented women at Cube, not everywhere has this however there are so many events etc where you can meet others. For those who want to learn to code, look into things like Codebar.
Georga:
Just go for it, don’t doubt what you know, and don’t be afraid to ask as many questions as possible – it’s the best way to learn, and at the end of the day everyone has been in the same position as you. If you’ve got the passion for the industry, everything else will come naturally!
It was an honour to sit down with my colleagues and get to pick their brilliant minds. If I learned one thing, it’s that the future is most definitely female!
While it was important for us to spotlight our strong women in tech, we also wanted to use our voice to bring attention to a wonderful charity for women. We chose our International Women’s Day donation to go to Women’s Aid, their tireless work goes towards helping our fellow sister’s out of domestic violence and survivor support. If you have the time, or means to donate, please check them out as every little bit can make a life-saving difference.
Published on 8 March 2021, last updated on 7 March 2022