International Women’s Day #EmbraceEquity
Happy International Women's Day 🎉! Every year on March 8th, a global celebration of women's social, economic, cultural, and political achievements and a call to action for gender equality. The theme for this year's International Women's Day is #EmbraceEquity, and what a powerful message this is which encourages us to embrace and promote equity in all areas of our lives, especially when it comes to gender equality. It urges us to recognize the need for a more balanced and inclusive world where everyone can thrive regardless of their gender, race, ethnicity or socioeconomic status.
In this blog post in honour of IWD, we asked some of the Women in IA what they thought about equal opportunities at SSNC Blue Prism.
Sahana Mohana - Senior Process Developer/Solution Designer
What do you think of equal opportunities here at BP?
I see more women leadership in BP. It is striving to maintain across all levels. For instance, my current team consists of about 7 men and 6 women.
What inspired you to pursue a career in tech (or tech company)?
If education is important for the development of a nation, so does the occupation. Every woman needs to be financially independent. The tech industry is one which grows infinitely and provides unbiased opportunities to women.
What are some of the most rewarding aspects of working in a tech company for you?
Secured and comfortable environment. We engage with people with a civilised and right mindset.
What changes do you believe would help advance more women in the technology industry?
Providing women with no prior experience a chance to change their life perspective. Many women sacrifice their careers for the sake of family and children. They should be given an opportunity to revive their ambition.
What advice would you give young women looking to enter the tech industry?
Never quit. We have to come across multiple waves hit in our way of growing to survive in an infinite sea.
Emma Kirby Kidd – Global Head of ROM
What do you think of equal opportunities here at BP?
I think here at Blue Prism, we are better at employing all genders than the tech industry, but we still need to do more. That being said, we have a lot of strong women leaders in the organization who drive incredible value and are inspirational to anyone seeking to further their career in a tech company. One of our values is around empowering our people, and I genuinely believe this is something we all strive to do.
What inspired you to pursue a career in tech (or a tech company)?
No one person but an organization and product! I absolutely loved everything Blue Prism stood for and the products we provide. It was only once I joined Blue Prism I met some incredible women, and I could see I was part of a group of individuals that were passionate about highlighting the lack of diversity in the tech industry and wanting to make real changes and inspire other women.
What are some of the most rewarding aspects of working in a tech company for you?
Working with amazing and passionate customers. It’s a wonderful community, and I love being part of it. I never tire of talking to really creative people and seeing how they use our products.
What changes do you believe would help advance more women in the technology industry?
Honestly, to educate women that you don’t have to be a techie to work in this space. There are so many roles within organizations such as ours that don’t require you to be a developer or know coding or to have deeply technical conversations. We need to break the stigma and open up opportunities for women to progress in this space.
What advice would you give young women looking to enter the tech industry?
Don’t be daunted! Think of a career you want to progress in. So, if you want to be a Project Manager, Business Analyst, Developer, or work in HR or Finance there are roles like these in tech companies too. Don’t be put off by the term Technology, think about what you want your long-term career plans are and find the organisation that’s right for you. You never know that might just be a tech company.
Eloise Jeffery - Manager, Global Customer Marketing
What do you think of equal opportunities here at BP?
Blue Prism has made big strides in recent years, however like many organizations in the industry, there is still a way to go. We have some amazing women climbing the ranks and great initiatives helping them to get there.
What inspired you to pursue a career in tech (or tech company)?
In my last year of secondary school, one of our alumni Head Girls ran an assembly on jobs and opportunities. One of the things that stuck with me was her remark that “many of you will go into roles and fields that didn’t exist 15 years ago and may not even exist today”. While admittedly, my initial reaction was to roll my eyes, in the years after I left school, I realised she couldn’t have been more right. From medical breakthroughs to the advent of a little thing called RPA; the world of work and the opportunities it creates is constantly evolving, and technology is almost always at the heart of that.
What are some of the most rewarding aspects of working in a tech company for you?
It’s exciting to work in an industry that is constantly pushing the limits of human and technological capabilities and striving to make the workplace a better, more fulfilling place. It’s even more exciting when you get to experience those benefits first-hand. Knowing SS&C Blue Prism digital workers are at work behind the scenes when I visit my doctors, when I need to change my banking address or when I get my booster jabs is a really cool feeling.
What changes do you believe would help advance more women in the technology industry?
While there are lots of initiatives companies can adopt to help advance women’s careers; for example, increasing representation of women in key leadership roles and addressing inequities in pay; I think a lot of the work begins before women even enter the world of work. Offering mentoring and outreach programs to schools and education facilities to help nurture girls’ interests in technology and adjacent subjects could be a great first step.
What advice would you give young women looking to enter the tech industry?
You don’t need to know it all to be great at your job. Within every organization, tech or otherwise, there will be a huge array of career opportunities that do not require hands-on technology experience. There will also be a support network of people to learn from and supplement your knowledge. Give it a go, and don’t let the fear of not having all the answers straight away hold you back.
Happy International Women's Day!
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