Today is International Girls in ICT Day, a day aimed to encourage girls and young women to pursue careers in technology and bridging the gender digital divide, as well as motivating girls to study technology-related careers, both formally and professionally.
At NexTReT, we want to celebrate this day by highlighting three women who work at NexTReT in the field of technology and have studies related to ICT.
To make them protagonists, we conducted a brief interview where they shared what they studied, why they chose to pursue studies related to technology, their role at NexTReT, and what they believe is needed for more girls to pursue technology studies.
Elisabet Gil – Project Manager
What did you study?
Technical Engineering in Management Informatics
Did you always know you wanted to study something in the technology sector?
No
Why did you end up studying something in this sector?
Career opportunities and continuous learning. You progress hand in hand with current trends and technologies. When I started studying, I knew it was one of the professions that would always be at the forefront.
What is your role at NexTReT? What do you do on a daily basis?
Currently, I am a Software Project Manager. I manage project development, ensuring its proper progression, both technically and economically. We support new opportunities according to customer needs and analyze feasibility. We plan and manage people, all of whom are trained to execute projects. Sometimes, I also take on the role of a technician to support the team.
Would you like to stay in the same sector, or would you change sectors in the future?
Yes, I have no plans to change sectors now or in the remaining years of my professional life, although you can never say never.
What do you think is needed for more girls to enter the world of technology?
Eliminating past barriers regarding gender and job qualifications.
Comment:
I believe that if you are an ambitious person, eager to stay up to date with technology, the sector will offer you many options to choose from. Nowadays, there are countless specializations that, in my case, did not exist in the past. I consider that, unlike other sectors, work-life balance is entirely achievable nowadays, which I think is a big advantage.
Marialicia Bertorelli – Project Manager
What did you study?
Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science
Did you always know you wanted to study something in the technology sector?
No
Why did you end up studying something in this sector?
My interest in computing began in high school when university representatives came to talk about careers. Computing stood out among all. I was fascinated by the idea of creating intelligent solutions and automating tasks with technology. I discovered that computing was not only exciting but also had a real impact on the world, making life a little easier for everyone. From that day on, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in computing, excited about the adventure that awaited me.
What is your role at NexTReT? What do you do on a daily basis?
Project Manager. Daily, I supervise service delivery, coordinate technical teams for incident management, and plan service improvements.
Would you like to stay in the same sector, or would you change sectors in the future?
I love what I do, every day is a learning experience, and it’s always different.
What do you think is needed for more girls to enter the world of technology?
Programs introducing them to the technological world, where they can attend practical workshops, visit prominent technology companies, work on innovation projects, and collaborate with expert mentors in the field.
Comment:
Every step they take today paves the way for a tomorrow where technology knows no gender limits.
Martha Fernández – Programmer
What did you study?
Higher Technical Certificate in Web Development and currently Higher Technical Certificate in Multiplatform Applications.
Did you always know you wanted to study something in the technology sector?
No
Why did you end up studying something in this sector?
In my case, I was clear that I wanted to study something related to design. I started studying DAW because one branch of web programming is page design. Programming has much more job opportunities than studying a specific design degree. During the higher module, I felt very comfortable programming (I hadn’t tried it before) and ended up liking it a lot.
What is your role at NexTReT? What do you do on a daily basis?
I am an application developer and automated test programmer. In my daily routine, I manage the monitoring of tests that constantly execute the same steps and validate the user experience of a page or application. In line with this, I also handle client follow-up on the status of their applications. Furthermore, I develop the application that runs these tests: I solve bugs, implement evolutionary improvements, etc.
Would you like to stay in the same sector, or would you change sectors in the future?
I would like to stay in this sector; I really enjoy automation and feel very comfortable in this position. If I were to change sectors, at most, I would aim for UX/UI design for web applications.
What do you think is needed for more girls to enter the world of technology?
Practice. It can be intimidating to enter a sector you know nothing about because programming without any context can be quite daunting. I think that if schools offered some simple practical classes with projects of their interest (like a simple game using interactive engines like Scratch, for example), they could feel more comfortable with programming and thus consider entering this sector. Programming, in my opinion, is very fun because the machine does what you ask it to do, and the process of trial and error, seeing your evolution, solving problems as you program is very entertaining.