Recently, ARN announced the finalists for the 2022 ARN Women in ICT Awards (WIICTA), and we couldn’t be happier to have a number of our own talented female front runners who have become influential figures across the local industry recognised.
At the risk of sounding cliché, having our women announced as finalists across various categories in the ARN Women in ICT Awards is a great achievement and is a clear reflection of the influence, hard work and dedication that our entire diverse and talented workforce uphold every day.
As Group Manager for Organisational Development and Human Resources, it gives me great pleasure to introduce you to our amazing finalists as we take a moment to celebrate their success and share what these awards mean to them, as well as hearing about what they have learned working in the ICT industry.
Meet our finalists:
What does being nominated for the ARN Women in ICT Awards (WIICTA) mean to you?
Being nominated for the ARN Women in ICT Awards is an amazing achievement. I am delighted and grateful to be recognised for the many years I have worked in the ICT Industry. I greatly appreciate and feel encouraged by this recognition.
What is one piece of advice or key learning you want to share with other women aspiring for success in the tech industry?
I think it is key for women to demonstrate resilience and agility when working in this ever-changing technology industry. Remember to adapt and continuously develop your skills to grow when faced with change or challenges.
What does being nominated for the ARN Women in ICT Awards mean to you?
I’ve worked in the ICT industry since graduating over 30 years ago, and it’s gone from an industry with very few women in it to being transformed by the women within it. I am very appreciative to have been considered for an award alongside the incredibly talented, inspired and motivating women that exist in the industry today.
What is one piece of advice or key learning you want to share with other women aspiring for success in the tech industry?
After encouraging my youngest daughter to follow her own career path, never thinking for a moment that she would actually be interested in ICT, it has been a big surprise to find that not only does she have a genuine interest in the industry, she enjoys it and is good at it. She is now in her second year of an undergraduate degree in Computer Science.
The advice I’ve given her follows on from reflecting on what has attracted her about this industry: that you have to have a tenacious attitude towards problem solving and never give up until you find a solution. If this is what brings you satisfaction, then every achievement is rewarding; whether it’s fixing a line of code or delivering on a billion-dollar project with your team.
Being self-motivated and self-directed leads to maximising opportunities, seeking out alternatives when doors are shut, never taking ‘no’ for an answer, endlessly learning in a quest for answers, and always looking outside the box for new ways to solve old problems.
Even if other team members, male or female, feel threatened or intimidated, as will happen, this unwavering focus on the outcome is magnetic, inspiring and empowering. The technology industry is overflowing with opportunities, and I believe that highly driven women will find no limit to what they can achieve.
What does being nominated for the ARN Women in ICT Awards mean to you?
It’s a privilege to be nominated and to have my many years of work in the ICT industry recognised. Although you can receive many different technical certifications and awards, it is an even greater achievement to be acknowledged by your peers.
What is one piece of advice or key learning you want to share with other women aspiring for success in the tech industry?
When an opportunity to learn something new presents itself, say yes! It’s always good to give things a try. You may not always succeed, but you never know when those new skills may come in handy. And, if nothing else, you’ve worked out what you don’t enjoy and can head in a direction that makes you happy.
What does being nominated for the ARN Women in ICT Awards (WIICTA) mean to you?
In all honesty, when I received the first email in regards to being a finalist, I thought it was spam. I had to ask myself “who would nominate me two years in a row for this amazing award?” I just couldn’t believe it.
Last year, I sat in a room full of awe-inspiring women, whose achievements I thought were so much more amazing than mine. We had people who started up programs targeted to supporting women in IT and people who had made so many massive improvements in their business. When Ayesha the winner received the graduate award last year, I was so proud of her. She had done so many amazing things in the two years after her traineeship. I was both proud and content with even being able to attend.
This year, I spent some time thinking about why I was nominated for my achievements during my time as a trainee at Data#3. Ultimately, it came down to excelling in the goals of our team; striving to improve what I already know, supporting the team, improving our current processes and providing a great service to our customers.
Succeeding as a finalist is so important to me as it displays just how much the hard work and dedication is valued, not only to me but our customers and entire team.
What is one piece of advice or key learning you want to share with other women aspiring for success in the tech industry?
Give yourself credit for all the things you are currently doing. You’re doing great!
As women we tend to want to juggle so much and leave less time for ourselves, committing so much of ourselves to work. Success isn’t about doing everything that is asked of us or doing more to please our colleagues. There are times where its ok to say no. Success is about doing your best in your current every day. When you take care of you, that’s when your able to succeed in both your career and work life.
What does being nominated for the ARN Women in ICT Awards mean to you?
It has been an absolute honour to be recognised amongst all the amazing women in the technology industry. The contribution I make to the technical community continues to be one of the most rewarding experiences I have been involved with.
To be nominated on a platform that celebrates and recognises female excellence is a true testament of what we can achieve through hard work and dedication. I am extremely grateful to my colleagues for showing such faith in my abilities and it will certainly motivate me further to reach beyond their expectations.
What is one piece of advice or key learning you want to share with other women aspiring for success in the tech industry?
To be successful in the IT industry doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to have a technical background. Personally, I had limited exposure to development prior to starting my career as a software engineer at Accenture, but with the right training and hard work I managed to develop my skills and have been involved with helping customers with their digital transformations for over a decade now.
Technology is changing so rapidly these days and it is very important to keep on top of it otherwise things may sometimes seem a bit overwhelming. My one piece of advice would be to keep up with the certifications, find the right mentor and explore the self-learning resources available online.
Despite being complex sometimes, the IT industry is extremely vast and allows people with different skillsets to come together and thrive. I believe that in a conducive environment anyone despite their work background is welcome in our industry to succeed.
What does being nominated for the ARN Women in ICT Awards (WIICTA) mean to you?
It is an honour to be nominated as a finalist in the ARN Women in ICT Awards. I am very appreciative to Data#3 for this nomination, as it highlights the value that Data#3 places on supporting not only women in ICT, but also, in my role, supporting and enabling people to be get the most satisfaction possible in their jobs. I am thrilled to receive recognition through this nomination, but I continue to be honoured to represent women in the industry and drive positive change for people at Data#3.
What is one piece of advice or key learning you want to share with other women aspiring for success in the tech industry?
Do the simple things well. I love this piece of advice because I am yet to find a situation that it doesn’t relate to. Life, like a workplace, can be a journey of highs and lows. However, your effectiveness in whatever situation you find yourself, always starts with doing the simple things, the fundamentals. Once you identify what these are, invest your time in really doing them well. In doing so I’ve found that they always lead you to an effective outcome, whether it’s in your personal or professional life.
A career at Data#3 will give you the opportunity to work at one of Australia’s leading business technology companies with a range of career opportunities across Australia. Data#3 embraces diversity, inspires our people and grows with HEART. If you are seeking a new challenge, then look no further than Data#3.
