Even though women hold a disproportionately lower number of tech-related jobs than men, we have seen an increase since 2018, when only 19% of employed technology workers were women. Since men have historically dominated this career, it’s crucial to encourage more women to enter the sector, as well as support and retain them.

As part of our effort to put the spotlight on women in technology, we interviewed our Service Desk Manager, Becca, and our Service Coordinator, Faith. In this interview, they shared their experiences, advice, and journeys with the hope of inspiring more women to apply for technology roles.

Becca is our Service Desk Manager here at AtNetPlus. She worked for Summa Hospital before joining us, and she began her career in technology with us as a Service Coordinator. Just four months before the start of the pandemic, she was hired and had to quickly adjust to working from home with little training under her belt. With all her hard work and perseverance, she was able to push through this trying time. Just two years later, she was promoted to the role of Manager. We are so proud of her achievements, and we know that she will continue to do great things here at AtNetPlus.

When we asked Becca if she has any advice for women entering male-dominated fields, she replied with:

“I think that “Imposter Syndrome” tends to show up among women in our industry. It’s natural and normal to question yourself sometimes but for me, when that happens, I remind myself that I worked hard to get to where I am. I was chosen for this job because I bring value in my expertise, skills, and strengths.  Displaying confidence in myself will allow me to take up the space that belongs to me in any situation.”

Faith, our Service Coordinator, worked in retail before joining us at AtNetPlus. She chose to take a leap and change industries after thoughts of retail no longer being conducive to what she wanted for herself. When Faith first joined AtNetPlus, she was excited to explore a new industry and learn more about technology. She had always been interested in the field but didn’t have any previous experience working in the tech sector. However, she saw that AtNetPlus was willing to give her a chance, and she has loved learning from our team ever since. She mentioned that the company culture is one of the things she enjoys most about working here. Everyone is friendly and willing to help, and she feels like she has really been able to grow and develop her skill set. She is now an essential member of our team, and we are so grateful to have her on board!

We asked Faith, “Do you think there is a lack of females in the technology sector and if so, what we can do to increase this?”

“Yes, I do. It seems many women gravitate towards healthcare and teaching. Sometimes, we’re raised with limited options given to us and these seem to be the some of the only types of careers pushed on women. Also, some industries aren’t seen as ‘feminine enough’ or ‘too masculine’ for a woman and the way society portrays it makes it feel like they are out of place in other sectors. However, recently I have seen a lot of women switch to IT from other sectors so I feel like it’s growing quickly. What can we do to increase this? Honestly, what we are doing here with this interview. Visibility. I know that another thing that made me choose AtNetPlus was that there were more women here than I expected, especially in a male-dominated industry. I feel like if young girls and women physically see more women in IT, they will be more inclined to go for it too.”

So, if you’re thinking about entering the technology industry, remember this: don’t be afraid to ask questions or take on new challenges. Never be afraid to lean on your fellow co-workers and support systems while you learn and grow, and most importantly—go for it!