We interviewed Pauline Decuypere, Business Analyst at Form3 on her experience and thoughts about women in tech.
As a Business Analyst at Form3 I’m involved in a wide range of projects surrounding product development and strategies. I work closely with our Product Managers, as well as with the Engineering, Operations and Sales teams.
Technology changes our everyday lives at a high speed and I think this is very fascinating. I always wanted to be part of a company where I can contribute to the opportunities tech enables.
Over the years I’ve had a few tech and IT related courses, but it was never the main topic of my university degrees. I studied Business Engineering, this an applied economics degree with a strong focus on maths and science. Later on I specialised in digital marketing which was a real eye opener in terms of the possibilities of tech.
Yes, I worked at two tech giants before joining Form3: Google and Apple.
Absolutely. If you look at the latest stats, only less than a fifth of people working in tech in the UK are women so we have a long way to go.
The tech and IT industries have always been seen as male dominated industries and, even though it’s improving, it’s unfortunately still the case. That said, there are some very inspiring women out there with impressive careers in tech so I hope we’re moving away from the stereotype.
Tech should be introduced in people’s lives starting at a very young age. If tech related courses and topics are included in the curriculum at schools early on, a future in tech will be a natural consideration for everyone, including women.
Similar to the industry itself, tech related studies have been dominated by men. This obviously creates mental barriers for women to get into tech. We need to ‘reprogram’ society, I think it’s important to educate children as well as parents to break gender specific patterns and beliefs.
We need to share more stories about women in tech and highlight their successes and challenges. This will increase awareness of the different types of career paths and will help to beat the idea that computers and coding are just for men.
Find people you admire and try to really understand what it is they do that inspires you. If you break things down in digestible chunks, like specific career moves, personality traits or skills, it will help you to identify areas you want to focus on. Also, surround yourself with people who challenge you in a positive way, get out of your comfort zone and grab any challenge coming your way with a big smile!