Critical Careers - Women Building Careers in Digital Infrastructure - Book - Page 19
What are some of the biggest obstacles
young people face in starting their
careers today?
It depends a lot on where you start. For me, I was lucky to get into
Amazon, but even then, the structure at the beginning wasn’t very clear.
The internship process was still developing, so it felt quite unorganised
at times.
Another challenge is expectations around experience. A lot of roles still ask
for experience that isn’t always realistic at that stage, especially depending
on where you come from.
For example, I moved to the UK from Spain. The way you get early
work experience is different, and in some places it’s harder to access
opportunities at a younger age. So you’re not always starting from the
same place as others, even if you have the same level of education. That
can make it feel like you’re already behind before you’ve even started,
which adds to the pressure.
That said, it is improving. There are more structured internships and
apprenticeships now, and companies are starting to focus more on
potential rather than just experience. Having those clearer entry points
makes a big difference, especially for people who might not have had
access to traditional pathways early on.
What would you tell a young woman about
this industry to encourage her to join it?
The main thing I hear young women asking when I meet them at Women
in STEM events is wondering if they’re good enough. I understand it
because I had exactly the same feeling when I applied. I didn’t expect to
get the role, and I think a lot of people assume companies like Amazon
are out of reach before they even try.
What I usually tell them is that if you have the basics, you will learn.
You’re not expected to know everything on day one. The industry is still
growing, and people come from all sorts of backgrounds, not just one
speci昀椀c path.
I think sometimes women wait until they feel completely ready before
applying, but that moment doesn’t really come. You learn much more by
being in the role than trying to prepare for everything in advance.
Also, once you’re in, you’re not stuck in one path. There’s a lot of
movement between teams and roles, so if you start in one area and
realise it’s not quite right, you can explore something else.
“Companies are starting to
focus more on potential rather
than just experience.”
That takes a bit of pressure off as well, because you don’t have to get the
decision perfectly right at the start. It’s more about getting in, learning,
and then shaping your path from there.
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