Critical Careers - Women Building Careers in Digital Infrastructure - Book - Page 23
“I could see how relevant the industry
was, how quickly it was evolving,
and how much there was to learn.
I liked being challenged, and I
liked that it did not feel static.”
Has there been a moment that made you
feel like you truly belonged in this industry
and why did that stand out to you?
When you were younger, what did you
imagine your future might look like and how
does that compare to where you are now?
It was really about the timing of when I joined. It was just after COVID,
when everything was still quite hybrid, but also at a point where we had
seen a huge spike in social media usage. We were building a lot of data
centres to handle that demand, and the designs felt quite standardised.
I was learning what a data centre was, getting used to the same types of
builds, and it all felt relatively repeatable.
Growing up, I always knew I enjoyed math and science, so I knew I
wanted to do something in that space. I just didn’t have a clear picture
of what that would look like.
Things started to shift when platforms like TikTok emerged, and you
began to see the value of algorithms that tailor content to individual
users. Then AI really started to come into the picture, and with it the
introduction of GPUs into data centre builds. That changed everything.
As I got older, I started to realise that probably meant engineering,
but I struggled with choosing a speci昀椀c path. I didn’t want to lock
myself into something too narrow too early. I also tend to think in very
concrete, tangible ways, so I was drawn to things I could really visualise
and work through.
That’s what led me to mechanical engineering. There were so many
different directions it could take, from aerospace to automotive to
component design, so it gave me space to explore without having to
decide everything upfront. Once I started doing more hands-on work
in my 昀椀rst year, it really con昀椀rmed that it was the right 昀椀t for me.
While data centres have been a bit of a surprise, the foundation is very
aligned. I’m still working in a role that combines math, science, and
problem-solving, just in a way I hadn’t really been exposed to when I
was younger.
Suddenly, the de昀椀nition of a data centre was not the same anymore,
and neither was the work. What had felt repeatable became much more
dynamic. I found myself really drawn to that. Being close to the hardware
developments meant I could see a new GPU come out and then think
about what that meant for design. From a connectivity perspective, you
are directly linking into that infrastructure, so you see those changes in a
very tangible way.
That was the moment where it really clicked for me. I could see how
relevant the industry was, how quickly it was evolving, and how much
there was to learn. I liked being challenged, and I liked that it did not
feel static.
It made me realise that this is an industry I want to stay in. It is still early
in my career, but it feels like something that will continue to grow and
develop, and that is something I want to grow alongside.
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