Critical Careers - Women Building Careers in Digital Infrastructure - Book - Page 29
What do you wish more senior leaders
understood about what it’s like to be
starting out in your career today?
Opportunities for development within a role are particularly important.
Being able to gain exposure to different areas of the business, even
without formally changing roles, can signi昀椀cantly accelerate learning. For
example, being involved in more technical discussions has helped me
build a broader understanding beyond my core responsibilities.
Approachability is also key. When senior leaders are open and
accessible, it creates an environment where people feel comfortable
asking questions, sharing ideas and expressing their interests.
What are some of the biggest obstacles
young people face in starting their
careers today?
One of the main challenges is the expectation that a degree will lead
directly to a job. In reality, that pathway is no longer as straightforward.
Experience has become increasingly important, which makes it
more dif昀椀cult for those entering the workforce. Placement years and
internships can make a signi昀椀cant difference in bridging that gap.
Many of my peers are still working out what they want to do, and may
take the 昀椀rst opportunity available. While that can be a necessary step,
it can also lead to feeling misaligned if the role or industry isn’t the right
昀椀t. Understanding what you are looking for or interested in is important
regardless of what stage of your career you are in.
What would you tell a young woman about
this industry to encourage her to join it?
I would highlight the range of opportunities available. There is often an
assumption that the industry is limited to engineering, but in reality it
offers a wide variety of career paths.
It is also an industry that is growing rapidly, which creates strong
opportunities for progression. That pace of growth can create
development opportunities in a way that is not always possible in more
established industries.
Finally, I’d tell them to not be intimidated by the perceptions of the
industry being male-dominated. While that still exists, it is changing. The
visibility of women across different roles and levels helps reinforce that
this industry is open and welcoming to anyone.
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