Critical Careers - Women Building Careers in Digital Infrastructure - Book - Page 5
Foreword
Critical Careers began with a simple intention of celebrating
women in digital infrastructure. Data centres are often perceived as
highly technical, male-dominated or limited to a narrow set of roles
which has led to a disconnect where many women with relevant
skills and experience never consider the industry as a viable or
welcoming career path.
Our 昀椀rst book set out to challenge that concept and showcase
women across all ages, backgrounds, disciplines, geographies and
career stages who are thriving in digital infrastructure. By making
the industry more visible and relatable to women who may never
have considered it before, we aimed to demystify and reframe it
as a place where women can build meaningful, long-term careers.
This second edition seeks to build on that foundation, but shifts the
focus. The question is no longer only who is here, but how careers
take shape once people arrive. The stories in this book show how
careers in digital infrastructure are not de昀椀ned by a single path, but
shaped over time through experience, opportunity and support.
Across the interviews, three distinct stages of a career emerge.
Each comes with its own challenges, decisions and moments that
shape what comes next.
At the entry point, the barrier is often simple: awareness. Many
of the early career women describe not knowing this industry
existed, despite studying related disciplines or working in adjacent
昀椀elds. Their starting point is rarely planned. It comes through a
recommendation from a friend, a role discovered by chance or
someone recognising potential and opening a door.
When they arrive, they 昀椀nd an industry where it is acceptable to ask
questions and learn on the job - all of which helps build con昀椀dence
over time. That early shift turns a moment of opportunity into the
start of a career.
It is also where careers begin to take shape more intentionally.
Whether that is leading a team or shaping strategy, progression at
this stage is de昀椀ned by moving forward despite uncertainty. As one
contributor puts it, con昀椀dence tends to follow capability, not the
other way around.
At a more senior level, the focus shifts again. Stepping into
leadership means creating environments for others to succeed. This
is when mentorship and sponsorship becomes tangible. Many of
the women in this book point to speci昀椀c moments where someone
advocated for them, challenged them or created an opportunity
they might not have accessed alone. Those experiences shape how
they lead and reframes their role from building a career to helping
others build theirs.
Across these experiences, certain patterns are clear. Where
development is intentional, people are given the space to grow
beyond their initial role. When career pathways are visible women
can see what comes next and begin to move towards it with
purpose. How leaders listen to and include different perspectives
results in women feeling they don’t need to 昀椀ght to be heard. Finally,
when mentorship is part of how the industry operates, opportunities
are more accessible and less dependent on timing or chance.
Digital infrastructure is still being built, at pace and at scale. The
same is true of the roles within it. The opportunity now is to be
more deliberate about how those careers develop.
For Critical Careers, visibility was only the starting point. The
ambition now is for women to not only see themselves in the
industry, but to grow and succeed within it. A special thanks to our
strategic partners CBRE, AVK, Eversheds Sutherland, JLL and Mace
Construct, and our media partner, Spa Communications for helping
us grow this initiative to do just that!
As careers progress, the challenge shifts. Moving into roles that
require in昀氀uence, judgement and broader accountability brings a
different kind of pressure. Several women describe this as the point
where con昀椀dence is tested most. Taking on a bigger role often
means operating before you feel fully ready and learning in real
time while expectations increase.
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