Right On Target: Why More Women Should Consider A Career In IT
By Jess Hill, Application Support Analyst, Marval
A few days ago, I was watching BBC on Sunday morning before going to my Archery practice, and they had a piece about how young women, especially teenagers, are picking up on Archery as a sport.
This is partly down to the fact that popular movies and TV programs (e.g. The Hunger Games, Game of Thrones) have recently been showing strong, skillful female warriors. Practising the sport myself, I know that in Archery, particularly Target Shoots, gender plays absolutely no role on how well you can shoot. If you have access to the right equipment and practice properly, you will be good. If you have access to the right equipment, practice properly and love it, you will be great. That’s regardless your gender.
I work in Information Technology; an industry that, generally, is not most women’s first choice. Don’t be too quick to judge; my job is not gender-biased at all. Personally, I feel that the IT sector is full of opportunities for women to have a successful and fulfilling career. Just like Archery, this is a field where your gender plays absolutely no role. If you have access to the right tools and are committed, you will be good. If you have access to the right tools, are committed and love your job, you will be great at it. Women can be great developers, engineers, support analysts; I know a few great female professionals myself!
People keep asking me how things are, being a woman in a male-dominated sector. My answer is that, once you are in the job, it doesn’t really matter if you are male or female; the only thing that matters is how good you are. Women really should push the stigma aside and go for it.
Now, I just won my first competition a couple of weeks ago for a Women’s Clout Shoot, aiming for targets at 60 yards, 120 yards and 140 yards, and I am super-excited about it. It was a moment of recognition for all my efforts: much time spent on practice and my commitment to the sport. Furthermore, I reach many professional and personal targets at work every week; I am as good as my next male colleague and it’s up to me (and only me) to be successful and progress with my career. And I intend to do that, knowing that every woman is a strong warrior; and that every target is achievable, if you put your mind to it.
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