On this International Women’s Day, we’re excited to showcase some of the amazing women who contribute to our organisation. Join us as we dive into their personal tech journeys, challenges faced, and how they’ve overcome them.
You can also watch an on-demand video of the conversation here.
Let’s first meet the panel
- Lis, a Professional Services Consultant at Bedford, she began her career in Brazil, transitioning from finance roles to specialised work in Anaplan.
- Jana, also a Professional Services Consultant at Bedford, has a background in finance digitalization and has transitioned into working with Anaplan.
- Irene, another Professional Services Consultant, studied industrial engineering before moving into planning analysis and ultimately finding her path to Anaplan through Bedford.
- Oumaima, Professional Services Consultant, embarked on her EPM journey after university in Morocco, working at Oracle before joining Bedford.
- Debbie, our Head of People Operations, brings a wealth of experience from tech consultancies and media, highlighting the evolving landscape and increasing involvement of women in tech.
Navigating misconceptions in tech
During our discussion, our panellist’s shared some of the common misconceptions that often discourage women from pursuing careers in tech.
Reflecting on her journey, Lis remarked:
“I think a lot of that stems from misconceptions I had when I was younger. My father, a computer engineering professor, exposed me to his work, which looked like a lot of staring at black screens filled with white letters and codes.
At the time, I didn’t find it particularly interesting. However, I’ve come to realise that the tech industry is much broader than I initially thought. There’s a wide range of roles and possibilities within the field.”
Jana also shared with us:
“I noticed when people talked about tech their concern was that our job may lack social interaction and diversity. However, that this is not the case. Our job offers a wide range of tasks and plenty of social interaction. I have meetings within projects and throughout the company. So, it’s a dynamic environment. It is not just about working alone in a room all day, with a variety of tasks.”
In comparison Irene, shared her unique perspective on her journey towards tech:
“For me, I always knew I was going to have a career in tech. I have memories of assembling toys for my siblings. My mum had a background in economics and my dad’s engineering expertise meant I was in the right environment to pursue this passion.
I naturally found myself drawn to math and physics, which further solidified my path towards technology. Surprisingly, I didn’t fully grasp the uniqueness of my situation until I reached university. It always felt very organic.”
Overcoming challenges
Our panellist’s reflected on their experiences in traditionally male-dominated fields and emphasised the resilience and tenacity they needed to succeed in the tech industry. Irene highlighted the importance of backing up opinions with data, and confirms the idea that preparation is key to overcoming obstacles and achieving goals.
Here is some of what Irene had to say:
“Sometimes you might feel like you want to speak, but that you haven’t really thought about what you are going to say, or I need to look into the data more before asking a question. When men just go into a room and just speak up, they don’t think about everything they’re going to say twice.”
Debbie shared with us some advice:
“We don’t go in as experts to anything. You try, and then you see whether you like it. So, it is important we aren’t put off just thinking, oh, I can’t do that. No, you just can’t do it yet. So make sure that you try and take all the opportunities, which is whys it’s so important that we offer a diverse range of opportunities to support career/personal growth.”
Supportive Environment at Bedford
Debbie articulated Bedford’s steadfast commitment to creating an inclusive and supportive environment for women in tech. From fair recruitment practices to family-friendly policies, Bedford stands is committed to continuous improvement, where every voice is not only listened to, but respected and valued.
Here is some of what Debbie, had to say:
“From the very start we ensure that we have equal opportunity job descriptions. We know that a lot of the time when women see ten bullet points for what you need this for a role, if they’ve got nine, they’re like, oh, no, I won’t apply. Whereas it’s been proven that men, even if they have 5 or 6 would.”
“Once you are in Bedford, it is very much on its meritocracy. We have a great culture and we’ve got great values. We’re not just a company that has our values up in the wall, we really live and breathe those values and we make sure that everything is done with them in mind.”
An example of this was given by Lis:
“It has been very interesting to see how my career was able to progress here, with the training we have been provided. I am the only female Principal Solution Architect in a group full of men, but I was really happy to see that I have equal opportunities, which I know may not be the case in a lot of places.”
Another example was given by Irene:
“I did have a child this year, so I used the maternity leave and the flexibilities which Bedford allow us to have. It really helped me, professionally and personally, to be able to spend time with my family, but also to not have to reduce the time that I work or change the type of projects I work on.”
Advice for Women Entering Tech
Our panellist’s offered advice to aspiring women who want to enter the tech field. They emphasised the importance of exploring diverse opportunities, expressing their voices, and building a strong support network to navigate the ever-changing landscape of technology with confidence, and resilience.
Oumaima, shared with us a fantastic bit of advice:
“If we made a mistake, that is fine, we’ve made a mistake, we raise it and it’s not the end of the world.”
As did Jana:
“Speak up when you have any thoughts or any concerns, because that will really help everyone, to explore new opportunities or potential risks.”
Final thoughts
As Head of People Operations Debbie shared Bedford’s successes:
“We are very committed to our CSR policy. In terms of creating a women’s network now that we’ve got enough women, which is brilliant, because I think when I joined three years ago, we were a much smaller company and only had around 10 women. Now we have 40 ladies. We have really improved the percentage of ladies because the company has been committed to wanting to get more women in, and you can see that reflected in the support as well.”
Finally, Oumaima :
“Pick the right company, because there’s all types of companies out there and there are some amazing ones.”
Conclusion
In conclusion, the insights shared by the women of Bedford Consulting provide valuable insights into the journey of women in the tech industry. Their stories highlight misconceptions around tech, embracing diverse opportunities, and cultivating resilience in the face of challenges. We also heard about the transformative power of supportive environments, where equal opportunities and inclusive policies foster professional growth and personal well-being.
Bedford Consulting is committed to creating such an environment. Embracing practices that promote fairness, meritocracy, and work-life balance. The success stories shared by Lis, Irene, Jana, Oumaima, and Debbie serve as inspiration for aspiring women in tech, highlighting the significance of not being afraid to voice opinions, building strong networks, and choosing companies that prioritise diversity and inclusivity.
As we celebrate International Women’s Day, we thank the panel for the time and insights and recognise the strides that have been made in the tech industry while acknowledging the continued need for progress. By championing diversity, equality, and empowerment, we can ensure that the future of technology is not only innovative but also inclusive.
Don’t forget to watch our on-demand video here, where you can learn more about our women in tech and their inspiring stories.
Or why not check out our values page here.
