Creating a diverse culture is not the sole responsibility of a select few.
It’s everyone’s responsibility to foster an inclusive workplace that values everyone’s differences and strengths.
Did you know that according to research by Accenture, a future focus on more inclusive cultures could result in almost three million young women working in tech by 2030?
This is music to our ears at Giganet! On that note, this week, our Women In Tech blog comes from Catherine Bennett, one of our Technical Support Engineers. Catherine explains why she loves working in tech, and the importance of making STEM subjects more accessible to the younger generation, particularly young women.
My career with Giganet
I’m only five months into my career with Giganet yet I’ve already learned so much. My background as a Technical Operations Engineer helped to prepare me for my current role; I gained experience in implementing, maintaining, troubleshooting, and upgrading event analytics technology, all under the guidance of my colleagues. I even touched on basic scripting!
My journey with Giganet thus far has seen my knowledge expand into new and interesting subjects. I am grateful to my manager and teammates for their continued guidance and support. A typical day involves responding to and resolving customer tickets, anything from slow speeds and intermittent connections to failed-to-go lives. I enjoy using my analytical skills and collaborating with other teams such as network engineering or installations to resolve issues.
In my short time at Giganet, I’ve collected some heart-warming feedback from customers. I’ve been gifted a box of chocolates, sent directly to the office. I’ve even received a poem, written with an appreciative and humorous tone, generated by AI software!
Why a career in tech was right for me
Being neurodiverse, I enact a logical way of thinking which allows me to view problems from a black-and-white perspective, which is often required when working in tech support. I’d say my attention to detail and problem-solving skills are highly valued in the tech industry, where sometimes, innovation and looking at issues slightly differently is crucial.
I was always quite tenacious and creative at school; I had a keen interest in art and music. I was even in the school band! It won’t be surprising to hear that my penchant for problem-solving meant I was also good at maths – I enjoyed the quick-firing questions. Funnily enough, my interest in computing flourished after school when I started building computers as a hobby!
I graduated in Business & Management with First Class Honours, however, had I been given more guidance from a younger age, I most likely would have chosen to study Computer Science.
Why is diversity important?
The technology industry has always been one of the most dynamic and innovative fields. The very nature of the industry means it’s always evolving. In my opinion, companies within this sector thrive under a diverse culture. However, creating a diverse culture is not the sole responsibility of a select few. Instead, it’s everyone’s responsibility to foster an inclusive workplace that values everyone’s differences and strengths.
I love that Giganet champions bringing your full self to work. When employees feel comfortable expressing thoughts, opinions, and ideas without fear of judgement or discrimination, they’re more likely to be engaged and productive.
How do we create a more inclusive culture?
It starts with recognising that we all have a role to play in promoting each other’s individual strengths. Leaders, managers and HR professionals must take the lead in establishing policies and practices that support diversity too.
In my opinion, the more diversity the better. We have more perspectives and more ground to cover. I want to see less of a push on stereotypical gender roles, instead, I’d like to see STEM subjects introduced to school-age children earlier, to provide more options and better balance.
Inclusivity plays a critical role in driving innovation within companies, and that has never been more important.
Where to next?
If you’re keen on making career steps into technical support, or in any discipline of our business, you’re in luck! We have loads of roles available and would love to hear from you.
Please visit the Giganet careers page to learn more about our workplace culture and employee benefits system. You’ll also be able to view all our latest job vacancies and register your CV for upcoming roles.
You can also read more Women in Tech articles from the team at Giganet.
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