Meet the Speakers at our Upcoming UK Graduate Technology Event

We can’t wait to host the STEM Women UK Graduate Technology Event on Wednesday 21^st April.

This event is perfect for students and recent graduates studying a STEM subject who are interesting in pursuing a career in technology.

Throughout the event we will have a “Live Presentations” area where attendees can hear speaker sessions from a range of different companies, they will share their personal career journeys, offer advice to attendees, and give an invaluable insight into what it’s like to work in tech.

Ahead of the event, we caught up with the speakers to find out more about the topics they will be covering, and what attendees can look forward to!

Reply

Zoe Loughton, Data Consultant, Jasmine Dixit, Senior Consultant Future Networks, Tinka Ivanova, Talent Acquisition Consultant and Eike Luebben, Senior Talent Acquisition Consultant

What topics can attendees expect to hear from you on the event day?

“We’ll provide a brief introduction to Reply and Jasmine & Zoe will share insights into the types of project work they’ve been doing at Net Reply and Data Reply. In addition, they’ll share what it’s like starting at the company as a graduate and will give advice on how to get the most out of your career.”

What are you most looking forward to on the event day?

“Meeting enthusiastic students, graduates and professionals who share our enthusiasm for emerging technology and innovation.

Do you have any tips for attendees?

“As Reply is a multi-divisional network, with lots of niche companies specialising in different areas of technology, attendees should keep exploring the different teams and “entry doors” into our business. We have Reply teams specialising in topics such as Digital Workplace Technology, Blockchain, Edge Computing & Drones, Cloud, Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, or Digital Transformation Consulting in the Retail sector.”

Why is inspiring more women into tech important to you/Reply?

“Diversity and inclusion form part of the fabric of Reply’s core values and we can’t wait to welcome more women into our companies. Reducing the gender gap across the IT sector can only succeed if all parties (schools, universities and employers) commit to an inclusive culture. We love technology and we believe that IT consulting offers fascinating career opportunities for women, and would like to share our passion about digital innovation with you!”

VMware

Sarah Biggs, Technical Account Manager

We will then welcome Sarah Biggs from VMware to present her session. Sarah will be covering some of the reasons why she chose to get into technology and the experiences she’s had during her educations and career so far.

What are you most looking forward to on the event day? 

“I have always enjoyed events of these kind, being able to meet people with varied experiences and job roles. When listening to what others have to say, you can learn new perspectives of the industry, ones that may greatly benefit you in the future.

“This event is full of passionate and positive women, who all have an insight to give and a story to tell. Take note of names and companies, begin to build your network. Plus, what better way to begin exploring the vast array of job roles available!”

Do you have any tips for attendees? 

“Don’t be afraid to ask questions, every single person has been or is in the same position as you.

“Take note of the companies represented here today, research them and the jobs they have available. See if you believe you would be happy and thrive in them.”

Why is inspiring more women into tech important to you/VMware?

“The technology job market is still seen as a male dominated world, although this is slowly changing. Having more women pursuing their passion for technology will increase the diversity of the workforce.

VMware work around 5 core values known as EPIC2 values, one of these being community. This value is there to ensure a happy, inclusive and equal workforce. VMware are always looking for fresh and diverse talent to help us grow. An example being, one of our company goals by 2030, is to have 50% of the company management to be female!”

GFT

Gemma Barrett, Learning, Development and Talent Partner Manager, Heather Statham, Lead Business Consultant and Zlatina Lazarova, Cloud Engineer.

At 2.35pm Gemma, Heather and Zlatina will begin their session which will focus on demystifying the roles in IT. It will feature two of GFT’s consultants walking through a day in the life in their roles.

What topics can attendee expect to hear from you on the event day?

“The presentation will start with an introduction by Gemma Barrett GFT’s Learning, Development and Talent Partner manager to provide an overview of the company structure and insight into GFT Learning and Development strategy.

“Zlatina will give an overview of what Cloud Engineering actually is and will describe what a typical day looks like for a Cloud Engineer at GFT. She will be going through some typical tasks of the role, the skills required and where her role fits within a tech team.

“Heather will conclude the line up with an overview of the roles she has held as a Business Consultant and dive into how her day-to-day role as an Agile Business Analyst and how it can vary depending on the maturity of her project. She will also touch on some of the artefacts she produces and describing her teams’ ways of working.”

What are you most looking forward to on the event day?

Heather: “I am most excited to sit in GFT’s Panel discussion and interact with the attendees at the conference. I hope to inspire some more women into technology.”

Zlatina: “I am looking forward to presenting a realistic day of my life as a woman in tech and thus demystifying some myths about the industry.”

Gemma: “I’m looking forward to connecting with the attendees and answering questions about a career in tech!”

Do you have any tips for attendees?

“Before the day, reflect about their interests, do some research on the companies and their industries, have a look at the company and the presenters on LinkedIn, and prepare any questions beforehand.

“On the day, ask all the questions you can, don’t be shy everyone is here to help, try and visit all the stalls, absorb as much as you can and take notes. And after the day, try to connect to presenters on LinkedIn.”

Why is inspiring more women into tech important to you/GFT?

Heather: “Diversity is integral within teams to design better products and services and I want to see more women helping drive our technology future.”

Zlatina: “Women play a key role in building high performance and diverse teams, with different experiences, ideas and views, which means problems can be approached in different ways leading to better solutions and more innovations in tech.”

Gemma: “To change the perception of what a career in tech can offer women as the opportunities are so varied and rewarding. Having more women in tech will see diversity of thought and idea generation within teams – both key in the future of tech.”

SLC

Kirsty Jordan, Security CISO

Our speaker sessions will close with a talk from Kirsty Jordan from the Student Loans Company. Kirsty will be covering the Student Loans Emerging Talent programme and what it’s like being Chief Information Security Officer at a company like SLC. She will talk about how she got her role, how she was supported and how her career has developed over time.

What are you most looking forward to on the event day?

“I am also looking forward to bringing Student Loans Emerging Talent programme to the attention of a new audience. I am looking forward to answering questions and meeting some new people.”

Do you have any tips for attendees?

“There are no stupid questions, so don’t be afraid to ask anything. Some of the speakers may not be on a path you currently are interested but will still have some valuable nuggets.”

Why is inspiring more women into tech important to you/SLC?

“The numbers for women in tech are still too low and it is not from a lack of capability. Women have been found to be equal to and in some areas of tech perform better than men, but current numbers do not reflect that. I think all workplaces would benefit from a wider pool, right now the low numbers of women entering the digital workplaces mean they are losing out on a very large demographic.”

Before our speaker sessions begin, attendees can also watch and ask questions during a live panel discussion at 12.10pm with women working in tech!

If you’re interested in starting your career in a STEM industry and would like to attend a STEM Women event. Visit www.stemwomenevents.com and register for your free ticket today!

There are also still spaces available for employers looking to exhibit at this event and our upcoming 2021 events. Get in touch with Lauren at laurenj@stemwomen.co.uk for more information.