International Day of Women and Girls in Science celebrates the achievements of women and girls in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), and encourages full and equal access to those who aspire to participate in these industries. To mark this day, we spoke to some of our colleagues across our offices in Europe to find out more about what it means to be a woman in STEM.

What does it mean to you to be a woman in tech?

“Being a woman in tech is an exciting challenge every day, however, I think women in the tech world can bring constant kindness, care and empathy to the dev teams’ everyday life, and I think this is just as important as being professionally on the top.” – Emese Dudás, Business Coordinator

“Being a woman in a strongly masculine field is empowering. For me it is a source of pride, and I hope to be able to influence future generations by carrying the weight of class and gender that I hope they do not have to carry.” – Riina Korpela, Mid Developer

Why do you think it’s hard for young women to choose STEM careers? Do you have any advice for women starting a tech career?

“Most women I know in tech have family also in STEM careers (myself included), so without that inherent knowledge I imagine it must be daunting to approach it as a career option, especially if schools don’t promote them well. My advice is to buck the trend, go with what you truly find fascinating, and don’t give into peer pressure.” – Julia Arup, Solution Architect

“It can be scary to work together with men and worry how you will perform in the team, but I think people working in this profession are the most accepting and I only have positive experiences so far.  So, if you have similar fears about this, do not hesitate to join in, because I think it is hard to find a more supportive and flexible place where you can constantly learn.” – Tímea Makkai-Kása, Software Developer

Why did you decide to become a STEM professional?

“It was something that I really enjoyed experimenting with in my free time. I loved the work itself, the mix of creativity and logic and being able to create something that would be useful to people. Also, the idea that you can always learn new things in this industry really attracted me to it.” – Natalie Howley, Junior Developer

“Since I was a child, I always liked construction toys, cars and gears and later in school I started to be good at technological subjects, so when I had to decide what I wanted to study I had no doubt that my direction was in some engineering. Unfortunately, I did not have any reference to ask for advice nor experience, but I did have the total and unconditional support of my family, who never doubted that I would make a great place for myself in this ‘man’s world’.” – Andrea Calvo Moreno, Junior Developer

Are there any women in STEM who inspired you to take this career?

“My colleagues, the women I work with. They all helped me along the way, they all gave me great advice, and they all taught me something. They are the ones who led me to become a STEM professional at the end.” – Emese Dudas, Business Coordinator

“My GCSE physics teacher probably had the most influence – she made the subject exciting which really grew my love for physics and technology.” – Julia Arup, Solution Architect

What do you think events such as International Day of Women and Girls in Science can contribute?

“It can bring together women who work in this profession and who do and experience similar things, and give opportunities to make contact with young women who would like to build their career here but are unsure for some reason or they have many questions about it.” – Tímea Makkai-Kása, Software Developer

“I think a lot of girls still don’t think of taking on a STEM role in the first place, instead, there are other fields that are most popular among them. Showing them a bit of the behind the scenes of this world through articles, podcasts, videos, posts, or even just a brief conversations could help more of them consider taking on roles in the world of Science too.” – Emese Dudás, Business Coordinator

How has One Beyond supported your personal and professional growth?

“I really appreciate One Beyond’s support during my trajectory. I started at the company in the middle of the pandemic after being let go from my previous company after giving birth. I have never received any complaints for trying to balance time between work and my daughter, and One Beyond have given me all the help for it and my colleagues have always supported me. This has allowed me to continue growing both professionally and personally.” – Riina Korpela, Mid Developer

“One Beyond has allowed me to work on a challenging project with a great team who have supported me and taught me along the way. I think in any company the important thing is to have the time and the resources to learn not only on the project but outside of it, to be able to discuss different approaches to tasks with your teammates and to fill in any gaps in your knowledge, without feeling afraid to make mistakes. One Beyond has provided that space for me!” – Natalie Howley, Junior Developer

“Fortunately, I am lucky to be part of a company with a very wide cultural diversity which allows me to work closely with wonderful people who contribute to me on a personal level and help me learn from them on a day-to-day basis. It is beautiful that in a company you can bring out colleagues who become friends. Professionally, in the time I have been working at One Beyond I have been able to learn and work with a large tech stack that is at the top of the technological vanguard, which gives me a long and stimulating career perspective.” – Andrea Calvo Moreno, Junior Developer

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