Celebrating Women in Technology – Anely Ruiz

Anely Ruiz Sanchez – SAP Business Processes Consultant

We are celebrating women in business. Our series highlights women in workplaces which are normally predominantly seen as male-orientated.

We spoke with clients and candidates to see how their sector is creating a more diverse environment.

Anely shares her thoughts on the technology industry and the inclusion of women in the industry.

What made you interested in entering a career in Technology?

Working in technology is an interesting profession because it does not stop evolving. IT professionals are constantly learning new ways of using technology and the elements that surround it in order to improve and develop at work and in the industry as a whole. In my case, I specialize in SAP consulting. There are more employment opportunities as it is a constantly evolving environment. Digitization is here to stay and technology touches all areas of society from education to healthcare. This means that every company has a technological system that allows it to work in a more practical way, through digitization. For this reason, all companies, whether public or private, will require knowledge technology specialists. Many are very well-paid jobs, which are increasingly evolving.

What changes have you seen the industry do in order to become more inclusive of women entering the market?

It is beneficial for all organisations to become inclusive, women are users of technology so only makes sense to include us in the workforce.  Women have the ability to thrive, and female entrants have increased. Women choose careers with greater potential for professional development, and I think companies are realising this and making it part of their benefits program. There has definitely been an increase also in women in management and executive positions.

What advice would you give women entering the industry?

Be open to change! The needs of the industry are changing and improving over time. For this reason, we as IT professionals must be willing to change and update our knowledge in relation to IT. Continue studying and obtaining certifications as this will be a competitive advantage for your career.

In addition, it is extremely important to speak two languages at least. English being one of them; almost all IT documentation is documented in English and having another language can also open doors for you to work in other countries.

What further improvements or changes do you think could be made to encourage women to explore the STEM fields?

There are a number of improvements that could be made to the STEM fields, starting off with introducing girls to STEM fields from a younger age in order to encourage them. The technology teaching in the classroom, need to be relatable, so young girls can understand how coding works in the real world.  Alongside this many women already in the STEM fields could serve as mentors to help support and guide younger entrants. Providing learning opportunities such as; local companies offering work experience to the young children in the local communities to give a variety of options.

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