How GivePanel’s Head of Engineering is paving the way for women in tech
My journey into tech is unconventional. I did not pursue a degree in Computer Science. In fact, I have no technical qualifications to my name. When choosing a career in school, I never thought I would enter technology. Even less did I imagine I would end up as Head of Engineering!
My name’s Jen Beattie, and I lead the Engineering team at GivePanel. For the past two years, I’ve worked to help more women join the tech world. I focus on breaking down the barriers they face. In this blog, I’ll discuss my career path, what holds women back, and propose solutions for encouraging inclusivity in the workplace.
But first, let’s rewind 25 years. How did I get here?
🎨 Unconventional Beginnings
You didn’t see many women going into tech back then. This was especially true coming from an all-girls school. Unfortunately, this is still an issue; only $30\%$ of females at University study a STEM subject. I wasn’t offered any technical $\text{GCSEs}$ or $\text{A-Levels}$. Therefore, I picked a degree I would enjoy, not one that guaranteed a career. I started in Fashion, then switched to Contemporary Fine Arts for a more hands-on experience.
Fast forward a few years to our final year exhibition celebration. I volunteered to build the website to advertise the after-party. I spent far too much time on that website. However, I really enjoyed building something and seeing it come to life.
Could this be a career path? I had the artistic side. I simply needed to acquire some technical skills.
🧗 Climbing the Career Ladder
Building Experience and Facing Skepticism
I spent the next six months building a portfolio. I created websites for anyone who wanted one. After this, I applied for every junior web design and development role I could find. Despite my efforts, I struggled to secure a paid position. I eventually accepted an unpaid internship just for the experience. Luckily, this led to a full-time, paid role after the initial month.
With some experience gained, I moved back home. I started looking for my next role. As it turned out, few people wanted to hire someone with minimal experience and no technical qualifications. I found myself looking at ‘entry-level’ roles that required $\text{1-2}$ years of experience. How do you gain that experience when you need a job to support yourself?
A Champion’s Influence
Thankfully, I didn’t search for long. I secured an admin role to pay the bills. During my induction, I met an experienced developer. When he realized I also wanted to enter development, he urged me to apply for a $\text{PHP}$ developer position. But I had a problem: I didn’t know $\text{PHP}$.
Despite this gap, I took a chance and applied. A week later, I heard back. I had been offered a Junior Web Developer position! Finally, someone gave me a chance to prove myself.
Over the next four years, I worked extremely hard. I proved to myself and the world that I could handle technical work as well as anyone. I had a fantastic team leader. He acted as my champion. He made me believe in myself. He is the type of manager I aspire to be now. Without his help at the start, I might not be where I am today.
The Head of Engineering Role
Eventually, I slowly worked my way up from Junior to Senior. Then, after joining GivePanel, I moved from Team Lead to Head of Engineering. If you had asked me $\text{20}$ years ago where I would be now, I would never have guessed this.
Looking back, transitioning into tech presented challenges. I lacked the required high school courses. I struggled to secure internships. Also, I faced doubts about my capabilities. I encountered skepticism from potential employers. Clearly, the path into the tech industry was far from well-defined.
💖 Advocating for Women in Tech
The Retention Problem
Unsurprisingly, I haven’t been alone in the challenges I faced. I know many women who struggled to enter this industry and then stay here. In fact, $\mathbf{50\%}$ of women leave the tech industry by the age of $\mathbf{35}$.
Over the past two years, I’ve tried to raise awareness for Women in Tech. I share my story and strive to be a positive role model. I still think much work remains to improve the gender bias. However, great initiatives exist to promote and support women’s careers:
- Code First Girls
- Women in DevOps
- Womens Tech Hub
Building a Family-First Culture
The pandemic proved flexible working works extremely well. This way of working increases productivity and staff retention. Furthermore, it allows those with care responsibilities to manage their time better.
GivePanel is one of the few places I’ve worked that perfects flexible working. This is great! I don’t have children myself, but many team members do. You can see that a family-first culture means a lot. Simple things, like no meetings first thing or between $\text{2:30}$ and $\text{4}$ $\text{pm}$, are key. This ensures those with childcare responsibilities are included.
Supporting Female Health
A supportive culture around female health is also key. This allows women to thrive in any workplace. Female health remains a taboo subject in the workplace. $\mathbf{31\%}$ of women experience severe reproductive health symptoms every year. Therefore, we need to start talking about it.
Support can be simple. It means allowing time off or flexible working without stigma. Knowing your company supports you makes a huge difference. For example, if you struggle in a meeting, a manager might say, ‘Hey, let’s take a $\text{5}$-minute break.’ No one wants to feel embarrassed. The more we talk about periods and menopause at work, the better.
✅ To Sum Up: Solutions for Inclusivity
Inclusivity comes down to small things that support women in any career:
- Flexible Working: If you don’t have it, ask for it. If your company doesn’t offer it, start offering it! Flexibility helps employees balance work and personal needs. This accommodates diverse needs and promotes overall well-being.
- Culture of Candor: An environment where anyone feels safe to speak up ensures an inclusive workplace. By encouraging open communication and honesty, you build trust among team members. This leads to greater collaboration, innovation, and inclusivity.
- Female Health Support: Offer time off or flexible working without stigma. Acknowledge and accommodate reproductive health symptoms. Crucially, foster a supportive environment where women feel comfortable discussing these topics. Such support contributes to a more inclusive and understanding workplace for women in any career.