Happy International Women’s Day! At receeve, we celebrate diversity every day and, especially today, we want to highlight the professional women working in our tech departments.
According to a 2021 report by the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT), women held only 27% of all computer science-related jobs in the United States, highlighting the persistent gender gap in the tech industry.
To highlight the key women in our team, we interviewed Alla Vinogradova, a Senior QA Engineer, and Jyotsna Sharma, a Product Owner. Collectively, they have over 25 years of experience in the tech industry, and today they are truly indispensable members of the team at receeve.
Originally from Ukraine, Alla joined receeve in June 2021 and works from Stuttgart, Germany.
Alla holds a Master's degree in Information Systems from Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University, and her past experience includes QA testing for a wide range of industries, including medicine, finance, sports-related, retailing and broadcasting.
Half a year later, in December 2021, Jo joined the team and is working from Berlin, Germany.
Before joining, Jo worked for 10+ years in a renowned American financial services company from her home country, India, where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Technology, Electrical and Electronics Engineering.
Why are you so fascinated by tech?
Alla Vinogradova (AV): It is a kind of adventure. Every time you can observe something interesting around you, learn something new and achieve goals. Tech is a huge field, and I would say that this is like outer space full of dreams and ideas where everyone can find something special. Of course, issues also happen from time to time, however, challenges make us stronger.
Jyotsna Sharma (JS): The use of technology can scale the value that anything provides and create an everlasting impact on people’s lives. Also, it is universal, cuts across language and cultural barriers and brings the world together.
I believe that technology is an enabler. Think of any field today – communication, aerospace, education, finance. Technology is everywhere. It has made our lives easier. We can now focus on doing the things that matter, rather than just mundane, repetitive tasks.
How did you get into this field?
AV: When I was a little girl, the world around me seemed fairytale-like, and my curiosity led me to certain conclusions. I thought that I could learn magic and I decided to get a master's degree at university.
JS: Since childhood, I have been fascinated with technology and machines. I wanted to understand how everything worked. When my mother got her first mobile phone, I remember going gaga over how we could call anyone from anywhere, without being connected through a wire. I pursued my education in engineering to learn more about technology, and ever since, I have been in this beautiful space.
How can we get more women in the tech sector?
AV: We can share our personal experiences and stories. Honestly, I know a lot of women from IT, and all of them are all-round developed people. In my opinion, if we are talking about the women in IT, it's not only about the technical analysis; it's about everything that makes our life more intelligent, easy and beautiful.
JS: The basic idea is to give every woman the freedom of choice, and not make it difficult to choose a career in tech. Being more flexible with working hours and locations is a great start. Giving women equal opportunities - whether it is to upskill in technology, or to restart their careers after a break - would take us a long way in bringing more women to technology.
What advice can you give women considering pursuing a career in tech?
AV: You have all the opportunities. Be creative, proactive and dreams come true. Do not be afraid to try new things and your dreams will be transformed into goals.
JS: Technology is an ever-growing space, and there is a wide variety of options to grow into. There will be hard times, everyone has them, but just keep following your dreams. You go, girl!
Want to work with Alla and Jo? Check out all the job postings on our careers page.
