News
Preeta Ghoshal
02.04.2019
Even in 2019, there is still a stigma in society about women in technology roles. But one woman who is keen to change that is Ane González. After realising her ability to smash through the glass ceiling and make her mark in our FDM Glasgow Academy, she decided to take on a new challenge and enrol in the Software Development programme. Now preparing to go out on site with one of our high profile clients, she shared her story on why it’s about time women established their dominance in the technical world.
One of the reasons that FDM stood out to me was their passion for women in tech. Seeing such a strong emphasis on breaking the mould and encouraging women to push boundaries was what brought me here. You think you’re going to walk into a class full of men and feel like you don’t belong, but I was fed up of feeling that way and FDM’s initiative and accolade when it came to women pursuing technology careers drew me in from the start.
I’ve always come from a creative background. I studied Industrial Design Engineering with Product Development back home in Spain, when I started the business modules of my degree that I realised I didn’t want to work in a design studio. I came over to the UK during my last semester and I decided to complete my university studies on the Erasmus Programme here in Scotland. FDM was familiar to me through career fairs at university, I bumped into a friend who was studying for her masters and she encouraged me to consider looking further into FDM, as she joined the academy when she left university and it helped kick-start her career.
I had considered a business role, but after speaking through the options with my recruiter I began to consider Software Development. This at first sounded like an incredibly complex topic, but I love a challenge. We were assigned a few technical projects during my degree at university which gave me a flavour of what a career in programming would hold, such as working on the back end of websites. During this time, I also developed an interest in creating web pages. I wanted to be a woman in the tech industry and find my path in development. So when Alice, the recruiter, told me about looking into a technical pathway with FDM, I started doing some research into what being a Software Developer entailed and whether I would be a right fit for the programme.
The FDM Glasgow team were incredibly helpful when it came to preparing me for training and interviews. I remember feeling incredibly nervous but my Account Manager coached me and a few other trainees to equip us for interviews with a multinational investment bank. It was a great feeling to be one of the few women in the class, as I want to be able to do my own thing and develop a skill I can take to any line of work and succeed.
My advice to everybody is to always give things a go. If you try something – it doesn’t mean you’re stuck with it, there are so many avenues you can go down with skills like Software Development and Business Analysis – you have no idea what you like until you try. I believe everyone should be more open to challenges and try new things, it’s time to break the mould and challenge the norms.
FDM encouraged me to bring a new attitude to the table and to believe in myself. Being surrounded by this positive mindset pushed me to try something outside of my usual comfort zone and I’ve ended up taking a successful step into a brand new career.
Software Development isn’t just about coding – see how we can help you sculpt your career in the tech industry today.
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