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July 11, 2023 Women in Digital

The Australian Government and the Australian tech sector have a shared commitment to create 1.2 million tech jobs in Australia by 2030, and to help Australians across the country access those jobs. Getting more women in tech is one of the most impactful levers to meet this goal, bridging the gap of gender disparity and encouraging a wider talent pool from people of all backgrounds with non-technical experience to break into the tech industry. This is a topic Kanika Chopra is particularly passionate about.

Kanika Chopra is an experienced sales professional with an impressive history working in the tech industry. You might just recognise the big names on her resume including Telstra, Deloitte, Microsoft, DXC Technology and Data#3 where she currently works as an Enterprise Account Executive.

Like Women in Digital, Kanika is passionate about harnessing the power of technology to solve problems and create a better future for all, having always gravitated towards innovative ways technology can help to achieve customer success. In this Q&A, we get to know Kanika and get her valuable take on how to break into the industry with no technical experience, what it is really like to work as a woman of colour in tech, and gain insight into where the industry is headed to shape a future where innovation knows no boundaries and where women play a pivotal role in driving Australia’s digital economy forward.

To kick things off, what did 5-year-old Kanika want to be when she grew up?

A dancer! I was such a happy and hyperactive kid so this felt like a great future profession.

Tell us a little bit more about your background and you ended up working in this industry?

When I was finished Uni, I was looking to start my professional career and ended up receiving a great offer from Telstra as a Finance Graduate. After a few years there, I pursued a full time MBA at Melbourne Business School. This was one of the best investments I’ve made in my career as it really propelled me to take risks. Soon after, I was recruited as the country’s first ‘MBA Graduate’ at Microsoft as the company looked to broaden it’s horizons and hire more non-technical talent.

You studied a Bachelor of Business in Banking & Finance, coupled with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. Was there a particular experience or opportunity that led you to pursue a career in tech instead?

I accidentally fell into a career in tech. After completing the Finance graduate program, I started working with the Venture Capital team at Telstra as an Analyst. Essentially, I spent weeks listening to pitches from founders who believed that their little business idea was the next big thing. Invariably, each of these potential investments was centred around technology. The Telstra Ventures team was looking to invest millions of dollars annually into carefully selected tech start-ups that could yield new income sources for Telstra. The sorts of business ideas I heard were phenomenal. That’s when I knew, that I didn’t just want to work with numbers, I wanted to be in the digital and tech space.

We know one area you are also passionate about is diversity in the industry. We’d love to know more about your experience as a woman of colour in tech? How have your experiences shaped your career or views on the industry?

Diversity helps everyone. But it is well documented that – as a general rule – women tend to be more conservative when applying for roles or going for promotions due to our social condition. And I can definitely see that this concept of Imposter Syndrome is amplified amongst women of colour. This can show up as not speaking up or sharing our ideas. I am passionate about mentoring and helping women of colour break into the tech industry and achieve their full potential.

Tech is one of the fastest-growing industries with many people wanting to break into the IT / digital industry or pivot into this area. What advice do you have for someone who does not have prior experience?

Get networking! WID is a great start. You can also reach out to recruiters in the specific companies you want to work in.

Secondly – Get certified! You really don’t have a stale CV. The industry is moving at lightning pace and your skillset needs to evolve too. So I suggest that you pick your niche (security, cloud computing, analytics, etc.) and start nerding it out. It will pay off in spades.

The Australian Government and the Australian tech sector have a shared commitment to achieve 1.2 million tech jobs in Australia by 2030. What do you think can be done to encourage more women to work in tech?

Starting at the grassroots level, it is important to encourage girls to take up STEM subjects and STEM-focused careers. This ensures we have that the next generation of leaders are diverse and passionate. But for those women who are currently in professional careers or middle-aged, look to capitalise on the transferrable skills you already have. There is such a prominent talent shortage in tech.

It’s clear that as an industry and as a broader society, we need to do better to improve diversity in tech. What is your advice for women of colour who want to work in tech?

It’s important to challenge the status quo. Women of colour are plagued even more by the ‘pipeline problem’ whereby the number of women in STEM related fields is even lower. This is a result of systemic and cultural factors which are slowly being ironed out as globalisation makes our world smaller. My advice to women of colour is to be bold and believe in yourself. You have just as much value to provide as the other men and women in the room.

Any there any specific resources, programs, or networks you recommend for something looking to break into tech?

Free TAFE is offering Cert 4 in cybersecurity.

The certs for AWS, Azure and Google are approx. USD 100 each and they have market value!

What would you say to someone wondering if it’s ‘too late’ or impossible to make a pivot or break into the industry?

Tech is so much broader can coding and technical consulting. The roles are so varied, and it touches every industry from healthcare to retail. You could be using AI to perform remote surgery on patients, or you could be testing out technology which monitors inventory at the local supermarket. Tech is more than sitting behind a computer screen. Be open to change and skill up. See what transferrable skills you already have to break into the industry (e.g. sales or project management).

You have had the opportunity to work with some impressive tech companies including Microsoft and Deloitte, what advice do you have for women wanting to break into big tech organisations like this?

Get a mentor. These are not easy companies to get into. If you have a mentor within these organisations, they can help you navigate the nuances of the hiring process, and the extra skills you may need to acquire.

In your opinion, where do you think the industry is headed in the future? Are there any particular advancements in technology or movements you are excited by?

AI is the next big thing and it is already moving at lighting pace. We can already see the advancements in our everyday life. Just yesterday I was at the self-check out and buying a red capsicum from Woolworths. The camera used AI to narrow down the selection of produce down to red coloured ones only. It saved me a few seconds per product and improved accuracy across self-check out registers. AI is truly everywhere.

Embrace the change. Embrace your empathy, because this is the only skill which technology lacks and it is what makes us human.

And just for fun… Would you rather be 10 minutes early or 10 minutes late?

10 min early – although I am almost always 10 min late.

Call or text someone?

Call – the best friendships and relationships are made through actually talking to the other person!

What is the life hack you swear by?

Vision Boards. I believe that we can all work towards the goals we want to achieve and manifest the life or career we want. Get creative and build yourself a vision board today.

Thanks Kanika for chatting with us!

Keep an eye on our blog for more Women in Digital Member Spotlights and don’t forget to follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.


 

Want to join our thriving community of digital-loving, career-driven, diversity-championing humans and get access to exclusive members-only opportunities? Join the Women in Digital Membership today! Click here to learn more.


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June 16, 2023 Women in Digital

We know that self-promotion is an essential element of career progression, Harvard told us so! And yet, we also know that the confidence gap and imposter syndrome disproportionately affects women, who are most likely to downplay their achievements in the workplace. But how do we bring about the change we seek? It starts with exercising your self-promotion muscle and championing the people around us to do the same.

Despite their remarkable achievements and valuable contributions, we see women play down their successes time and time again. Whether it’s fear of failure, imposter syndrome, a concern of appearing ‘boastful’ or taking credit for team efforts, we want to highlight why taking note of your achievements is not merely a chance to receive well-deserved recognition, it’s about unlocking person growth, business growth and much more.

Self-promotion is time well spent and we’re here to remind you why:

Self-reflection and recognition

You’d be amazed by the number of times we hear, “I didn’t realise how well I was doing! I feel like a winner just for entering.” The nomination process encourages you to pause and think about your achievements and then articulate them. In fact, in 2022 over 88% of nominees said that they had more career confidence after completing a Women in Digital Awards nomination form. We guarantee the results are similar across other awards programs.

We know that in some cases, women may avoid applying for awards programs due to the perception that they might come across as boastful or self-centred. To that, we counter that sharing your achievements is not synonymous with arrogance. It’s about showcasing your hard work, inspiring others, and breaking barriers. Your achievements are not just about you; they pave the way for future generations.

We also acknowledge that many projects or campaigns and their delivery require a team. To the leaders of those projects that fear nominating for an individual award takes away from their team’s efforts, we say: just like when Nicole Kidman wins an Oscar, she is winning it for herself and the entire team that worked to bring the film to life! Be the Nicole Kidman! Encourage other women and your team by leading the way and sharing your successes.

But recognition aside, merely applying for awards or seeking to be nominated also brings a multitude of career benefits.

Career visibility

When we say ‘it’s not all about winning’, we really mean it. If you know the value of good marketing, you’ll know that it’s not just reserved for products and services. That principle also applies to careers!

While there is no doubt that winning is a personal and professional feat, sometimes not winning is just as valuable as taking home the trophy. Simply the process of applying is an incredibly valuable exercise and an opportunity for personal branding. Self-promotion is a skill you can take throughout your career as you navigate salary negotiations, job interviews, building your career presence and climbing the ladder.

Get your work out there, and let the success speak volumes about you.

Business exposure

This is an easy win! By entering awards programs, you’ll often have some of the industry’s finest judges and leaders review your entry and learn more about the work you do. If you become a finalist or winner, you’ll have even more of the industry’s best and brightest learning about the incredible work you do! This is business gold (hello free PR!) for Founders in particular.

Elevate your organisation

Have you ever thought of just applying for an awards program to be your company’s chance for a viral moment? You do now!

Taking part in an awards process, particularly if your organisation is shortlisted or wins presents a fantastic opportunity beyond exposure to build some excellent social proof for the business. Depending on the awards program, it can be an opportunity to align your business with an important cause or a reputable industry body, or both. It also makes for some great content for social media, your company website or PR.

Connections

The chance to make some incredible connections by just being involved in an awards program is extremely underestimated. Whether you’re interested in connecting with award partners, award sponsors, fellow nominees or judges who are often made up of knowledgeable and well-connected industry experts, you are likely to meet some great people along the way. You can also use your involvement as your golden ticket to spark a new conversation or connection with someone you admire in person or even on LinkedIn. You never know where your next opportunity might come from.

Just consider this quote from 2023 Women in Digital Awards Digital Transformation & Data Leader of the Year, Tamara Mirkovic:

“Following the awards I’ve had many people reach out to me on LinkedIn and other professional networking organisations for mentoring support, keynote speaking events and I was even interviewed on a podcast! These opportunities would have been out of reach if it had not been for the recognition associated with these awards and connections that I made through WiD.”

Inspiring others

If you’re familiar with the Women in Digital Awards, you’re probably familiar with the phrase ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’.

By sharing your achievements and participating in awards programs, you become a role model for others in your field and especially young people. When they see you succeeding and being recognised, it inspires them to believe in their abilities and strive for their goals. Your journey can ignite a fire within others, encouraging them to pursue their dreams and break through barriers.

New opportunities

Being involved in awards programs can open doors to some new and exciting opportunities. As a nominee, finalist, or winner, you may be invited to speak at industry events or conferences, join a judging panel, or even share your thoughts on a podcast. These platforms allow you to showcase your expertise, share your insights, and expand your reach and professional network. Such opportunities could also lead to further career advancements and collaborations.

When asked how the Women in Digital Awards impacted her career, Aishwarya Kansakar, 2021 Rising Star of the Year, responded:

“The Women in Digital Awards has driven awareness about my career and endeavours! I have received a number of speaking invitations to multiple national conferences and have spoken in front of hundreds of industry leaders. I’ve had the opportunity to increase my reach which has strengthened my position in the Australian technology community.” 

Practice self-promotion

We mentioned it already but we really can’t stress enough the impact of practising self-promotion on your career and confidence.

Applying for an awards program will not only encourage you to take stock of your achievements and spread the word. But hopefully by virtue, it will empower you and the women around you to go for awards and other opportunities.

It’s also an opportunity to practice skills such as crafting cover letters or grant writing which can be hugely beneficial.

Challenge the status quo

Finally, for the programs like the Women in Digital Awards designed to help shine a light on the career pathways and possibilities that digital and technology provide to women and underrepresented groups, we believe that unless we have more visible role models in digital and technology, we won’t change the status quo. By entering the awards, you are making a contribution to the future of digital. And let us say… the future is looking bright!

If you too are passionate about contributing to a brighter future of possibilities for women, we encourage you to ‘get your search on’ and start nominating yourself, your organisation and deserving women in your network today!

Learn more about the Women in Digital Awards and how to nominate here.


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June 10, 2023 Women in Digital

Big tech is a hot market for job hunters. Known for competitive salary packages, enviable work perks and a fast-growing landscape, it’s a booming industry that people are eager to get in on. The best part is, coding skills are not usually a requirement. Truly! If we took one key learning from our chat with Emma Crichton, it’s about what you have, not what you don’t have yet.

A 2018 Glassdoor study that found 43% of roles advertised by tech companies (around 53,000 positions) were non-technical opportunities. The ability to understand ‘tech speak’ or a degree in IT or Software Engineering is simply not a necessity. In fact, a non-technical background can even work to your advantage. Of the many companies we have talked to or partnered with, we know employers are interested in the candidates, particularly for Sales and Customer Success teams, that can bring a different perspective to how they communicate technology and connect with consumers. As Emma will tell you, the ability to connect with others and build relationships are key skills.

Emma Crichton, currently an HXM Account Executive at SAP and former Product Marketing Communications Partner at TechnologyOne, did not land her first role in big tech by accident. Starting her career in various marketing roles, including a stint at Women in Digital, Emma has carved her career with intention. In this Q&A, we get to know Emma, the experiences that have shaped her as a professional, how she carved a career in big tech, and her advice, particularly for early career professionals on being intentional about building a career in big tech.

To kick things off, what did 5-year-old Emma want to be when she grew up?

A barrister lawyer! (No really – I had no idea what that meant at the time, but I come from a family of lawyers and have two older brothers who I would constantly argue with). Needless to say, looking back it’s probably best I didn’t pursue that career path.

Could you tell us a little bit about how you ended up in your current role?

As the old saying goes… a friend of a friend of a friend let me know of a great opportunity! Throughout my relatively short career, people would always tell me that my personality would be suited to Account Management style roles. I didn’t understand or fully appreciate what they meant when they said that, but I decided to take a chance and gave it a go! I’ve since learned, it’s all about trust and building relationships with people, something you’ll learn soon below which has been a significant part of my background growing up.

You have had the unique opportunity to grow up in 4 different countries by the age of 14 – how do you think that experience has shaped you as a person and as a professional?

I wouldn’t be who I am today without my background. Growing up and moving schools six times in different cultures, I was constantly having to build new friendships with people. As a result of this, I am always naturally drawn to connecting with people. Particularly, in a professional context, understanding their unique challenges and how I can help them to solve these. Whether that’s for friends, colleagues or customers I am motivated by helping others.

To quote my Strength Deployment Inventory 2.0 results (a tool used to assess an individual’s strengths and their ability to interact with others, which I highly recommend!) I am: “motivated by the protection, growth, and welfare of others. You have a strong desire to help others who can genuinely benefit.”

Tell us, what first drew you to big tech as a marketer before you moved into Account Management?

I fell into it by accident after learning about the exciting graduate opportunities available in the tech space. I quickly fell in love with the fast-paced nature and constant innovation happening in big tech. It made me feel like anything was possible and I was excited by the idea that I could be part of something bigger that was contributing to society in a positive way.

Tell us more about how you have carved a career for yourself in big tech.

Curiosity and asking questions about what’s possible will open the doors to you in so many ways! There is so much opportunity in big tech and the sky’s the limit, you just have to be curious enough to find what’s out there and have the ability to back yourself (something that I tend to struggle with).

Were there any specific resources or mentors, or networks that have supported you throughout this journey? How did they contribute to your success?

Absolutely! The mentors and networks supporting me throughout my career thus far have been pinnacle in landing where I am today. My first internship was actually with Women in Digital while studying my Marketing/Journalism degree, which helped me to get a foot in the door with my graduate role in the R&D team at TechnologyOne. I met so many people (and still do as an active member of the WID community), who have been so generous in sharing their experiences with me.

From there, and to this day I have had many mentors who have helped me to better understand myself, the big tech industry, and how to navigate challenges through sharing their own stories. If it wasn’t for these mentors and them constantly challenging me to be better, I don’t think I would have been as confident in my ability to try something new and understand that it’s okay to fail at something before you can be good.

You have moved through a variety of roles in Product Marketing, Communications, Program Management and Account Management – what do they all have in common?

For all of these roles, despite all being in software people want to work with people. Having empathy and the ability to connect with people is a superpower in helping to achieve your own goals while simultaneously helping others to achieve theirs. We can achieve so much more by taking the time to ask questions and understanding what is important to people and why.

How would you describe what it is like to work in big tech for someone that is interested but hasn’t experienced it themselves? Are there any particular factors that stand out?

If you’re looking for any industry where no two days are the same and things are constantly changing – this is the place for you. I’ll admit some days this is a blessing and other days a curse! But for the most part, it’s really an exciting industry to be part of as you’ll constantly be challenged to come up with creative solutions to complex problems.

What advice would you give to graduates or early career professionals who want to be intentional about building their career in big tech?

Get out there and start speaking to people in the industry who are already doing it! It is scary, daunting and often uncomfortable – which is where all great growth comes from. When in university, I would often make an effort to attend networking events by myself, in order to force myself to meet new people and step out of my comfort zone. I always thought if I learned something new or met one new person who I didn’t know before, that I could count it as a win.

I remember once attending a deeply technical networking event on Artificial Intelligence. I was curious about the topic, but didn’t realise how detailed it would be. It was a panel of speakers at the beginning, followed by networking and I felt so out of my depth and like everyone in the audience knew that I was out of place. Afterwards, I chose to ask questions to the other attendees, who were more than excited to share their knowledge on the topic in a way I could understand. I walked away feeling like I was on cloud nine from having learned so much!

As you’ve mentioned, you have been quite involved in the industry joining clubs, attending events and volunteering as well. What would you say drives your passion for getting involved?

I love learning from other people’s experiences. It’s exciting to get to know people at different stages of their careers and hearing what they’ve learned along the way. You meet some phenomenal people who are out achieving the impossible and not letting anyone stop them. I find that mindset serves as a constant source of inspiration for me to be constantly learning, always curious and hungry to keep striving to be the best version of myself.

Do you have any tips specifically for building your network within the tech industry?

Join the industry groups related to what you’re interested in. For me, these groups provided a safe space to connect with like-minded people and ultimately these people were the ones who have helped me to get where I am today.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time? Do you have any career ambitions you are willing to share?

How long is a piece of string?! While I love a good long-term plan, at the moment with my new career in Account Management, I am simply focused on the next 12 months and understanding how I can best help my customers to achieve their goals.

And just for fun… We want to know if there are any podcasts or books you are loving right now.

I love listening to The Imperfects Podcast, as they interview people from all walks of life on their success and the adversities they have had to overcome to get there. I am guilty of looking at someone successful and forgetting that they have had their own share of battles that us as individuals face on a day-to-day basis. I highly recommend the two-part episode with Kate Reid, former Aerospace Engineer at the William F1 Team in the UK and more widely known as the Founder of Lune Croissanterie.

Like all of the episodes, Kate is extremely vulnerable as she bravely talks about her internal struggles of being the only female in the F1 team and then going on to create the perfect croissant dubbed by the New York Times as “the world’s best croissant”.

On your LinkedIn profile, you have “Enabling people to be at the heart of every organisation” as your headline. Tell us a bit more about this – how you came to make this your ‘why’ and what it means to you?

People are at the heart of everything I do, which extends far beyond my career. However, I’m very lucky that I work in a job where this is truly the centre of what I do day-to-day also. As employees, we should feel happy and empowered to go to work and feel like what we are doing is valuable. Only when organisations put their people first are we able to make this happen and the ROI on that is irreplaceable. Following COVID-19, this topic became the focus of far more companies who had to find creative ways to put their people first in a time of great uncertainty.

As you can tell by now – I am a very people-centric person. From what I’ve seen with the companies I’ve worked for and customers I’ve worked with, when organisations put their people at the heart of what they do, it reaps incredible results both from an employee happiness perspective to overall financial outcomes, and that’s what I help people to do!

You can have dinner with anyone, dead or alive. Who do you invite?

Based on the above… Kate Reid, as her story is so incredible and I’m a sucker for a good almond croissant (as an ideal three-course menu, all courses are a different variety of croissant).

What is your mobile wallpaper?

Flowers! Fresh flowers always make me happy and brighten up the room – when I’m working in the office I like having the reminder of the beautiful things that are outside on our doorstep.

And most importantly… Did you manage to get Taylor Swift tickets?

Yes! After many gruelling hours and square eyes from staring at multiple screens patiently manifesting the idea of leaving the TicketTek waiting room to purchase tickets.

Thanks Emma for chatting with us!

Keep an eye on our blog for more Women in Digital Member Spotlights and don’t forget to follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.


 

Want to join our thriving community of digital-loving, career-driven, diversity-championing humans and get access to exclusive members-only opportunities? Join the Women in Digital Membership today! Click here to learn more.


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May 31, 2023 Women in Digital

The business case for a diverse workplace is strong. Yet, at the grassroots level, we still fall behind. As Priya O’Grady will tell you, awareness is key.

Priya O’Grady is an experienced senior marketing leader, the Head of Marketing at Felix, a proud industry mentor and fierce advocate for diversity in digital. What you might not know beyond her LinkedIn profile, is that she is also a UK-born Indian, mother of two, daughter of a mother with a disability and the sister of a sibling in the LGBTQIA+ community.

For Priya, creating a culture of inclusion and respect for all aspects of diversity is not a mere requirement, it’s a responsibility. A responsibility that goes beyond a ‘box to tick’ and permeates every aspect of our professional lives.

In this Q&A, we get to know Priya and the experiences that have shaped her views on D&I and how to foster inclusivity in the workplace, why hiring the right person, not making a ‘diverse hire’ matters, and the fundamental importance of being able to back yourself in any room.

To kick things off, what did 5-year-old Priya want to be when she grew up?

I always thought I would be a doctor thanks to my parents pushing that on me… the reality is that I feel faint at the sight of blood so I would have been useless if I chose that as a career option.

In a 2022 report, ACS reported that women represent only 31% of the technology workers, compared to 48% across the Australian workforce. Could you tell us a little bit about your career background and how you ended up in your current role?

After finishing my degree in Media I knew it wasn’t for me (I just wasn’t passionate enough to make the sacrifices required to succeed in the role at such a young age). That’s when I started researching other courses and careers and landed on Marketing.

Once I knew what I wanted, there was no stopping me. I completed both my Master’s and Chartered Institute of Marketing Diploma simultaneously and landed my first job in Marketing whilst still studying – the rest is history!

My career has been varied, covering many different industries and facets of Marketing. My initial experience in the UK was for a global consumable wholesaler – this is where I learned a lot about data-driven marketing (including direct marketing), how to be respected within the boardroom, budget management, communications, advertising and branding. I got exposed to the full marketing mix and ended up running the show for a couple of years!

I then went travelling, fell in love with an Aussie and moved here. Since then I’ve worked in the NFP sector, Mining, Energy, Education and now, Technology. Each one has its own unique challenges – but also shows that good firm principles in Marketing can let you work across a multitude of sectors.

It’s clear that as an industry and as a broader society, we need to do better to improve diversity in organisations. What has sparked your passion for diversity and how have these experiences shaped your view of D&I in the industry?

I personally come from a very diverse background… I’m a UK-born Indian, who has a disabled mother and a homosexual brother. Diversity is engrained within me. But what sparked my passion was having kids and seeing leadership teams that are made up mostly of white men, or going to events where there is no one who looks like me stand up on stage and inspire me.

I mean don’t get me wrong, I love getting inspired by successful white men, but I also want to be inspired by women, our indigenous community, people from different countries, the LGBTIQ+ community, people with disabilities and so on. They also have great stories to tell that we can all learn from.

I’m passionate about living in a world where everyone is accepted for who they are and are not held back because they don’t fit a particular box.

In your opinion, why is it important for companies to provide opportunities and growth pathways for diverse talent?

You can make better business decisions when you have a full spectrum of diversity on your team. You’re more well-informed because you work with a cross-section of diversity and can probably unlock pockets of growth that you wouldn’t have thought about.

But also, it is our responsibility as leaders to create a culture of inclusion and respect for all aspects of diversity and promote the benefits – it’s the only way future generations will prosper.

We’ve seen mentorship play a pivotal role in many career journeys. What role do you think mentorship has in helping overcome barriers and biases? Was there someone that helped give you a ‘leg up’ in your career?

I’ve had a couple of great mentors in the past that have shaped how I still do things today. The first was a CFO who taught me the importance of knowing my numbers (both financially and strategically) and how this will earn my respect with the board. The second was a Sales Manager, who went on to become CEO. He taught me how to lead high-performing teams, how it’s okay to fail and how to remain authentic in my approach.

Between the two, I now have the confidence to back myself and also know that it’s okay to ask for help when needed.

I see initiatives such as Assisterhood are already trying to overcome these barriers within the Marketing and Comms space but I believe that companies also need to take some initiative by introducing diverse mentors throughout the cross-section of management and beyond.

The great thing about mentoring is that it’s a two-way program – both the mentor and mentee learn from each other and grow.

We often hear about diversity quotas and companies ’embracing’ diversity to tick a box. What steps can companies take to move beyond treating diversity as a mere box to be ticked and truly embrace it in their culture?

Be authentic in your approach. It needs to be part of your culture and values – but also don’t discount hiring the right person for the role just to hit your diversity quota.

Promote your inclusiveness!

In an industry where it is very much who you know, not what you know, what advice would you give to someone that perhaps lacks those connections?

Ha, ha, join the club! Having said that, I’m hoping things are getting better as we become more informed as a generation.

But my main advice is back yourself – because no one else will. If you want to become a leader or are a leader but want to take the next step in your career – let it be known, seek feedback on what you need to get there and if there isn’t that opportunity where you currently work then find out how they can help you get to where you want to be.

You’ve talked about the importance of backing yourself. What advice would you give to others about building that confidence to back yourself?

Honestly, it can be hard, especially if you’re not a confident person. I personally found reflection and feedback a really good way to build my confidence. Ask your peers to provide feedback and look back at your achievements – then use this as your strength to build confidence. I also love learning from my mistakes and knowing that “I won’t be doing that again” or “next time I’ll do it differently”.

Why do you feel at the ‘grassroots’ level we’re aware of where the conversation is going, and yet leadership still falls so far behind? How do we move from focusing on diversity to embracing belonging?

Such a great question – and I definitely don’t have the answer, however, it needs to be a culture change throughout the whole organisation for us to see truly inclusive workplaces.

What can employees do to encourage companies to prioritise D&I efforts and not just gender representation?

Speak up. It’s hard for management to see the gaps beyond diversity if we don’t make it obvious. As employees, it’s as much our responsibility to promote an environment of inclusiveness as it is for the leadership team.

I also want to say that gender diversity is so important! Women are great leaders, but so are men and women with other forms of diversity (such as race, ethnicity, gender role/identity, disabilities, culture etc.).

I think overall awareness is really important. If we don’t make organisations aware of our diversity issues then how can we make change? But I also want organisations to embrace change and all the positivity that can come with it, if not for our generation, then definitely the next.

Switching gears now… We want to know if there are any podcasts or books you are loving right now.

At the moment I am reading Atomic Habits and I am listening to Patrick Lencioni’s “6 Working Geniuses“. But I love listening to the Finite podcast for B2B marketing inspo.

Do you have any marketing hacks or resources to share?

Not really a hack – but I love completing post-campaign evaluations, seeking feedback from stakeholders and then using that to improve on the next campaign.

I’m also a huge fan of the test-and-learn methodology.

And just for fun… What would you like to be known/remembered for?

Tequila shots! Just kidding! Honestly, I just want my kids to remember me as a great mum who leads by example (the dream).

What is your go-to karaoke song?

There are so many songs that I have sung very badly to! For the purpose of this, I’m going to pick Wonderwall!

What sport would you compete in if you were in the Olympics?

I’m terrible at most sporting activities, but if I had to pick one it would be the 800m. My legs are too short for the sprint races haha!

Thanks, Priya for chatting with us!

Keep an eye on our blog for more Women in Digital Member Spotlights and don’t forget to follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.


 

Want to join our thriving community of digital-loving, career-driven, diversity-championing humans and get access to exclusive members-only opportunities? Join the Women in Digital Membership today! Click here to learn more.


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April 28, 2023 Women in Digital

The University of Sydney Business School recently hosted a Women Leading in Digital breakfast with Business School alumni and 2022 Women in Digital Awards winners Emily Bobis, Stevie-Ann Dovico and Elisa Chan to discuss the future of digital careers. 

Here are some of our favourite quotes from the event:

“What’s wrong with maybe assuming that the woman runs the company? At worst, they could (run the risk) of giving a compliment.” – Emily Bobis, 2022 Innovator of the Year

“My career is a degustation menu, I never pick a career on the traditional criteria of seniority or pay. I know if I don’t have something that’s going to be really hard to crack or challenging, I’ll get bored. It’s a like a degustation selection, I like to try interesting thing.” – Stevie Dovico, 2022 Executive Leader of the Year

“When it comes to risk and innovation, think of it as moving one step forward. ‘F’ for forward instead of ‘F’ for fail, is really important. That will help create that competitive landscape and encourage people to choose (tech) as a career path.” – Elisa Chan, UX Leader of the Year

Read the full University of Sydney article here.

Meet the 2022 Women in Digital Awards winners here.


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April 18, 2023 Women in Digital

Welcome to our very first Member Spotlight with the wonderful Liz Ballantyne!

Liz Ballantyne is the General Manager of marketing agency Media Mortar, Queensland Mentor Liaison of industry-wide mentoring program Assisterhood, Podcast Host of the Your Marketing Mates podcast, and is a mother of two small children. Liz has also been part of the Women in Digital community for several years now.

If you’re thinking ‘WOW! How does she juggle it all?’ We can tell you, so are we!

Juggling a full-time career and raising a family is no easy feat. Couple in other commitments like mentoring and attending regular industry events – it can seem overwhelming. Finding a supportive tribe that just ‘get it’ while building a network of like-minded humans to learn from can make all the difference, as Liz will tell you.

We thoroughly enjoyed putting together this Q&A with Liz to find out her tips for doing it all and what drives her passion for getting involved in the industry.

We love asking people this question! Tell us, what did 5-year-old Liz want to be when she grew up?

When I was really little I wanted to be a minister – I think I liked that they got to stand up and talk in front of people! As a teenager I was more interested in understanding the career path to becoming a bungee jumping instructor – mainly because I was annoyed the only career suggestions I was given at school were nurse, teacher or journalist.

It is commonly recognised that there are fewer female leaders in digital and technology. How did you end up working in this industry?

Long story really. I wanted to be a literary agent because I love books, stories and people. However when I graduated uni all the bookstores were closing down and it was a hard industry to crack into. In the end I fell into marketing and then got a graduate job at a tech company learning digital. It was a great opportunity because at the time it was one of six companies in Australia that were partnered with Google. I learnt a lot about digital marketing, tech and developers pretty quickly!

In the Your Marketing Mates podcast, we know that you and your co-host love to set a ‘word for the year’ to help set your intentions. Tell us about your word and what it means to you?

Last year it was ‘uncomfortable’ and was all about leaning into the discomfort that comes with pushing yourself and growing.

This year my word is ‘intentional’. I’m trying to be more intentional with how I use my time at work, how I spend time with my family, how I can use my voice, and how I factor in me-time.

You are a General Manager of an agency, a podcaster, a mentor liaison for a mentorship program AND a mum of two kids! How do you do it all?!

I would say not well sometimes! I have a very supportive husband who shares the load with parenting. And I have surrounded myself with a tribe of women who support me in different ways. And like everyone, I have weeks where I do lots of things well, and weeks where everything gets rather tricky and I drop a few balls. Thankfully, from what I can tell so far, the only victims who suffered during those tricky times are some house plants.

Overall though, I think what helps me ‘do it all’ is that I really enjoy 99% of it – it’s fun!

Do you have any advice for women trying to juggle it all?

I recently did a LinkedIn post on this which you can read here. But to be expand on that, I’d say the key thing is to be kind to yourself – sometimes you’ll drop a ball. Let go of the guilt of not doing everything the way you’re ‘supposed to’ and just keep trying.

And also find ‘your people’ – those people who understand the juggle and can help you. Everything is always easier when you don’t feel alone.

Finally, for me, a really helpful book was ‘I know how she does it’ by Laura Vanderkam. She interviews all these women about how they mange to juggle it all. It was honestly a life-changing read for me, and one I still re-read every few years. (TIP: It’s also available on audiobook which is super helpful if you’re trying to multi-task!)

We’ve already mentioned you do a LOT for the community from attending industry events, your podcast, Assisterhood and joining Women in Digital’s Membership. What would you say drives your passion for getting involved in the industry?

When I was 27 and pregnant with my daughter, I didn’t know what to expect about managing maternity leave, or how to juggle a career and motherhood. I’d just been offered my dream role, and I didn’t know how I was going to be able to do both. When I looked for role models of career-driven women in tech and marketing, who were also mothers, I struggled to find anyone. Everyone I spoke to seemed to be stay-at-home mums, teachers or nurses. (These ladies were all wonderful and make up my supportive tribe, but they couldn’t give me the example I needed at the time.)

I absolutely loved work, and was very worried about losing my identity and my joy of work. Before I had the baby, I even wrote myself letters to read in the future, reminding myself how much I loved my job and that my daughter would do fine in childcare!

In the end, I managed to find someone to speak to, and I went back to work and started the juggle of managing work and family. But I realised a few things then:

  1. I needed to build my network to find more like-minded people
  2. I wanted to share my experience with others – in case they like me, wanted to have both family and career, but didn’t know how

Also, I love learning new things, and by getting involved in the industry and meeting new people makes for a fun way to do this.

What career advice do you have for women wanting to grow into a leadership position?

Build your network and chat to people. This is how you can find people to help you identify where you need to grow to gain those skills, and who also can help guide you on how to reach that leadership position – they may have roles open or can talk you through how to bring up the topic in your current workplace.

Also realise it’s a journey – take those small steps, like any goal, to work your way into a leadership position. I like the analogy of a career being like a jungle gym – sometimes you go up, sometimes you go backwards, sometimes you go down – there is no one way to get into the position you want, so just keep focusing on your end goal and don’t give up. I’ve had people say that there is no way a General Manager role could be part-time. But I manage to do it. Is it easy, no. Is it rewarding – absolutely.

What is a podcast or book you are loving right now?

I’ve intentionally been taking a little breather from any podcasts at the moment, and instead listening to some fiction audiobooks on my commute and while doing housework. Don’t judge me, but I just finished listening to a Nora Roberts fantasy trilogy.

When I do have a moment to sit, I’m slowly working my way through ‘Leaders Eat Last’ by Simon Sinek.

Do you have any marketing hacks / resources you wish you found earlier?

I love following different social media accounts for an easy way to get snippets of info quickly. A few good ones include:

I’m also a huge fan of two time-management techniques which help keep me on track and realistic about what I can fit in a day – the Pomodoro Technique and calendar blocking.

and just for fun… What do you think is your superpower? What superpower do you wish you had?

I recently did the Clifton Strengths test and my top strength was positivity. I’d say this is a superpower which I took for granted for a long time. I think perhaps another superpower is my resilience/stamina – which I credit my parents with helping me develop from a young age. (Ask me one day about having to do ‘stick-picking’ in a paddock as a child 😉.)

Superpower I wish I had – easy! I wish I could click my fingers and be transported to a new location. I’d never have to worry about commute times again!

If someone offered you a million dollars to give up your smartphone forever, would you do it?

Totally – I’d likely do it for less! I could easily be someone who uses my phone just for making calls and texting. But I would appreciate it if they could make MP3 players more accessible again – they are hard to find these days!

If you were an athlete, what would you choose as your walkout song?

Hmm, I’ve started playing hockey and given I have no idea how to play and get super nervous, I’ve taken to listening to music to get me confident before a game. ’Pump it Up’ by Endor or ‘The Greatest’ by Sia are my go-to songs. I also listen to ‘The Greatest’ if I’m having a low day and need to try to change my mood before a busy day at work.

Thanks Liz for chatting with us!

Keep an eye on our blog for more Women in Digital Member Spotlights and don’t forget to follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.


 

Want to join our thriving community of digital-loving, career-driven, diversity-championing humans and get access to exclusive members-only opportunities? Join the Women in Digital Membership today! Click here to learn more.


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March 10, 2023 Women in Digital

2022 Women in Digital Awards Champion of Change Kate Kirwin shares how She Codes is cracking the code for gender equity in tech in an article by Curtin University.

In this article, Curtin graduate and She Codes Australia Founder Kate Kirwin shares how she is empowering women to pursue and advance in tech careers all over Australia. Meet the 2022 Women in Digital Awards winners here.

“The impact we’ve made through She Codes has been life changing and I’m proud of the doors it has opened for so many women. Many of our graduates have formed highly valuable connections with industry, dozens have returned as mentors and some have even gone onto win awards. Of our 160 Plus alumni, 72 per cent have pivoted into tech roles.” – Kate Kirwin, 2022 Champion of Change

Read the full Curtin University article here.


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January 20, 2023 Women in Digital

Introducing the 2022 Women in Digital Awards Customer Experience Leader of the Year, powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS), Rebecca Mitrevski!

Rebecca (Bec) is a Product Lead at Canva – an online design and publishing tool with a mission to empower everyone in the world to design anything and publish anywhere.

Rebecca was crowned the Customer Experience Leader of the Year for her work on Canva’s Creator Marketplace, a space built for creators to give Canva users a truly localised experience when they come to Canva.

Executing such a global project of this scale was ambitious and bound to be challenging. Throughout this project led by Rebecca, she demonstrated a totally different level of thinking and creativity, brilliantly leveraging internal resources and talent across Canva to build an efficient, scalable solution to help creators create more local content faster.

The judges were really impressed by the project’s return on investment as well as Rebecca’s ambition, leadership, and mentorship of women in CX.

We were thrilled to talk to our 2022 Customer Experience Leader of the Year about her winning entry, career journey and thoughts on diversity in digital.

Click here to meet all the 2022 Women in Digital Award Winners.

Congratulations Bec! We are so impressed by your entry and obviously so were our judges, but tell us, who is Rebecca Mitrevski?

Well first up, I’m only called Rebecca if I’m in trouble. Otherwise, everyone calls me Bec. My team has also recently given me other nicknames including T-bex, and chew-becca. When in doubt, though, just call me Bec.

Now that that’s out of the way, in a nutshell… I’m Bec, I am a Bikram yoga fanatic, I have a co-dependent relationship with my dog, Bella (pics below, you can see why I’m so attached), and I love building things. At work, that manifests in building products and teams, in my personal life it manifests in mentoring start-ups, and students.

 

What is something that not many people know about you?

I haven’t been to a hairdresser in 4 years. The last time I went, I was in shock after I got the bill and I haven’t been back since. Not proud of it. Part of me admitting this to someone is me reminding myself to get over it.

Who is your professional inspiration?

Mel Perkins. She is so good.

‘Product’ is still largely an emerging discipline. You can’t yet go to university to study a Bachelor in Product and often, people pivot into Product once they are in industry. Tell us, what did your journey to becoming Product Owner and now Product Lead look like?

Yessss this is so true.

First up, I didn’t study tech. I don’t come from a tech family. Both parents were from migrant families, my parents didn’t go to university – my mum didn’t finish high school, and my dad was a bus driver. I grew up in South Western Sydney (Campbelltown, 2560 represent).

Tech was not on my radar when I was growing up and if someone had suggested I go into tech, I would have been waaaaayyyyyy too intimidated. I am here because people opened doors that I didn’t know existed.

When I decided to go to university, I was convinced I was going to be a child psychologist so that I could help children from underprivileged backgrounds. I went to an interview for a psychology scholarship, and afterwards, Nicola Ronan from the university called me and said “Hey, I’m going to put you forward for a double degree scholarship. Take on a commerce degree too. I think you’ll like it.”

And so I studied psychology and commerce and I loved it. In my final year, I did a forensic psychology subject and realised that I probably didn’t have what it takes to be a child psychologist. That was a scary realisation after 5 years of study and when it was time to find a job. 

I then went into Human Resources but realised that also wasn’t for me.

Thankfully, a mentor called George Robinson then took me under his wing and invited me to spend time with his team, which did due diligence on internal transactions >$10m. This is where I learned about the tech space. I remember George saying to me “Go where the money is – Digital or Mandatory, Compliance-led projects”. Digital was way more “Me.”

From there, I spent time in a Strategy and Operations role before I went into Product. And I found my fit. I’ve been in Product since.

About 5 years ago, I was with another very influential leader in my life, Stephen Bowen. We were building a team in India, from Australia. And it was hard. The tech wasn’t great, we could barely hear people in India when we were in video conferences with them, we didn’t understand each others’ culture, and we hadn’t chosen the team leaders to ensure their values and way of working aligned. It was hard. Stephen suggested I head to India and spend 6 months there building the team from the inside. I lived in Pune for 8 months, building that team and product and we achieved great, unprecedented things together.

From there I moved to Canva. I was one of those people who was told they were crazy for joining a startup during Covid. I couldn’t be dissuaded, though, I’d found my people. And here I am, still at Canva. It’s a place where I’ve been able to do my best, most impactful work yet.

Again, I am only here because people opened doors for me and I could not be more grateful to Nicola, George, and Stephen for lifting me into greater challenges.

How did you end up working in this industry?

After spending time in banking and telecommunications I wanted to flex different muscles by going to a much smaller company. I also wanted to be somewhere that was female-led and Canva ticked both of those boxes.

What do you wish people knew about a career in Product?

I’ve read the book “The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work” maybe 6 times now, which is hilarious because I’m not married* BUT this book gives me so many tips for managing relationships. I’ve found the better I become at growing and improving relationships, the easier Product becomes.

*Unless you’re my mum or my grandmother, in which case, this is not hilarious.

What’s your go-to resource recommendation for Product people?

Lol. See above. It’s not a product manual but it’s the best thing any product person could read.

What has been the best career advice you’ve ever received?

It hasn’t been explicit advice but watching Mel lead Canva has been transformative for me.

She invests so much in storytelling and bringing people on the journey. She exudes joy. She’s kind. She’s empathetic. I feel like I have a model of the kind of leader that I want to be from watching her.

Welcome to our WIDAwards Alumni! We want to know… what does winning this award mean to you?

It’s been a good moment to pause, feel proud and then reflect “Ok, I’ve had a positive impact, am I doing the most that I can to amplify that and apply that where it’s needed most” and it’s inspired me to plug into schools and start-ups more so that I can help and support others’ growth.

Obviously, Canva is a game-changer in terms of design software (and our go-to at Women in Digital HQ)! But tell us why you think Canva is so important for creators (and the wider public for that matter)?

Canva is on a mission to empower the world to design and diversity and authentic representation are at the heart of that.

With our Creators, we are able to partner with designers, videographers, photographers and illustrators all over the world to provide truly diverse local content for every Canva user.

Users benefit from this, they can come to Canva and find content that represents their culture and use that to authentically express themselves.

Our Creators benefit too. The last 2 years have been turbulent for artists, worldwide. First, we had Covid hit. When this happened we had just started the Creators beta and it was at a good time because many designers had been laid off. Many of us were also locked down. The Creators product gave us a community to connect, learn, explore, grow and earn together. Even now we have Creators share how meaningful the partnership between Canva and Creators has been.

Tell us more about your journey with Canva! Do you have any key personal highlights?

There’s so much I could talk to here… the impact the Creators team has had is so wonderful. The biggest highlights, though, are notes that the Creators send us. 

Here are some of the highlights and stories, which make me smile, which I regularly go back to:

“Something that started as an extra, dedicating a little time when I could, became a very important pillar in my life.”

“I realized that it wasn’t just a job, it was something that fulfilled me. From the creative freedom it offers, the human quality of all those who are part of it and the joy of sharing my designs with many people, it really is something unique… Thank you #Canva for making my days happier and to all the team that accompanies us every week. Today we are a #canvafamily and we have a lot of love and templates to share”

“Just want to say thanks to the Canva team. I am going through the toughest time as my father is admitted in hospital for the last three months and has no insurance. It wouldn’t be possible for me to bear all the hospital expenses but Canva creator’s income helped me a lot. Canva is just not saving time it’s saving lives too.”

“At late evening, when the [baby] is asleep we both thank god that you found us. We are so happy to be with you guys on this adventure. Lifetime experience and feels like we are actually working with you guys, feels like we have a team! :)”

“I really, really appreciate all that you and the team are doing at Canva. This is my first time working with a company that really listens to and understands designers, and also takes quick action to make things easier! I really love the experience and can’t wait to see how things progress”

What do you consider the biggest challenge you faced while working on the Canva Creator Marketplace? How did you overcome it?

The war in Ukraine has been – by far – the greatest challenge that we have faced.

When the war broke out, we had a heartbreaking moment when we realised we had thousands of Creators in Ukraine and they were at risk. Some of these Creators I know personally and would consider a friend (Hi Ilona!). Canva quickly mobilised to distribute $500k to Ukrainian Creators via our Peacefund, knowing many would not be able to design at this time but would need money.

Seeing their appreciation filled our hearts with so much joy. Soon after that, Canva made the decision to exit Russia. 

We had so many stories of everyday Russians who weren’t supportive of the war but wanted to continue creating for Canva. We were incredibly sad that we could no longer continue that partnership.

We worked through both of these challenging times, by banding together as a team, as a company and as a community.  

It was the most challenging time for us, but we leaned on each other, we kept communication lines flowing and we worked tirelessly to respond in the way that was the most aligned with Canvas values.

What is next for you and Canva in 2023?

We’re really just 1% of the way there. It will be another massive year ahead as we continue doubling down on the huge opportunity for Canva, especially among teams and workplaces. We’re also continuing to hire around the world. Finally, we’re continuing to double down on innovation. We were the first to market with our Text to Image product which we announced at Canva Create. We’re excited to be working on lots more in this space like the recently released AI-text generator, Magic Write as well as continuing to build upon all of our new Worksuite products.

What’s your personal philosophy when it comes to customer experience design?

Don’t be afraid of doing things manually and hackily (is that even a word) first. In fact, have fun doing that, it’s how you learn what your customers actually need.

What would you tell someone interested or unsure about what a career in tech looks like?

It’s the way of the future.

If you aren’t in tech, you are cutting yourself off from the industry that has and will continue to have the greatest and most accelerated earnings opportunities. Women need to be in this space, or else, you will miss being in a space that is experiencing steady earnings growth.

What do you think can be done to improve diversity in the digital industry, particularly in more technical positions?

I mentioned Nichola Ronan and George Robinson earlier. What was probably a small gesture for them (suggesting I do a double degree and inviting me to join his team so I can explore a career out of HR, respectively), changed my life and career path.

If more people in leadership create these micro opportunities for the next generation, these tiny opportunities shape people and send them on a different path. Sure, you might be in a tech space and they probably won’t understand what’s going on but it matters. Every opportunity matters.

What do you believe is the importance of industry awards such as the Women in Digital Awards?

It spurs so many convos about women in tech. Social proofing and opening doors.

And finally, Bec, if you could leave the Women in Digital community with one parting word of wisdom, what would it be?

Give young people micro opportunities. Have a work experience student shadow you for a week, volunteer in a mentoring program, suggest an intern spends time in your team – do something that opens students’ eyes to other spaces – esp if they come from disadvantaged backgrounds, they won’t even know that these areas exist.

Once again, congratulations Bec on this achievement and thank you for taking the time to chat with us!

To read more Q&A blogs from our line-up of Women in Digital Award Winners, head over to our blog and keep an eye out for more stories on our LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. You can also see our incredible list of 2022 WIDAwards here.


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January 18, 2023 Women in Digital

Introducing the 2022 Women in Digital Awards Digital Workforce: Skills for the Future winner, powered by the Queensland Government Department of Communities, Housing and Digital Economy, WithYouWithMe!

WithYouWithMe (WYWM) is a social impact, profit-with-purpose organisation working towards a future where underrepresented groups are offered the opportunity to find meaningful careers. Challenging traditional hiring practices, WYWM focuses on a jobseeker’s potential to learn and grow over their previous work experience.

WYWM won due to their incredible impact in assisting thousands of individuals to find their career potential and access free digital skills training. WYWM has more than 75,000 users on their platform globally with underrepresented and underemployed communities including women, veterans, neurodivergent talent, military families, Indigenous communities, refugees and young people at the very start of their careers.

WYWM has recognised its talented and diverse workforce is a key component of its competitive advantage. The judges were thoroughly impressed by their mission and outstanding impact, tackling the global digital skill shortage while creating a more equitable future.

Here’s what WYWM‘s Chief Marketing Officer Alicia Kouparitsas had to say about their win on the night:

We were thrilled to talk to Alicia, about WYWM’s winning entry, the importance of industry awards such as the Women in Digital Awards and thoughts on improving diversity in digital.

Click here to meet all the 2022 Women in Digital Award Winners.

Congratulations WYWM for taking home the trophy for this incredible category! We are so excited to be chatting with you! Tell us a bit about WYWM.

Thank you! It’s an honour to be recognised amongst such worthy women and organisations.

WithYouWithMe is an Aussie startup that was founded in 2015 to solve the problem of veteran underemployment. We soon discovered that CVs were a significant barrier to employment affecting numerous groups in society. We’ve come a long way since then and today, we help thousands of people from all parts of society around the world – including women – to find meaningful employment in tech careers.

What I really love about our company is beyond helping people to create meaningful careers, we’re also solving a major economic challenge. The digital skills shortage is a significant barrier to growth and productivity around the world, and we’re helping to solve it by finding tech talent where no one else looks. We want to change the way people recognise talent and create a path for the underserved. And in doing so, we want to create a more equitable world.

How would you describe WYWM as a workplace in just one sentence?

We’re an inclusive, highly diverse and forward-thinking workplace that gives our people the opportunity to thrive by valuing their potential to succeed in a role over their experience.

What is one thing not many people know about WYWM?

While we started in Australia in 2015, our fastest-growing markets are international. We have more than 75,000 users on our platform from around the world – with the fastest growth coming from Canada and the UK. We now work closely with some of the world’s biggest businesses and government agencies, including the UK, Canadian & US Governments, which is pretty exciting.

What differentiates WYWM from other organisations you have worked for?

WithYouWithMe is a people-first organisation that is focused on what a person is capable of achieving, rather than if they’ve previously had the opportunity to prove themselves. We want a meritocracy – where potential is rewarded. This belief is what drives our approach to help any group who is overlooked and under-represented so they have the opportunity to contribute and make a difference.

We’re also deeply focused on building communities, groups of people who care for and look after each other. We focus on connection and impact first, and from that comes growth.

Welcome to our WIDAwards Alumni! We want to know… what winning this award means to WYWM?

Supporting more women into tech careers is a key focus for WithYouWithMe, and having the support of the WID community is helping us make an even greater impact in this space.

Currently, women only hold between 17 – 27%* of roles in the tech sector (which is the average rate across the markets in which we operate). We are firmly focused on levelling this number up by increasing female participation in the tech workforce. Many women discount themselves for a tech career as they don’t feel qualified or like they have the natural skills or abilities. When you look at the data, this couldn’t be further from the truth. We want to help more women to realise the potential they have to excel at a rewarding technology career, and programs like WID are key to helping us get there.

As Chief Marketing Officer at WYWM, what does winning this award mean to YOU??

Our team pours their heart and soul into solving under-employment – whether it’s serving the under-served with career pathways for in-demand tech roles, or uncovering latent, overlooked talent within an organisation, awards like this help raise awareness of the important work of our extraordinary team – which in turn helps us make an even bigger impact. We won’t stop until we solve under-employment – and we need lots of voices to help us get there.

What does it mean to WYWM to have a commitment to digital skill development and training?

The digital world moves rapidly, and skills are constantly evolving. When it comes to tech careers, degrees and past jobs are not as valuable as the right aptitude, attitude, learning style and psychographic profile to quickly pick up the skills needed to thrive in digital. Our proprietary assessment software is more suited to identifying tech talent than any measure in the market, and certainly more effective than a CV. The utilisation of assessment and skills mapping remains the least developed aspect of the recruitment process. It is our superpower, and it’s how we’re helping individuals build meaningful tech careers and organisations bridge their digital skills gaps.

Whilst WYWM has clearly made an impact with its’ free digital skill development training, what is WYWM currently working on internally to improve or add to its current program, grow the team?

Our ‘Discover Potential’ program has helped place thousands into work at some of the world’s biggest employers – which has given us the opportunity to show organisations our approach can also help them manage and optimise their own workforces as well.

Grow Potential‘ is a new product we’ve recently launched to support this demand. Grow is a data-led employment platform that uses our profiling and assessment technology to create an accurate assessment of team productivity and employees’ natural strengths, hidden abilities and potential to be successful in a role.

Grow Potential is perfect for organisations looking to create meaningful career pathways for their employees with a focus on reskilling, career development and retention. It also helps guide decision-making around workforce planning for change management and business transformation.

This is a really exciting area of growth for us and will help fuel our broader social impact program. Every software licence we sell to an organisation allows us to train 10 individuals from diverse groups for free.

What advice do you have for organisations wanting to put forward for a submission for an awards program but aren’t sure if they should?

It’s really easy to be task-focused and always be working on the next big thing, without stopping to celebrate the wins along the way. I think awards are a great way to reflect on and acknowledge team achievements and my advice is to just throw your hat in the ring. Whether you win or not, you have the opportunity to share your team’s hard work and to connect with others in the industry who are doing great things. I’ve made some wonderful connections through the WID network and definitely encourage you to get involved!

Aside from WYWM’s incredible skills training program, we would love to share more about WYWM’s approach to improving diversity within the company.

As an organisation, we practice what we preach and most of our own employees have been sourced from our diverse talent pool. All of our people do our aptitude assessment at the start of their journey with us, and we continue to review these results to ensure we are carving meaningful careers that allow our people to achieve their potential.

Every time we read WYWM’s nomination, we are in awe! Tell us more about your ‘profit with purpose’ model and its impact

Many people experience hardship as a result of outmoded and biased employment practices. People who don’t have years of experience, degrees, or shiny corporate connections are often overlooked for job opportunities, regardless of their potential or their fit for the role. This triggers our deeply ingrained sense of justice. We want to help under-served communities to overcome the prejudices of the corporate world, and provide a lifeline to those who need it most.

We know there is a huge propensity for tech roles in untapped talent pools of people from overlooked or under-served segments of society. We know the cycle of unemployment and underemployment is degenerative and intergenerational. We know the barriers to entry from traditional training and education models preclude these groups. We want to change all that.

We’ve helped thousands of under and unemployed people find their potential without investing years and money into education because we train fast, and our training is free for these communities. We constantly reinvest in our product and our communities to provide training to more overlooked individuals, because we believe in a more equitable society.

WYWM is leading the way in its commitment to supporting many underrepresented communities through digital skills training. What are some simple steps or quick wins other progressive employers can do the same?

So many organisations say they can’t find the tech talent they need. We believe this talent exists in under-represented groups in society and is often sitting dormant within many organisations as well. There are many people who are in administrative roles in a business who could be quickly trained to step into an entry-level tech role.

Leaders need to challenge the traditional way of recruiting and workforce management to fix this problem – and we can help. We’ve just launched an introductory program that gives organisations that are curious to work with us the ability to access a heavily-reduced pricing model, so they can see the benefits for themselves.

There’s the option to hire diverse talent into their organisation, or to test and train 100 of their people in their existing workforce to upskill in new roles. It’s a great deal designed to help us make a bigger impact, but it’s limited time, so get on board quickly!

How does WYWM aim to remain committed to your learning and development initiatives in the future?

We believe in continuous and lifelong learning – particularly when it comes to digital skills. Every time we deploy an individual into an organisation, we continue to provide them with access to our platform so they can continue to upskill over time. This helps the individual grow their career, and the employer to future-proof their workforce.

From our own organisational perspective, training is also key to our organisation. We work in six-week sprints – which we call Fierce Cycles – and week 1 is always a training week to give our people the opportunity to grow their knowledge and expertise.

Is there anything you can share about the future of WYWM?

We remain committed to solving under-employment globally and are continuing to bring on board exciting, inspiring partners in countries around the world to help us do this. The year ahead will see lots of growth, into new geographies but also new communities where we can make the biggest social impact possible.

What do you believe is the importance of industry awards such as the Women in Digital Awards?

Fostering a culture of innovation and inspiration is important in helping us improve the way we operate, whether it’s at the individual or organisational level. Industry Awards like the Women in Digital Awards provide a smorgasbord of inspiring people and innovative practices that will drive our sector forward. We need these forums to celebrate the wins and also keep us moving forward.

What technology development is most exciting to you at the moment?

Generative AI – and in particular Generative Pretrained Transformers – is fascinating and has so many implications for technologists. As someone with a comms background, I’ve been sceptical but the tech is moving ahead in leaps and bounds and could have an enormous impact not just in driving things like marketing efficiency and effectiveness, but also in programming and computer engineering. Adding it to my learning list for sure.

And finally, Alicia, if you could leave the Women in Digital community with one parting word of wisdom, what would it be?

There’s a statistic that often gets circulated around how men apply for a job when they meet only 60% of the requirements, but women apply only if they meet 100% of them.

As women, we need to stop self-selecting out of opportunities. Understanding what we are capable of and the types of roles we can fulfil shouldn’t be based on gut instinct or personal perception. Go to the data. WithYouWithMe’s approach is based on understanding an individual’s true potential – and we provide comprehensive aptitude and attitude testing and career reports for free to all women. Having an informed view of what you could do and be is incredibly empowering. I really encourage everyone in the WID community to jump on our website and get their free assessment so they can see what they are truly capable of. All free and no strings attached. Let’s do this.

Once again, congratulations WithYouWithMe on this accomplishment and thank you to Alicia Kouparitsas for taking the time to chat with us!

To read more Q&A blogs from our line-up of Women in Digital Award Winners, head over to our blog and keep an eye out for more stories on our LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. You can also see our incredible list of 2022 WIDAwards here.


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December 21, 2022 Women in Digital

At the 2022 Women in Digital Awards, the Employer of the Year award was awarded to GLASS, proudly powered by Hunt & Co. – a boutique digital recruitment agency based in Brisbane. Following the WIDAwards Gala, Hunt & Co. reach out to Co-Founders Erin McCarthy and Wayne Custodio to talk all about their incredible achievement!

GLASS is a future-focused management and technology consultancy that adopts a human-centred lens to innovatively solve business problems across digital transformation projects. They are driven by a desire to bring together a diverse range of people committed to changing the way the digital industry works. The WIDAwards judges were incredibly impressed by GLASS’s commitment to championing diversity of all kinds, demonstrating the importance of culture in everything they do from the top down.

We loved reading this Q&A with Erin and Wayne talking all about their win as well as GLASS’s diversity goals, recruitment strategies and employer branding. You can read Hunt & Co.’s Q&A with GLASS here.

“I firmly believe that diversity in our team creates an environment that has more collaboration as our people are eager to learn from each other and bring their unique ways of looking at the world to the table. We are living proof that investing in more diverse teams has created better connections and collaboration, leading to a culture that for GLASS has been more open and welcoming.” – Erin McCarthy

Click here to meet all the 2022 Women in Digital Award Winners.

Learn more about Hunt & Co. here and if you haven’t already, follow Hunt & Co. on LinkedIn!