Women in STEM Edition 2 - Q4 2021

Read more at www.businessnews.ie

Q4 2021 | A promotional supplement distributed on behalf of Mediaplanet, which takes sole responsibility for its content

Women in STEM A Mediaplanet campaign focused on

EDITION 2

02

We must ensure that we continue to educate graduates with the necessary skills to allow Ireland to realise its full potential.

06

~Dr Shalini Hollingum and Dr Jennifer McKenna Connecting Women in Technology

Apprentices have the opportunity to earn a wage while they learn and build valuable skills through practical work experience. ~Jennifer Lynch BioPharmaChem Ireland

Finding your career for the future

cl % 30 by ed vid ro ep

Technology jobs exist in every sector Our Financial Services Group is eager to show the wide range of roles that go beyond the most well-known such as bank cashiers, personal lending advisers or stereotypes of Wall Street traders.

Instead, they want to demonstrate a much broader range of opportunities for building a sustainable and successful career in a modern tech-led industry, with diverse and interesting career paths, a strong reputation for investing in education and training, and an important part of the Irish economy.

The result is ‘A Career less Ordinary’ - a campaign including samples of role profiles and career paths from contributors within the industry. The initiative is designed to challenge some of the traditional stereotypes that exist around jobs in the banking and finance industry.

While the programme is not gender specific, it is designed to encourage more young women to consider the sector as a viable career option. It aims to show finance as a sector where professional life ambitions can be achieved through interesting innovative tech-based jobs, with career progression and the opportunity to move into more senior roles.

ag

Gillian Harford Country Manager, 30% Club

It aims to show finance as a sector where professional life ambitions can be achieved through interesting innovative tech-based jobs, with career progression and the opportunity to move into more senior roles.

Im

I

n Ireland, our 30% Club members recognise the challenge of finding the right career path and are committed to supporting STEM awareness programmes in schools. But we also need our traditional industries to focus on STEM careers and help with career choices.

ub

Choosing career options is challenging for any young person, particularly when jobs of the future are constantly being reimagined.

Early contribution to talent pipeline As part of continued support for building a future talent pipeline, we hope that these practical resources will be useful to students, parents and teachers in opening possibilities and bringing more talent, especially talented young women, into the industry.

The campaign is an official action measure of the 2021 Ireland for Finance Action Plan under the Talent Pillar.

The Department of Finance and Ireland for Finance have welcomed the initiative as part of our continued focus on building diverse talent within the industry.

The video and role profiles are available via Careers Portal, Ireland’s leading Career Guidance Website and through social media on Twitter, Linkedin and Tik Tok. Find out more at 30percentclub.org/about/chapters/ireland

The REEdI Bachelor of Engineering degree at Munster Technological University will produce engineers of the future, combining innovative content delivery, new immersive technologies and 2 years industry placement built in.

For more information visit: www.reedi.ie

AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT FROM MEDIAPLANET WHO TAKE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS CONTENT

Developing technology Teachers have a potential to help increase skills for the future female participation in STEM Ireland has the youngest population in the EU with 33% under the age of 25, which is of significant value and benefit to our talent economy for the future.

Edel Spillane HR Director, Unum

I

reland is regarded as a highly educated population with a high number of graduates. In 2018/19, there were over 228,000 students enrolled in Third Level education. We also have a strong, credible reputation for developing strong STEM graduates through traditional routes such as CAO. However, there are many avenues to upskilling and reskilling in this field.

Ireland’s technology sector is continuing to experience high demands for new and evolving technology skills.

Therefore, initiatives such as Springboard+ and Skillsnet Ireland are excellent accessible options for people to gain highly sought after skills and qualifications.

In 2008, Unum Ireland was established in Carlow as a thriving technology hub for our US business. Today our team of 190 employees deliver digital, infrastructure and software solutions and services as part of the company’s global technology team.

Developing skills for working environment We established an intern programme in 2015, as part of a unique partnership with the Institute of Technology Carlow. The programme consists of a six month opportunity for students to develop their technology, leadership and communication skills, become familiar and comfortable with a high-pace working environment and to contribute to the overall process of providing innovative solutions for our customers.

“We aim to provide meaningful project work, professional experience and personal development for every student that gets involved”, says Edel Spillane, HR Director Unum Ireland. The programme is concluded with a team innovation challenge which involves researching and developing a prototype to a specific Unum use case.

Since its inception, we have hosted 75 students and employed 40% of our intern alumni. In 2022, we will host the largest group of interns from IT Carlow, Waterford Institute of Technology and Maynooth University from various technology courses including Software, Gaming, Security and Data to name a few.

Find out more at unumjobs.ie

Shaping skills for future challenges Our interns are immersed into the technology organisation, a real life test case, working in a high performing team where they get to apply their skills and knowledge. “We are passionate about providing an experience that is beneficial and valuable to both the students and our teams”, says Edel Spillane.

Our intern programme is one aspect of our relationship with third level institutions. We are committed to providing industry knowledge, expertise and advice to our partners, to help shape and evolve the technology curriculum for the future. This partnership is so important and valuable to our industry as we continue to meet the ongoing demands for highly skilled and industry ready graduates.

Paid for by unum

@BusinessnewsIE

If we want more women in STEM, we need to get to them younger and teachers can help us achieve that goal.

T

he shortage of tech talent is a widely discussed topic.

It is becoming even more pronounced as businesses across all sectors have increased the adoption of emerging technologies to drive innovation, whilst recovering from the pandemic.

The talent shortage is seen as the most significant adoption barrier to 64% of emerging technologies, compared with just 4% in 2020. This indicates that as the demand for these technologies accelerates the lack of suitable workers to support the digital transformation will be problematic at some point.

Supporting tech talent pipeline Ireland has a strong reputation in the technology space. Large multinationals continue to invest significantly attracted by the people, culture and strong talent pools. We must ensure that we continue to educate graduates with the necessary skills to allow Ireland to realise its full potential and this requires more people to pursue third-level STEM studies, to maintain the future talent pipeline.

Paid internships for pre-service teachers The DCU STEM Teacher Internship Programme equips teachers at primary and secondary level so they can speak authentically about pursuing STEM subjects and careers.

“Since the pilot in 2016, which offered five roles in Accenture, the programme has scaled in 2021 to 45 pre-service teachers from three universities completing internships across 25 organisations, half of which are CWiT members,.” says Claire McEvoy, STInt Programme Manager.

How can the industry support education?

It takes time for any intervention to create the desired impact, but the scaling factor is a game changer.

With the ambitious target to increase the number of females taking STEM subjects for Leaving Certificate by 40%, we need more tech companies to participate in the programme to realise this change by 2026. “A relatively small investment from each company into a paid 12- week internship for a teacher could lead to thousands of students pursuing STEM,” adds Ms McEvoy.

A teacher can help increase interest in STEM The Government’s Gender Balance in STEM report highlights that there is no single intervention to achieve gender equality, rather multiple mediations are needed to effect the change required. Teachers are one of the biggest influences in young girls’ lives. A recent report from Accenture confirmed that teachers agree that students are more likely to study STEM subjects if they know the career or job prospects available thereafter.

We need to help reframe teacher’s mindsets around STEM subjects.

Dr Shalini Hollingum STInt Programme Industry Liaison, Connecting Women in Tech

Dr Jennifer McKenna STInt Programme Industry Liaison, Connecting Women in Tech

If your company wants to participate in the programme in 2022, please visit stemteacherinternships.ie

@MediaplanetUK

Contact information: uk.info@mediaplanet.com or +44 (0) 203 642 0737

Please recycle

Project Manager: Samantha Taylor samantha.taylor@mediaplanet.com Business Development Manager: Lucy Harris Head of Ireland: Ross Bannatyne Managing Director: Alex Williams Head of Production: Kirsty Elliott Designer: Thomas Kent Design & Content Assistant: Aimee Rayment Digital Manager: Harvey O’Donnell Paid Media Manager: Jonni Asfaha Social & Web Editor: Henry Phillips Digital Assistant: Carolina Galbraith Duarte All images supplied by Gettyimages, unless otherwise specified

02

MEDIAPLANET

READ MORE AT BUSINESSNEWS.IE

AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT FROM MEDIAPLANET WHO TAKE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS CONTENT

The reality is that women still only make up around a quarter of the current tech workforce and female talent is more difficult to find in our sector.

How we can encourage more graduates to consider STEM careers How – and why – a global energy management and automation specialist is taking practical steps to increase its intake of women STEM graduates.

A Rhonda Doyle Director of Operations Services and Projects, Schneider Electric

Sarah Jane Hannon Global Offer Management Director, Schneider Electric

Silvia Martini Customer Project Technical Engineer (Power Systems), Schneider Electric WRITTEN BY Linda Whitney

fter her engineering degree, Silvia Martini was looking for the next steps in her career. “I was looking for a company that would give me the chance to do some good in the world, where diversity and inclusion were important and women were supported,” says Silvia. So, she decided to join Schneider Electric’s graduate programme.

“Now I have completed the graduate training and have started work as a Customer Project Technical officer Engineer I can see that the company takes this seriously. There are plenty of women in the company, and Schneider believes in work/life balance too.”

Employing women at all levels It is a policy which appeals to women graduates seeking STEM careers.

Global Software Product Management Director Sarah Jane Hannon who works from Schneider’s Galway office says: “As a company, we are increasing the number of women employed at all levels. However, the reality is that women still only make up around a quarter of the current tech workforce and female talent is more difficult to find in our sector.” At present headcount data shows the Schneider workforce in Ireland is 38% female, with 38% in management roles and above.

Rhonda Doyle, Director of Operations, Services and Projects, and a member of the Ireland country management team, says: “We target a 50% gender split amongst our graduate and early-career recruitment intake. Between April 2019 and April 2020, we increased the number of female graduate hires from 54% to 62%.”

Meanwhile Schneider has hit its HeForShe IMPACT Corporate Champion targets. “We hit our 40% at entry-level (41%) and 30% in top positions (38% Executive Committee) in 2020,” says Rhonda.

Silvia thinks one of the problems is that STEM subjects are seen as difficult. “Lots of people think STEM is hard and involves lots of maths, which some are afraid of,” Silvia says. “But maths was just one part of my engineering course. Now I am at work, seeing how maths is applied in our projects means it makes more sense and it’s easier to understand.”

READ MORE AT BUSINESSNEWS.IE

Programme of variety and experience Schneider offers a 12-month graduate programme, involving two rotations, where graduates have the opportunity to work in different roles across its UK and Ireland offices, ranging from marketing, sales, tendering, project management and more.

Silvia says: “I did marketing and then engineering rotations. Now as a project technical engineer I help give technical support to the Power Systems business unit team. I work with a project manager on things like a client’s data centre project, new building or device configuration and sometimes we go out on site, which I like.

“There’s a lot of problem solving, which is satisfying, and you can look at an installation and know that you were a part of that which is rewarding. I’ve been inspired by many of the smart engineers and project managers at Schneider and the company’s dedication to sustainability.”

Diversity brings benefits, says Sarah Jane.

“Greater diversity in teams means our products and services appeal to a more diverse range of customers. In our software department we have women engineers, cybersecurity experts, project managers and product managers, working together with their male counterparts. Mixed teams bring a diversity of perspectives.”

Paid for by Schneider Electric

Not just for graduates Rhonda is working with local colleges on the Schneider Electric scholarships and with Solas on apprenticeships, encouraging more female applicants.

She says: “We are connected with local colleges where we give talks about STEM careers and introduce students to role models such as Silvia.

“We also offer scholarships and placements across the country office to university students, and we are looking to support more STEM and tech-related links with schools and bring in a formal work experience scheme.”

Find out more at se.com/ie/careers

MEDIAPLANET

03

AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT FROM MEDIAPLANET WHO TAKE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS CONTENT

Meet some of the women shaping and delivering the future of banking Jackie Noakes, Chief Operating Officer at Bank of Ireland shares her experiences of working in the sector and the benefits of running a talented, diverse and growing team.

an accessibility requirement or disability. I’m delighted that this year we were officially recognised by the Business Disability Forum as being a fully accessible organisation – the first in Ireland.

What are your favourite things about your role/organisation?

The pace of technology change in banking is rapid and it is exhilarating to be part of this evolution, especially at an organisation like Bank of Ireland that plays a vital role in the Irish economy and society. We’ve reached a tipping point between traditional bricks-and-mortar banking and 24/7 digital services.

For us, it is about offering customers banking that fits with their lives. We provide banking services in the way customers want – whether digital, over the phone or in the branch.

Our mobile app is our most popular way to bank, with almost half a million customer logins every day and traffic up by a third in the past two years. There’s a tech company inside every bank to deliver the new products and new functionality to meet the expectations of our customers, including the vast majority who are choosing to bank using our digital channels. I’m incredibly proud of how we are delivering this change.

Being able to offer colleagues ways of working that suit them has been a game changer. Rethinking the traditional office model is an important part of our vision.

Our flexible hybrid model makes working at Bank of Ireland more accessible to colleagues based in all regions and to those with caring responsibilities.

As well as my everyday job, I sponsor the Bank’s D&I Accessibility Network which aims to create a safe and accessible environment for colleagues and customers with

What is best thing about your colleagues and teams?

I’m constantly impressed by how colleagues utilise technology and innovative solutions to solve customer problems. For example, the rollout of our new mobile app last year and the digitisation of our mortgage journey. We’re on a constant journey of improvement.

We have many colleagues with deep technology expertise who’ve been in the Bank for several years and when you combine that with some of our new talent - highly skilled in data, digital, UX, cyber, DevOps – you get remarkable results.

The combination of exciting work using technology to solve customer problems, the abundance of learning and development on offer, the balance and flexibility we offer and the opportunity for upward mobility means that the bank is a fantastic place in which to grow professionally and build your career.

There’s a tech company inside every bank to deliver the new products and new functionality to meet the expectations of our customers.

Images provided by Bank of Ireland

Make sure you have a mentor.

I have had various mentors throughout my career and have found this very helpful.

04

MEDIAPLANET

Jackie Noakes Chief Operating Officer, Bank of Ireland

What advice would you give to a woman aspiring to a role similar to yours?

Make sure you have a mentor. I have had various mentors throughout my career and have found this very helpful. A mentor provides a great sounding board that is personal to you and will help you to think about challenges and opportunities from different angles, especially in the context of career path.

Our leadership programmes for women, including the RISE and Accelerate programmes for colleagues across all levels at the Bank, accelerate career growth via intensive learning, mentoring and stretch opportunities.

I have a daughter who is relatively new in her career and any time I give her advice, I encourage her not to get stuck doing the things she does really well for too long.

If she starts to feel too comfortable in her job, she needs to find a new one! She was promoted after a year in her first job having taken that advice and is on track for her next step very soon – so far, so good!

Find out more at careers.bankofireland.com

READ MORE AT BUSINESSNEWS.IE

AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT FROM MEDIAPLANET WHO TAKE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS CONTENT

Continuous learning helps colleagues evolve their careers As companies invest in learning and technology, colleagues expand their skills at pace.

Farha Fathima Senior Data Modeller, Bank of Ireland

Farha Fathima, Senior Data Modeller It’s an exciting time to be part of the team at Bank of Ireland, particularly in the area of data and analytics as we are on a transformation journey for our customers in how we are utilising data.

What I enjoy most about my role is that no two days are the same. I develop the data structures within the Bank’s Enterprise Data Warehouse by integrating all of our data sources into one simplified format. I have to understand where the data is coming from and interpret how all data sources relate to each other. I then provide this information in a digestible manner to key stakeholders.

Impact on customers and organisations I love seeing the impact that the work that we do as a team is having on the organisation and our customers.

Utilising cutting edge technology, such as Informatica Power Center, Teradata SQL and Tableau, we interpret, cleanse and model data for

I love seeing the impact that the work that we do as a team is having on the organisation and our customers.

many teams across the company.

For example, we are currently interpreting and modelling data for multiple teams across the organisation which will enable them to help customers keep track of their financial wellbeing. This collaboration across the Bank allows us to serve our customers in a data rich, informed manner.

I’m very proud that the Bank is investing in colleagues’ learning journey and also in the technologies we use to further enhance our data and analytics capability. I started working in IT 14 years ago and my main background was in business intelligence and data modelling.

When I joined the data team two years ago, they supported me to take part in a data analytics programme to upskill for my role. I have had the opportunity to continuously learn and upskill as the technologies I need to do my job evolve. I am now certified by the Analytics Institute as a Data Analyst.

Enabling better work life balance through hybrid working The pandemic has accelerated the adoption of a flexible, hybrid working approach to enable colleagues to balance their work and family life.

Having the ability to work flexibly means I can minimise energy-draining commutes and maximise time with my family, while also having the option to go on site.

Bego Urain, Head of CBS IT Service Assurance My role in Bank of Ireland involves looking after our digital platforms such as our 365 mobile app and digital services which affect over one million of our customers, so it’s critical that I remain well connected to my teams. I have fully embraced our new hybrid working model as it allows me to work in a way that suits my life and at the same time stay connected to colleagues. It’s very important to me that I can maintain my relationships with my team and wider departments as we work remotely.

Working collaboratively with many colleagues across the Bank in this hybrid way has been extremely successful. It’s great to be working in a high trust culture like the Bank that encourages us to work flexibly.

Flexibility can maximise productivity Before the pandemic, I was regularly on the move between multiple locations, taking taxis to team meetings and commuting to the office every morning. Having the ability to work flexibly means I

READ MORE AT BUSINESSNEWS.IE

can minimise energy-draining commutes and maximise time with my family, while also having the option to go on site. This means I can choose to work from home which allows for more time in the mornings for a walk or to spend time with my wife and son. If I decide I need to go to the office or to work from any of our hubs across the country, I can book a workspace and work where and when it suits me.

I’m very excited about the Bank of Ireland Academy which provides me with career and development resources, enabling me to grow. I use it to access learning pathways, explore future roles and connect with mentors from across the organisation. I recently completed a course in data analytics – something I hadn’t delved into before – and it was so useful, even if it made me question keeping all of my social media accounts! Having all of these resources online means that our opportunities to network, grow and develop are not limited even though we are working more remotely.

Bego Urain Head of CBS IT Service Assurance, Bank of Ireland

Spread paid for by Bank of Ireland

MEDIAPLANET

05

AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT FROM MEDIAPLANET WHO TAKE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS CONTENT

Apprentices have the opportunity to earn a wage while they learn and build valuable skills through practical work experience.

Apprenticeships: A great opportunity to kickstart a career in the biopharma industry It is important to remember the many contrasting routes of entering a career in the biopharma industry, one of which being an apprenticeship.

Jennifer Lynch Apprenticeship Project Manager, BioPharmaChem Ireland

A

n apprenticeship is a system of training that incorporates on-the-job training with some accompanying study.

Apprentices have the opportunity to earn a wage while they learn and build valuable skills through practical work experience. While apprenticeships were once mainly suited to particular trades i.e. plumber, electrician, plasterer; the post 2016 apprenticeships have incorporated many different professions/sectors including pharma.

The new post 2016 apprenticeships in Ireland are led by consortia of industry and education partners with a minimum of 50% on-the-job learning, allowing the candidate ample of time to apply their knowledge. At present, there are 58 earn and learn career options and over 6,500 employers who have been approved to train apprentices. An apprenticeship can assist in building valuable, work ready skills in their chosen field.

The laboratory apprenticeship programme For a candidate looking towards a career in the biopharmaceutical industry, the laboratory apprenticeship model may be a perfect fit. Laboratory apprenticeships are a higher certificate and degree programme that combine paid on-the-job learning with academic study. These programmes are suitable for leaving certificate students or mature students who have an interest in pursuing a career in science.

There are two programmes available; the first is a level six, a two year program which leads to a Higher Certificate in Science as a laboratory technician. The second is a level seven, which is a three year program leading to an ordinary

06

MEDIAPLANET

Bachelor of Science degree as a laboratory analyst. As part of this program, apprentices will follow a learning structure of three days per week on the job and two days per week academic study/lectures/labs and they will be paid a salary as set by their employer.

At present, there are 58 earn and learn career options and over 6,500 employers who have been approved to train apprentices.

Gaining hands-on experience This program began in September 2018, when it was launched by the lead education provider, Technological University Dublin, Tallaght. The program expanded to Waterford Institute of Technology in 2019 and will be up and running in further education centres in the future.

The apprentices will have a detailed list of learning outcomes and will be fully supported by the education provider as well as their colleagues in the lab. They will work with an industry mentor who will be there to guide them during the on-the-job portion of work and answer any questions to help them achieve their goals.

READ MORE AT BUSINESSNEWS.IE

AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT FROM MEDIAPLANET WHO TAKE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS CONTENT

I would also say not to be disheartened if you do not find opportunities straight away. It can be challenging, but keep an eye out, do your research and stay connected and up to date on sites like LinkedIn.

There are opportunities for everyone to be part of STEM Four women from the biopharmaceutical company Bristol Myers Squibb discuss their experiences in the STEM industry and provide advice on how to start a career in the sector.

Q: What are some of the key skills or personality traits that are important for your role?

Emma Daly Associate Director of Downstream Manufacturing, Bristol Myers Squibb

Eleanor Thornton Manufacturing Projects Senior Specialist, Bristol Myers Squibb

NO-IE-2100068

Siún: I would say that project management skills are essential. My role is underpinned by my ability to manage an investigation effectively.

It is important that I can coordinate myself along with all stakeholders to ensure that not only the investigation identifies the correct root causes and solutions, but also ensure the investigation meets its deadline.

Aoife: As an engineer, critical thinking and practical problem solving skills are vital. Problem solving skills can be developed and improved through practice, but certainly most of my day-to-day job relies on me being able to review problems and try to find effective, sometimes innovative, solutions.

Communication may not spring to mind straight away when you think of engineering, but it is crucial that I am able to converse with other teams and communicate my plans and projects effectively.

Eleanor: If you asked me back in college, I would never have said that I was good at delivering presentations or voicing my opinions in front of a group, but I have developed newfound confidence since joining BMS.

This is a testament to the team and managers and their encouragement.

Emma: I am conscientious, organised and have a strong sense of duty. Conscientious people are planners and we are organised. A lot of what we do in the STEM sector is planned years in advance. We follow a defined set of rules but also think outside the box when required.

Q: What opportunities for progression are there for women in STEM? What more could be done to promote the profession to women?

Eleanor: In general, I would say that yes, there are certainly plenty of opportunities for women in STEM. I think my experience on the BMS graduate programme really showcases the possibilities open to women in STEM. It provided a certain level of visibility on site and a great networking opportunity, along with career coaching with members of the site leadership team and getting exposure to lots of multifunctional teams and areas.

Aoife: Encouraging involvement from a young age is crucial. There are engineering scholarships aimed at women available to college students which are a fantastic support. But I believe focussing on primary school

students and emphasising from a young age that it is a role just as suited to women as it is to men is needed.

Q: What advice would you give to someone thinking about a career in STEM? Siún: I would say that there is always more than one avenue to get into a STEM career. My story is a great example of that. I didn’t set out with a specific idea or plan in my head that I wanted to work in the biopharmaceutical industry, but by following my interest I pursued the SkillNet course. This acted as a launchpad and gave me a foot in the door to the fantastic company that is BMS. I would also say not to be disheartened if you do not find opportunities straight away. It can be challenging, but keep an eye out, do your research and stay connected and up to date on sites like LinkedIn. Emma: Go for it - you will not regret it! Try to get a rounded experience in many departments within your company before you finally settle.

Do not be afraid to apply for jobs you perceive are stereotypical male or female jobs - you may be pleasantly surprised; I know I was.

Siún O’Donnell Manufacturing Technology Investigator, Bristol Myers Squibb

Aoife Conlon

Upstream Manufacturing Engineer, Bristol Myers Squibb

Find out more at bms.com/ie

Paid for by Bristol Myers Squibb

READ MORE AT BUSINESSNEWS.IE

MEDIAPLANET

07

AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT FROM MEDIAPLANET WHO TAKE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS CONTENT

How we’re encouraged and empowered to have successful STEM careers Europe and Middle East, Customer Solutions, remembers only too well.

“As a mother you wonder how your career will develop if you miss work for a period of time,” she says.

“You feel guilty about being at home, guilty about arranging childcare so you can get to an important breakfast meeting. I found it extremely challenging. But we can’t change our biological circumstances or pass everything over to our partners. It’s important that we don’t feel the need to take on all of the parental responsibilities ourselves.” Also, cautions Hickey, you shouldn’t feel obliged to make big career decisions until you are ready to do so. “See what works for you and what brings you joy. Always be yourself as your career progresses.”

Things began to accelerate when I began to be more vocal about my aspirations.

So be open about you want to do — not just within your own circle, but with senior decision-makers.

Three inspiring senior women from the fintech sector reveal how to navigate workplace challenges — and why taking charge of your career is the key to professional success.

I

Paid for by PayPal

08

f you’re a woman embarking on a STEM career, two things are practically guaranteed.

The first is that you are going to have a dynamic and exciting job that will be endlessly stimulating and fulfilling. The second is that you could encounter various challenges in your future. How you recognise these challenges and navigate your way around them, will be crucial to your professional development say three senior women from financial technology company, PayPal. It’s not just systemic obstacles such as gender bias that can put the brakes on your ambitions. Internal obstacles, such as lack of confidence, can also stifle potential. In her twenties, Maeve Dorman — now Senior Vice President, Customer Success, Sales Ops and Sales Enablement — believed that her hard work would automatically be noticed and rewarded. Unfortunately, things didn’t happen that way, but she didn’t like to make a fuss. “It was only when I began working that I realised I needed to take more ownership of my

MEDIAPLANET

career,” says Dorman. “Things began to accelerate when I began to be more vocal about my aspirations. So be open about you want to do — not just within your own circle, but with senior decision-makers.”

Why you need to be wary of imposter syndrome Laura Scully, Senior Director, Governance & Planning, Global Financial Crimes & Consumer Protection, agrees that women can’t afford to limit their careers with silence and self-doubt. She also advises women to be wary of imposter syndrome: the idea that they somehow don’t ‘deserve’ to be in the roles they occupy. “It’s a feeling that affects many women,” says Scully. “Yet always remember that you have a perfect right to move your career forward. You can’t be what you can’t see.”

When it comes to starting and raising a family, the pressure to step away from work — and therefore career-advancing roles — always seems to fall on women. It’s a feeling that Annette Hickey, Vice President,

Don’t underestimate the power of mentors and sponsors Thankfully, Hickey has had various supportive bosses, mentors and sponsors at PayPal who have constantly advised, championed and pushed her forward. “Mentors are invaluable,” she insists. “But, for me, having a sponsor — someone senior who would speak up for me around the table — was a game-changer.”

Good support and encouragement has benefitted Laura Scully. “Our organisation is amazing because there are women above me, like Maeve and Annette, who could have just sat back and enjoyed the view from the top, but instead reached down and helped pull me up. They taught me to always look behind to see who else you can pull up,” she says.

“As women, many of us have a side job—to help other women climb. I spend almost four hours every week mentoring and empowering other women,” shares Maeve Dorman.

“We’re lucky to work for a company like PayPal that empowers all women, whatever their circumstances, through its female advocacy programmes and other strategies,” agrees Annette Hickey.

“It’s a vision that comes from the top and encourages all of us to have successful careers.”

Maeve Dorman Senior Vice President, Customer Success, Sales Ops and Sales Enablement, PayPal

Laura Scully Senior Director, Governance & Planning, Global Financial Crimes & Consumer Protection, PayPal

Annette Hickey Vice President, Europe and Middle East, Customer Solutions, PayPal WRITTEN BY Tony Greenway

Find out more at paypal.com

READ MORE AT BUSINESSNEWS.IE