Amazing to See How Women Are

"AMAZING TO SEE HOW WOMEN ARE GROWING EQUALLY ALONGSIDE MEN IN THE INDUSTRY"

Samina Yusuf, the Manager for Global Business Solutions, at Pixcom Group of Companies, speaks about her journey into the tech industry as a career choice

Can you share a little bit about what it is that you do and what a typical day for you is like?

I am proud to be working with Pixcom Group of companies. My role is Manager - Global Business Solutions, where I am privileged to handle a leading global client account with multiple projects at various locations within and outside of the GCC region.

We are involved in the complete project digitalization and aid in providing both hardware and software innovative ‘Smart Solutions’. My typical day is filled with a vast amount of interaction with stakeholders and management.

Did you always know that working in technology was what you wanted to do?

Strangely enough, yes. Throughout my career I have always been intrigued by the technology world and somehow been associated with it in one way or another.

How did you decide on it?

When I was offered a job here at Pixcom, I saw it as an opportunity to finally get into what has always been of deep interest to me. It was quite difficult initially, as I felt that I might not fit into this industry due to not having the technical skills or the ‘know how’ but for some reason I still decided to leap into it. It has only grown in interest to me ever since.

What first got you interested in tech?

Pixcom Group is not just any IT or a LED company. What makes us different is the leadership of our CEO, Shihas Kizhisseri, as well as the team’s expertise and innovative ways of digitizing projects in the region over the last 17 years. It is quite an inspiring story in itself, hence our tagline ‘Digital Transformation Experts’.

Every day is a new exciting learning curve. In addition to having great project titles and success stories in our pool, we also take pride in having a great team that is now more like a big family. What better opportunity could I get to learn about the industry, than from the experts themselves?

Would our world be different if more women were working in STEM?

Yes, I would surely love to see more women working in STEM, that would be great. It would contribute to a lot of innovative thoughts and motivation to work within teams in organizations. Women by nature have a great eye for detail, however that doesn’t necessarily mean that our world would be different, I am a firm believer in gender equality.

What obstacles did you have to overcome?

My previous years of management and operations experience wasn't in tech and actually I did have what many would consider a ‘Dream Job’, when I worked at the Dubai International Film Festival, for over a decade.

To move out of that industry and then dive into a technology company, I was worried about how I would be accepted due to not having much experience in this field. There were definitely obstacles, but I saw it as yet another learning and growth opportunity. By being involved with projects, people, different situations, I got better everyday. Without a doubt, I feel blessed to be where I am today, despite the leap of faith I had to take to get here.

What do you think is the best part of being a woman in the tech industry?

I think the flexibility. As a woman, it is so important to be working at a company that is flexible and understanding. I feel the technology industry is always thriving and is quite fast paced, there are always interesting thoughts, challenges that we are facing every day.

It is a thrilling job which brings a huge sense of fulfilment with every challenge that’s accomplished. Working alongside brilliant techies is one of the many perks, to be able to learn from the experts and have that constant drive to complete projects, it keeps me incredibly motivated. It’s definitely empowering to be working in an industry that is believed to be primarily male dominant.

Do you notice a lack of women in technology? If so, why do you think that’s the case?

I don’t think there is a lack of women in technology. As a matter of fact, I see a lot of the future generation gearing up to get into the STEM world. It is absolutely amazing to witness how the women are growing equally alongside the men in every level.

What advice would you give to a woman considering a career in the tech industry?

If there is even a slight interest you have in the tech industry, go for it! This field is so vast and exciting. Something that I have learnt from one of my closest friends at work, who is a computer engineer, is that the majority of the time, all that is required, is logic.

What do you wish you had known?

I wish that during our times, we had all the avenues for learning that kids have today. As we can witness through the COVID pandemic, thanks to technology, kids are still up to date with everything, whether it is common knowledge, school work or the news.

Can you imagine what our state would be like if we didn’t have the Internet and Smartphones? How would we survive this pandemic? Perhaps if all these tools were available to us back when I was in school, I would have had more knowledge on different things.

What do you do to unwind after work?

Every day, I start and end my day by thanking Allah. I then go to my most favorite place in this world, to my husband and my family. This is where I find true peace.