Women in tech: Finding strength in support pillars at work

At Accenture, we provide our people with a strong support network to help them attain their personal and professional goals. One of the ways our people grow is through finding a mentor—someone they can look up to and rely on for advice. Check out the stories of our four #WomenInTech and see how having a strong pillar of support helped them thrive.

Taking the steps to grow my tech career

As a millennial, I saw how technologies such as smartphones and computers evolved. I often wondered how far technology can go to help people. Today, my work at Accenture allows me to harness the power of tech to improve the lives of others.

I joined the company after graduating from college more than two years ago. At the moment, I work in a banking delivery center as part of the Project Management and Assurance (PMA) team. I often meet our stakeholders as the current project I’m part of is still in its early stages. Once the project requirements are finalised, our team will start tracking the delivery centre’s performance. One thing I know about working at Accenture is that no matter what the challenge may be, I’m confident that our team will conquer it through collaboration.

Speaking of conquering obstacles, there is one particular person who always helps me overcome my problems—that is my mentor and career counsellor. I met Jasmine on my first day at work. Back then, I felt very nervous as a fresh graduate who had just landed her first job. Jasmine noticed this right away and assured me that I was here because Accenture saw my potential. Her words were extremely comforting and helped me feel more confident.

During our career chats, Jasmine always asks me about my aspirations. From there, she recommends the next steps I can take to achieve my goals. Thanks to her advice, I’m striving to pursue a business analyst career while improving my tech skills.

Though I have moved on to other projects, I know that I can always rely on Jasmine for support. For instance, I recently lost a family member causing me to feel uncertain about committing to my volunteering activities. Jasmine advised me to prioritise my family and assured me that I wasn’t a quitter for focusing on myself sometimes. This made me feel seen and validated and helped me make better decisions.

Following Jasmine’s advice to improve my tech skills, I’m currently taking trainings and completing a certification program. I’m grateful that Accenture provides me with limitless learning opportunities, so I can continue to upskill and grow my career.

Apart from learning and development programs, Accenture also provides me with a solid support network. We have various inclusion and diversity (I&D) initiatives focused on gender equality. I’m also part of Accenture in Malaysia’s Mental Wellness team and I provide a listening ear to colleagues who need someone to talk to.

My advice for women who want to pursue a tech career? Never be afraid to speak out. You’ll be surprised at the amount of support that other women will give you. Also, don’t be scared to learn new skills or technologies. Every simple step you take towards achieving your goal might just inspire other young girls out there to do the same.

Dive into the world of tech

Technology has always played a significant role in my career path. Before working at Accenture, I worked as a risk manager for a global bank where cybersecurity was our top priority. Today, I work as a security delivery associate manager and provide various clients with valuable information security advice.

I joined Accenture more than a year ago for its inclusive and diverse working culture. I also believe that the company has a bright future ahead with its high growth rate in emerging markets.

I met my mentor in my first-ever project. He has been with Accenture for more than 10 years and has worked in different locations with clients from across industries. I feel grateful that he truly cares about my career development and is always willing to share his knowledge and insights to help me grow.

Since my background is mostly in financial services, I truly value my mentor’s wide range of experience. With his help, I’ve learned so much about security delivery, risk and strategy, and business development. I’ve also discovered how to strategically engage clients at different project stages to maximise my resources and get things done effectively and efficiently.

My mentor understands my strengths and weaknesses and helps me shine by providing me with opportunities to hone my skills. Most importantly, he has taught me the importance of upholding the quality and standards of my security deliverables and making sure that our solutions best suit our clients’ needs. All these lessons have helped me make a greater impact on our clients while growing my consulting career.

Aside from my mentor’s support, I also feel thankful for the learning opportunities that Accenture provides. I’ve taken relevant online courses and learning boards on specific topics that I want to learn. I also successfully obtained my AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification earlier this year.

Meanwhile, our Inclusion & Diversity initiatives have allowed me to participate in various forums that aim to advance women in the workplace. These events help foster a more supportive working environment at Accenture.

For other women who aspire to start a career in technology, I encourage you to take the plunge even if you have no tech background. At the end of the day, what matters is having a strong passion and desire to learn constantly.

Finding ways to grow my tech career

I’ve always seen technology as something that can help people in all aspects of life, so I wanted to know how we can fully harness it. And what better place to learn more about technology than Accenture? As one of the world’s leading technology consulting firms, I find that our company is truly a great place to work and grow! Our dynamic and collaborative working environment is something that I couldn’t find elsewhere.

As a consultant, I help clients identify the most optimal technology solution that fits their needs, so they can improve their business strategy, enhance their operations and boost their growth. My job also includes designing and streamlining business processes.

In my current project, I oversee a team of seven people. This is also where I met my mentor who plays a key role in my professional and personal growth. She’s someone I can count on to give me honest and constructive feedback.

Working in a fast-paced industry where there’s always something new to learn, my mentor encourages me to step out of my comfort zone and try new things. This gives me a clearer vision of where I want to take my career.

Whenever I have a hard time, whether it’s a project- or people-related problem, my mentor gives me her unique perspective based on her personal experience. For instance, I worked on a project with extremely tight timelines and a demanding client. It was also my first time leading a large team. Throughout the project, she helped boost my confidence and shared strategies on how to deal with the client. In the end, we successfully delivered the project, and the client was happy with our work.

Apart from receiving guidance from my mentor, I also enjoy the multiple learning channels that Accenture provides. They help me improve my technology know-how, communication and presentation skills, mental health, design thinking and more.

For women who aspire to build a tech career, remember that there’s a first time for everything. Don't second-guess or doubt yourself. Take the initiative to jump-start your career journey now. If you can, find a mentor who understands you and can provide you with constructive feedback so you can continue to learn and grow.

Learning the ropes of tech

I am the delivery lead for one of our biggest clients in Finance at Accenture in Thailand. Leading a team of more than 200 people, my job is to make sure that our releases are free from any issues that may cause delays at any stage of the client project. My typical day consists of managing the client’s expectations, monitoring our project’s status, and guiding team leaders and project managers in delivering their work.

I joined Accenture more than seven years ago, but I met my mentor, more than 15 years ago. At that time, I was with a different company and got the chance to work closely with Pinny who coached and guided me on how we can provide the best solutions for our project. The way she worked impressed me so much that it made Accenture my dream workplace.

Five to six years after first meeting Pinny, I got a call from the Accenture recruitment team about a post for a big financial project. I couldn’t let the opportunity slip, so I immediately went for an interview and got the job.

Since I joined Accenture, I have taken on numerous challenging roles and have worked with great people, helping me improve my skills and capabilities.

Here are some of the great people I've worked with!

I met Pinny again in my second project at Accenture. At that time, I worked as a team leader and managed new areas I have never experienced before. This made me feel scared and unsure of myself. Good thing Pinny was very hands-on in teaching me how to manage client meetings and gave me tips and tricks on how I can accomplish my tasks and take better care of my team.

I’ll always remember how she taught me to treat my team as if they were my younger siblings who make mistakes sometimes. As their lead, it’s my responsibility to help them solve their problems and learn from their blunders. She also taught me how I can guide my team to have a more positive attitude so that we can achieve shared success.

As my mentor, Pinny also encourages me to take on new and bigger roles when a new project comes along. She has taught me not to fear problems because my team will always be there to support me in overcoming obstacles.

On top of the support that I get from my mentor and team, Accenture also provides me with a wide variety of trainings that help me shape my career.

For women who aspire to start a career in technology, my advice is to just do it. A lot of women are now in tech, especially at Accenture. Just like me, you can find a mentor who can support you in every stage of your tech career.

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