The Women of Solution Street

“I have been very fortunate with my experience in the technical community. I made the switch to software development after six years studying Russian. I attended a coding bootcamp, where more than 50% of my cohort were women. In my first development job, I was on a team of four developers, and two of us were women. Now, I’m lucky to be a part of a team and a project within Solution Street with so many amazing female coworkers. I know this is pretty unusual for the tech world, but I’d love to see it become the norm! Let’s get more women in tech!”

“I was once told that I’m at a disadvantage in my career because I was young and a woman. I say, ‘Bring it on!’ With the support of my colleagues, and women’s groups everywhere, I’ve never felt more empowered to be myself. And I have since made it my passion to make sure other women feel empowered too. From time to time, especially when attending meetups, I still find myself being the only woman in a room full of software engineers. My mission is to change that.”

“When I started my career in technology, I would find myself as the sole woman in so many situations, today the world is, I am happy to say, totally different but still needs more women in STEM.  My first 20 years in IT and the diversity of experience led me to 10 years leading fundraising for The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Today I enjoy consulting in both worlds, staying active in technology while also helping non-profits achieve their missions.”

“I’ve always valued gender equality. I love, and continue to be fascinated, by all things software development. There’s so much to learn from this industry and it makes me extremely happy to be surrounded every day by such inspirational women at Solution Street. Together, we can accomplish anything!”

“I am fortunate to have spent years working in both the public and private sectors as an analyst, writer, and editor. I have witnessed changes over the decades in both environments seeing more and more women in leadership positions, remembering the days at the start of my career of often being the only woman in a meeting. Currently, I have the rather unique experience of working as a writer and editor in the tech industry, a job that I love. It has been enlightening to be part of this ever-growing industry and to see the continuous need for skilled developers as well as business analysts, project managers, and more. I am optimistic and confident that both my daughter and my son will have ample opportunities to grow and succeed in their chosen fields as they enter the workforce.”

“When I was in college for an applied math degree, there were very few women, I actually had one class where I was the only woman.  The first company I worked for out of college hired many women and I had many examples of successful women in IT. Now, many years later, I am proud that my two teenage daughters are also planning on going into STEM careers.”

“As a mechanical engineering student, I was one of a handful of girls in college. That didn’t change when I took my first job as a software engineer. Although in the recent years I see many more women come into the IT world, I hope to see an uptrend in it. I love my job and the flexibility it accords me. My daughter is too young to talk about career choices yet but when she’s ready I hope she does not rule out STEM because she thinks she can’t but because she loves something else more than STEM. And if she does choose STEM, I’d be all the more happy for her and for women in general.”

“In the early 2000s, computer science in Kazakhstan was traditionally a male only profession, with a few exceptions of brave young ladies who were referred to as ‘bridge trolls’ by their male counterparts for the lack of apparent femininity. Scared off by a stereotype and having been actively recruited by my family into an accounting major (traditionally, a ‘woman job’) – I never would have imagined gaining enough confidence to pursue this field again. But here I am, about to graduate from GMU and embark on my software engineer journey with Solution Street. It’s exciting and empowering – knowing that at Solution Street, we welcome anyone willing to present their personality, background, and expertise regardless of gender or any other stereotypes.”

“My passion for finding solutions to problems by applying technical strategies is what drove me to study computer science and pursue a career as a software engineer. My experience as a woman in a technology industry has been quite positive. I have had the opportunity to work on challenging projects and lead teams. The flexibility that my company provides has helped me to have a work/life balance which is of immense importance to me. There is still a dearth of women in technical industry and I hope to see more young girls pursue STEM careers.”

“Nearly 29 years ago, I was one of just two female engineers in the engineering department.  Both of us were hired at the same time into a company that had not had a female engineer in many years.  Later I moved into project management at a company that only had a handful of female engineers. As the mother of two teenage girls, I am so glad that times have changed, and that women in STEM are no longer the exception to the rule.  I want my daughters to know they can pursue ANY career that interests them!”

“My first position was in technical documentation and QA and at that time those roles were almost solely filled by women. A couple of years later I moved over to development and was working as one of the few females in development positions on a large project. I love that there are so many women working in the technology industry today and I hope this trend continues. I am so proud to work for a company that employs a large number of women. I love the support of management in maintaining a work/life balance while raising three kids.”

Things have come a long way for women in technology, but there is still more to be done. How, you ask? Here are some of many ways: