Technology needs more women, across every discipline

Busisiwe Mbatha, Robyn Beckworth-Judge, Lorraine Makura, Siphokazi Zita.

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The technology sector has inadvertently made its own talent pool smaller by defining “technology careers” too narrowly. Behind every successful digital product are people who understand the customer, manage the finances, shape the product, communicate its value and help people use it. For several of e4’s women leaders, broadening our understanding of what a career in technology can look like will help attract more women to the sector.

Busisiwe Mbatha, Head of Infrastructure and IT Operations at e4, knows first-hand that a career in technology doesn't always follow the route you expect. Growing up in Katlehong and Tsakane, Mbatha originally dreamed of becoming an engineer. When circumstances led her towards an IT diploma instead, she discovered a career that has now spanned more than two decades.

“Technology touches so much more than the systems themselves,” says Mbatha. “The work we do can improve how people work, how businesses serve their customers and how communities access opportunities.”

She believes outdated perceptions of the industry can prevent young women from recognising the opportunities available to them. "Many people still reduce IT to technical support roles, when the industry today includes everything from infrastructure and cyber security to cloud, AI, digital transformation and leadership. When young women see other women leading and shaping strategy, it becomes easier for them to believe they belong too."

Siphokazi Zita, Product Owner and Manager at e4, says she was drawn to technology by its ability to change everyday life and has stayed because there is always something new to learn.

“What has kept me in the industry is the freedom to imagine and use technology to solve problems," says Zita. “Having a strong sense of curiosity has taken me a long way. You have to believe in your abilities and be willing to keep learning.”

She adds that organisations have a practical role to play in retaining women in the sector, including clearer career paths and support, along with mentors and sponsors who are willing to open doors and encourage women to take on opportunities they might otherwise overlook.

Lorraine Makura, Central Finance Manager at e4, is another example of how there is no single route into a career in technology. She joined e4 in finance 17 years ago and found herself increasingly drawn into an industry she hadn't initially set out to join.

"I found my way into technology by chance. Being surrounded by innovative products, talented people and constant change gave me a real appreciation for the industry. She says one of the greatest misconceptions is that technology is only for those with coding or technical qualifications.

"Finance, marketing, HR, operations, sales and customer success all contribute to the success of a technology company. Bringing more women into those roles gives businesses a wider range of experiences and perspectives to draw on when they make decisions and develop products,” she adds.

That broader definition of innovation is echoed by Robyn Beckworth-Judge, Head of Group Marketing at e4, who believes that a broader range of thinking becomes particularly important once a product leaves the development environment and reaches the people expected to use it.

"You can develop a great product, but unless people trust it, understand how it fits into their world and feel comfortable using it, it can't really be called an exceptional product," she says.

Marketing offers Beckworth-Judge a different vantage point on technology because it sits close to both the product and the people using it. Customer questions, adoption challenges and market feedback can reveal things that aren't always obvious during development. “If we only celebrate technical roles, we're overlooking many of the people who help transform good technology into something customers value. Innovation at its best is a result of different skills coming together around a shared goal,” she notes.

While each woman's journey into technology has been different, they share the view that there is no single route into technology and no single type of person the industry needs, because the diversity of roles and ways of thinking lead to better decisions and products that respond to users.

Encouraging more women into technology may begin with making the full range of opportunities visible, but it requires giving women already in the sector room to explore different career paths and influence the technology being created, which is an approach e4 actively encourages across the business.

Although attracting more women into technology involves representation, the industry should move away from defining careers in the sector too narrowly, as doing so risks losing talented people before they have had the opportunity to discover where their skills could take them.