International Women's Day: Working in a traditionally male-dominated field
To celebrate International Women’s Day and as part of our Data Matters theme, we caught up with Data Specialist Holly Arthurs to talk about her experience of working in a traditionally male-dominated industry.
Has there ever been a time where you did not feel included while working in the field of data?
I’ve been lucky that I’ve been able to join teams and organisations that have always been very welcoming. It’s always difficult at first to start working or studying in data-based fields because it’s impossible for everyone to have the same level of knowledge, so you can feel like you’re trailing behind your counterparts.
Based on your personal experience, what factors have been important in making you feel included within the data industry?
Just knowing that I can go to other colleagues and ask any question and be met with a genuine response is really important. It’s also important to bounce ideas off other people as they might have an approach that you had never thought of before.
What else do you think could be done to make women feel more included in what has traditionally been a male-dominated industry? How important is the support of your colleagues and management?
Support is probably the most important thing to have in any workplace. To know that people trust your work and methods can go a long way in making you feel like you deserve to be there.
Do you have any advice for women who might want to start a career in data?
To just go for it! The highlight of working in data is that it’s always changing and there’s always something new to learn about. Data is required in every field, so you can always cater to a field that you feel you would enjoy working in more.
What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
It’s great to be able to see the achievements of so many different women in different fields that you may not hear about in the general day to day news. There’s always something new to hear and learn about, which will hopefully inspire others to pursue careers in fields that they are passionate about.