Allyship and Women in Tech

There is no denying that the tech industry remains male-dominant with only 33% of technology industry roles being held by women.

This percentage drops to 25% when analyzing the percent of women holding technical roles, especially in the integration sphere. Because of this disparity, a group of amazing women around the world skilled in MuleSoft, have come together to provide a space for women in tech and their allies to come together. Last month, I had the pleasure of speaking with three of our amazing advocates in London about their experiences, perspectives on how we can create a better future for all, and the importance of allyship. Below, you’ll hear from Akshata Sawant, Developer Advocate at MuleSoft, Emely Patra, Head of EMEA CS Strategy and Architecture at MuleSoft, Lilly-Ann Hulse, Digital and Technology Apprentice at Bentley Motors,

5 Main Takeaways

In case you don’t have time to watch the entire interview, I wanted to pull out five main takeaways that I personally left this interview with and I hope you all do as well.

1. We need to work TOGETHER: What’s that saying? Two great minds are better than one? Working together to provide growth opportunities, hyping one another up, and being a trusted friend/coworker is so important. We can’t work in silos if we want to break down barriers.
2. Finding a Mentor/Role Model is vital: Every great leader was mentored by another great leader. Finding someone who can guide you and be your harshest critic yet biggest supporter at the same time is vital to personal and professional growth.
3. Allyship is the missing puzzle piece: We need allies in our corner who are willing to speak up for us, help us find new opportunities, and for us to learn from one another. We need more allies!
4. Give what you get: This goes together with finding number 2. If you have an awesome mentor, become an awesome mentor to someone else. This creates a cycle of success and encouragement!
5. Expand your advocacy beyond your own role/community: There are so many ways to get involved and it’s easy to find a community that you feel comfortable in, but I encourage you to expand your reach, challenge yourself, and you’ll be amazed at what you learn about yourself as well as what others will learn from you.

I am personally very grateful for the MuleSoft Community and the amazing women I have had the chance to get to know and learn from. As a young woman, the tech world seemed scary at first, but with the Women Who Mule group, I know we’ll accomplish more than I can imagine.