Epic Women in Tech — Isabel Scavetta
Hey! I’m Isabel, and I work in tech innovation, following social action, consulting & program leadership work. I’m determined to prove that women from non-tech backgrounds can break into industry, so do a lot of social action work for gender diversity and digital education!
You’ll find me:
🚀 Working at R² Data Labs, Rolls-Royce’s Data & AI Innovation catalyst
👩💻 Mentoring Research Fellows at Code First Girls (social enterprise, future tech leaders cohort)
💡 Advising at Microsoft’s TechHer Student community and GirlCode
📖 Sharing thoughts about all of these at Her Business Now (https://herbusinessnow.com).
I have completed internships and insight programmes at various strategy and finance firms (Oliver Wyman, BCG, McKinsey, Barclays, PwC), ran social action projects for 150+ youth in my local community and enjoy sports, Spanish language and culture, and meeting new people.
How did you get into the tech field?
My unconventional, non-tech background helped me realise that I love creative problem solving, teamwork and building impact. Then, I decided that I wanted to apply these skills in one of the most dynamic and fast-paced fields out there.
What makes technology stand out for me is how I’m engaged by learning more. Many other industries have a slower pace of change whereas, for me, tech has only become more interesting as my journey has progressed.
After graduating from UCL, I considered doing a technical Masters. However, given the disruption of the pandemic, I decided to give myself 6 months to pivot into industry, learning as much as I could online through self study and networking.
So, I started coding with Code First Girls, studied for and passed several Microsoft qualifications, participated in technology conferences and Hackathon challenges, and reached out to women in the industry.
Before long, my hard work started to pay off and I was able to use this experience to start giving back to others, achieving a Fellowship at Code First Girls, advisory position at Microsoft on their TechHer Student initiative, and an internship in Rolls-Royce’s Data & AI Hub (R2 Data Labs).
What are the main challenges in this field?
I think one of the biggest challenges is attracting and retaining diverse talent. It’s getting better, but as we move to a digital-first society, we have to make sure that the industry reflects the world it serves.
This issue runs deeper than gender alone, which can be the common discourse. From an intersectional viewpoint, changes need to be made across hierarchical levels to empower marginalized voices.
This means that for people from diverse backgrounds, it can be hard to have visibility on tech career progression, and seeing where you might be 10–15 years down the line.
What are the things you’ve learned being a woman in tech?
You can learn fast. Really fast. As long as you’re resilient and have a growth mindset, you’re no less capable than anyone else.
The most important thing is keeping a good sense of self and faith in your own ability, which is challenging when you’re navigating through a steep onboarding process.
What advice would you give to women who would like to join the industry?
To begin with, tech is not just technical roles. I really wish someone had told me this earlier. Even if you don’t come from a STEM background, there are so many possibilities within the industry. I’m still learning about new avenues every day.
Furthermore, I’d recommend joining networks for early-career women. I did this in the first days of looking into a career in technology, and the resilience, creativity and strength I saw from others was so inspiring. It can also make the journey feel a lot less lonely, and help you to understand common challenges.
Who are your role models?
Whilst there are still challenges around gender equity at senior levels, I would actually say that most of my inspiration in industry comes from my early-career peers.
Given that my journey into tech has been during the pandemic, it is a bizarre phenomenon that I have received so much support and inspiration from many women who I have never met. However, I think that’s testament to the strength of this generation and our emphasis on community.
For example, I have been lucky to collaborate with some amazing volunteers during my time at Code First Girls. Working with such talented, hard-working and inspiring women gives me so much hope for the future of the industry. My friends from university have also been my guiding light in believing that I could make this happen!
If you have ever supported me on my current career path, or been on my team for Hackathons, coding classes, or course teaching, please know that I would include you here.
If you could go back in time to your first days in the industry, what would you do differently or tell yourself?
To be honest, I would still consider myself as at the beginning of my journey. However, I wish I had had the opportunity to be more involved with technology initiatives during my degree. Subsequently, I’ve found that there are some brilliant opportunities throughout your studies to do this.
Also, in terms of starting out, a mentor recently told me to remember that “you have the ability — and you can learn the skills”. That’s really stuck with me. Not having a deep technical education doesn’t mean you are any less capable.
If you are a founder or a member of a community for women in tech, can you introduce it?
I run my own online platform Her Business Now, where I share my journey into tech, advice, and challenges that I’ve faced along the way. I write based off of user requests, so if you have questions, let me know.
I’m also passionate about the work of social enterprise Code First Girls. In my journey with them, I have progressed from a first-time Python Programming student, to Hackathon Leader, to Research Fellow, and I am now starting as a Fellowship Mentor.
Finally, I’m an Ambassador at GirlCode, which showcases awesome opportunities for women interested in software engineering.
