Women in Tech: Get to Know Akansha Verma
For some, tech is an industry that sparks interest later in life. For others, it’s something you’re fond of from a very young age. Akansha Verma, Front-End Engineer and Scrum Master at NBT, has had a love of tech since her school days. While this was difficult (she was the only girl in all of her computer science classes) she persisted, fighting all the stereotypes of women ‘not belonging’ in tech.
There are a lot of hardships that come with joining the boy’s club that is the tech world, but Akansha is pushing her way through and trying to encourage other women to join this sector. We talked to her about the ways she thinks the technology industry can include more women and why it’s important to have a diverse set of people on your team.
What is your current position at NBT?
I am a front-end engineer and Scrum master in the NBT Engineering team. We work in an agile environment, and I help the team to streamline work and carry out sprint activities such as planning, retrospective, and sprint demos which helps to achieve not only team goals, but brings full transparency of our progress to our venture owners.
I have great support from our engineering team at NBT, and we are continuously growing by recruiting more women engineers. We are always on the lookout, so feel free to apply!
What made you interested in working in tech?
Back in my school days, I found computer science very interesting due to problem-solving and innovative solutions, so I continued studying it in pursuing Bachelor’s and Master's degrees in computer science.
Tech is creative, collaborative, responsive, and interactive. It influences and helps to transform all the traditional industries. I think the tech industry is so versatile and gives tremendous opportunities to explore and continuously grow. You don’t have to keep doing one thing for the rest of your career — you can continuously explore and learn based on what motivates you, whether it is in artificial intelligence, machine learning, etc.
Why do you think there are still so few women in the tech industry?
Over the years, although women have made their space in the tech industry, there are still far fewer women compared to men. It depends on many factors:
- Misconception that tech is only about coding
The tech industry is not just about coding. There are many verticals where women can go in the industry. Just find your passion and build up from there. For instance, I have seen many women who were in marketing, customer service, etc. that then made their way into the engineering team and found their ultimate passion in coding.
- Gender bias
Sadly, this is true, especially in C-level management. But I think it is present in other sectors as well. It is challenging to find and make your place, but it’s not impossible. For many years early on, I was the only woman in my school attending computer science classes, the only one in the engineering team working on multiple projects, etc. But instead of finding some other class or sector to work with women, I accepted the fact and continued to pave my way, worked harder, was more agile, and acted more professionally. I believe as long as you maintain good communication, trust, and respect with colleagues, it will work out.
How can we encourage more women to pursue a career in technology?
- Empower them with choice
Girls should be encouraged to take up STEM in school. This can also happen with a lack of female role models to follow in their footsteps to pursue these subjects. They need to be educated with practical advice about the opportunities in tech and shown what it has to offer. Give them confidence that it can be a career with many perks instead of something to be afraid of.
- Work-life balance
For many women, there seems to be a concern about having the right work-life balance, especially when they have a young family. Although I feel this has started to change in the last 5 years with companies being more aware of creating a culture that embodies work-life balance, the last 2 years have created tremendous opportunities with flexible hours and remote working. I think now is the right time to go into tech.
- Create equal job opportunities
Bias in the recruiting and interview processes brings challenges for women trying to enter the tech industry. Unfortunately, many women do not get the opportunity to advance professionally. Currently, I see the scenario shifting a bit with more resources available such as online courses and hackathons that offer a window into the world of tech. Therefore, a degree is not always required.
- Recognition through gender-neutral reward scheme
I am an advocate for equal pay for equal work, and this can be helpful for companies to not only recruit women, but also retain them in general. Organizations should be transparent in gender diversity and not just promote the thought without accountable actions. For instance, I wanted to take an additional role as scrum master, and I was able to achieve that goal with support and trust from my team at NBT.
- Go for it
Have confidence in your skills and don’t wait to apply for jobs until you complete all the criteria required. Instead, brush up on your skills and go for it!
What advice do you have to those who are trying to break into the tech sector?
As I said, the tech industry provides a plethora of opportunities. Anyone can start with a non-technical role and gain experience to find their passion and build up from there. Examine your problem-solving aptitude and start with the basics: learn basic computer science concepts and start applying them. There are online courses and certifications available to try out different coding languages. You can start creating projects, show them professionally, and build your portfolio. If you are already a working professional in another field, then analyze how you can use that experience to pivot into the tech industry.
Tech is constantly evolving and is an innovative industry, so have an aptitude to be open to constantly learn and explore new things. I consider it a perk to have the opportunity to be updated with cutting-edge technologies. As with everything else, the more you do it, the better you become. I’d advise you to not limit yourself, be open to trying out different things, speak up, and don’t judge yourself. As a woman, you may have to work harder, but if you believe in yourself, you can do it!
What is one piece of advice you wish you had been given at the beginning of your career?
I have been fortunate to have amazing guidance from my early days in school, as well as an amazing mentor who taught me the value of team building (and both are women). I believe that good communication with quality questions among team members is key to solving problems quickly and effectively.
Want to read more about women in tech? Check out our Academy article!
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