Introducing Joy Nwaiwu, Backend Developer and Technical Writer

Triangirls spotlight series

What is your role and current job?

My name is Joy Nwaiwu, I’m a backend developer and a technical writer. I work currently as a content writer with Turing.

How did you get into tech?

I got into tech while I was in my final year at the university. I had a teammate in AIESEC who was all techie. At that time, I was so clueless and didn’t know what to do or how to go about it but with some guidance from my teammate, I started attending Tech events and volunteering. All of these, I did passively because of school work, exams and all. I only started learning actively when I graduated and here I am today.

What have the biggest challenges been as a woman or non-binary person in tech?

I’d say that there’s still the issue of gender inequality and the vast underrepresentation of women in the global workforce. Women trying to make a way in ‘male-dominated fields’ such as tech, may often feel a lack of self-confidence and suffer from feelings of inferiority.

Have you overcome any of these issues? If so, how?

Luckily, the tech industry is one where your skills and successes speak for you regardless of your gender or background. Women can overcome these issues by letting their performance speak for them. Although this doesn’t totally eradicate the gender-based bias, it allows women to embrace their achievements and boosts confidence.

What advice would you give others in a similar position?

Keep trailblazing, keep the fire burning, it would be so beautiful when you look back and see how far you’ve come and how much you’ve achieved. It always gets better!

Are there any resources you recommend sharing?

I started out learning with resources from www.codecademy.com, I’ve also utilized Linkedin learning, Coursera and a couple of others. Another platform worthy of note is Hashnode and Medium. You would find great contents there ranging from technical to non-technical concepts from amazing writers and you get to learn a ton.

When did you first hear about Triangirls?

I heard about Triangirls for the first time in March 2020 on Twitter.

What have you learnt about yourself in the past year?

I have learnt that there are really no limitations except the ones you set yourself. Learning is a process, one that you don’t get to skip steps because eventually, you would always have to pick up where you left off.

Triangirls are looking to raise the profiles of women and non binary people in tech. Interested in participating in our spotlight series? Email us at hello@triangirls.com