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SheCanCode's Spilling The T
SheCanCode's Spilling The T
Women in Tech: Journeys and Insights at Quantexa
Join us for an inspiring episode featuring Kayla from the USA and Erika from the UK, two remarkable women making waves in the tech industry at Quantexa. Kayla, who joined the company in September 2019, has swiftly risen from a graduate to a Lead Engineer, overseeing significant projects. Meanwhile, Erika, who joined in 2022, has navigated her path from a graduate to becoming a skilled Data Engineer.
In this episode, Kayla and Erika share their unique journeys into Quantexa, discussing their experiences as women in tech and the challenges and triumphs they've encountered along the way. They provide invaluable insights, tips, and personal stories, offering perspective on what it's like to grow and thrive in a dynamic tech environment like Quantexa. Whether you're considering a career in tech or aiming to advance within the industry, this conversation promises to inspire and inform.
Tune in as we delve into their experiences, uncovering the realities of being women leaders in technology and exploring the transformative impact of their roles at Quantexa.
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Hello everyone. Thank you for tuning in Again. I am Katie Batesman, the Content Director at SheCanCode, and today we're discussing women in tech journeys and insights at Quantexa. I've got two remarkable women from Quantexa with me today, kayla from the US and Erica from the UK, who are making waves in the tech industry, and they're both here to discuss their experiences as women in tech and the challenges and triumphs they've encountered along the way. Welcome, ladies. Thank you so much for joining us on Spilling the Tea today. Hello, it's lovely to have you both with us. We've got a lot to cover, so love to kick off with a little bit about each of you, if that's okay, can we hear a little bit about a brief overview of your journey into tech and how you ended up at Quantexa? So, carla, should we start with you?
Speaker 2:Sure, my journey into tech was a bit of a windy one. I didn't really know that I was going to go into this. I did my undergrad in physics actually, so I have a dual degree in biomedical sciences and physics, both of which I do not use whatsoever. And then kind of after that, I kind of got like FOMO when a friend was going through their master's in software engineering, and so I started looking into taking a class as a special student, like a non-degree student, at like a local university, and see if I could do any programming. And it turns out I could. I was like this isn't, this isn't too bad. Um, and I ended up enrolling in a data science master's program the following year after taking a couple more prerequisite classes, and then, um, I wound up at Quintexa. So so kind of a random way to get here.
Speaker 1:I love that. I love it when our ladies in our community say something similar to what you just said, that it wasn't what I studied and actually that you got the FOMO, which is nice. You obviously saw something that you like, that someone else is doing in tech, was doing in tech, but then when you gave it a go, it sounds like you you might have had this. That stereotype of working in tech sounds very daunting and really techie and actually when you gave it a go, you were like actually I can do this. This is not as hard as I.
Speaker 2:I thought it was from, from an outsider yeah, I'm not sure why I got that in my head, because I managed to get a bachelor's in physics. Surely after that, other things are going to be doable too yeah but yeah, I don't know about the tech industry.
Speaker 1:It's like we have a really bad PR problem where people like that's not for me, that's, that's too hard. But yeah, I mean bachelor's in physics. You think tech would be fine?
Speaker 2:yeah, evidently not math.
Speaker 1:Sure, computer science daunting yeah, yeah, but at least you got the FOMO and um you, you tried it and um made your way, made your way in um how? How did you make your way into Quantexa? What happened there?
Speaker 2:uh. So whilst I was doing my master's I managed to get an internship at SAP, so that was quite helpful. And then I just applied to a million jobs I think 93 specifically, but so many jobs. I had an Excel spreadsheet in my Google Drive just tracking where I was at in the interview process with all of these jobs, and I was pretty sure no one would ever hire me because I was like I don't know what I'm doing.
Speaker 2:I went back to school a little bit later Nobody's going to want to take a chance on me and I ended up really enjoying the interview process here. But they kind of sold me with the whole Quintex Academy and teaching you the skills you needed to succeed in the job. And that was something I was really interested in because I knew I was lacking experience and I wanted a place that would set me up to succeed. As long as I brought the attitude and I wanted to put in the work, I'd probably be okay and that it kind of seemed like this was the place to do it and it turned out to be correct. So that it kind of seemed like this was the place to do it and it turned out to be correct. So I'm glad I went with it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, definitely Erica. What about yourself? What is your journey and how did you find your way into Quantexa?
Speaker 3:That is kind of similar to Kayla's journey, but I would say probably even a bit more wider, in a way that I started from arts so my bachelor was in creative events management and I changed it to apply data science for my master's. That was, I wouldn't say a one-night decision, but the decision itself was made in like one night at 3am, which was an interesting way to do it. Uh, but uh but yeah. So I basically did my bachelor's. I realized this is not exactly what I want to do.
Speaker 3:In my final year we had something similar to like business analytics course at the time which was very interesting for me.
Speaker 3:We had finance study, we had analytics, data stuff and thought why not to look into it.
Speaker 3:Started searching for different master degrees of course it is hard to find anything when you study in arts to find something related to data because they do require stem background, which I did not have at the time and I found just one course that year which was applied data science and at the S6 university and decided why not to go and try? It was a new course, it was just, I believe, the second year of them doing it, so definitely was a good shout out at the time, studied one year and made my way to Quantexa, also applied, similar to Kayla, to like millions of jobs. I also had Excel sheet, which is an interesting thing to say. We have initially similar ways of doing it. But yeah, I had also I don't know exactly the number, but it was around 102 different applications for LinkedIn through other different websites, which I don't really remember now, but just searching it everywhere possible. Also liked the interview process, liked what company was selling to us and decided why not to try.
Speaker 1:It's interesting. You said you liked the interview process as well and that you'd been through a few I mean both incredibly organized, to be honest, to have an Excel sheet of jobs you're applying for. But there are some interviews you go through and you think, actually I don't want this job. You know, you have that feeling of I don't have a good vibe from that company. Actually, I don't really want to work there. So it's so important just to have that up front from a company to get a feel, when you are going through that process, that you're going to enjoy working there. Obviously, you both got that vibe from Contexa.
Speaker 1:It was super interesting, though, that you started in arts, because I've had a few ladies in technology talk to me about. They were in arts and then they wanted to be in tech, and you don't think the two would connect. They were in arts and then they wanted to be in tech and you don't think the two would connect. But there are lots of ladies that are very creative and started in arts and then came over to tech, which again is like one of those best hidden secrets about working in tech that it is very creative and people get the the.
Speaker 1:That stereotype you know, kaylee, you you had that of it's very daunting. Maybe it's not for me. And actually, when you get in and you meet lots of people like yourself, erica, they actually come from very creative backgrounds and your job tends to be more creative than than you ever thought it was going to be. Um, from from somebody on the outside, have have you found found that now you're in that perhaps you didn't think it was going to be creative, or was it because you were creative and doing arts that you thought actually, tech is really well aligned with me?
Speaker 3:No, I wouldn't say that was the case for me. I kind of went for one of the hardest jobs I had in my head at the time. So I went for the challenge. I thought this seems for me impossible to do. Why not try and do it? What can happen in those 20 years of Masters? Let's try, and that's why I decided to do it, one of the reasons let's say so. And then creative. I would say it is more creative than would you expect. But during my Masters I can say it is more creative than would you expect. But during my master's I can say that I definitely felt two parts of my brain working separately. So what I would say in my bachelor's it was one part of my brain working, it was another part of brain working, which is an interesting experience to go through.
Speaker 1:But yeah, that's quite a challenge to say you thought we're going to go with the hardest thing that I can just to achieve that um. On that note about hard things and and um, hopefully reaching some um goals and some milestones in your careers, I wanted to ask you a little bit about that. Can you share some key milestones in your careers so far, some things that have really stood out to you about the way that you've worked through your careers and through to Contexa and what you're doing at Contexa? Kayla, should we start with you on that? What are some key milestones for you so far?
Speaker 2:Yeah. So I guess for this I sort of see my internship as the transition into this career. I came in a bit later so I had that at like 25 and obviously I've had a load of jobs before that. But that's kind of what I like to think of as a starting point for me at least, or at least of the rebranding of my career. I suppose About a year in at Quantexa I got a chance to be like kind of what we term as like a pod lead, so I had a couple other data engineers that I was sort of starting to help direct the work that they were doing and that was like the first cater to myself that I could maybe get more leadership roles or maybe I did actually know what I was doing sometimes, which is quite heartening sometimes.
Speaker 2:Which is quite heartening Early on to my first client project with Quantexa obviously pre-COVID times but I traveled to New York from Boston and we were put up in corporate housing in New Jersey and lived there for five months I think, and then I was like I've made it.
Speaker 2:The company is paying me to live in another city and go to work part of Manhattan. This is the dream, especially coming from like super rural Midwest town, like that, that was like, oh my god, the I've made it moment. I think, yeah, um other than like yeah, just the little things through the years, like when clients give you good feedback or being like you really know what you're kind of talking about, or like when I started interviewing other people, that was really like interesting, like being on the other side for the first time and then hiring people for the role that like kind of I started in or even above that yeah, I started in or even above that um yeah. And then now, like I think this, this should constitute as one too um kind of recently wrote like a couple of blogs for our internal community that we have. And then this this too is really exciting and different for me.
Speaker 1:I also just celebrated my five year um anniversary with Quantexa last week, so amazing, yeah, yeah, and being able to try new things and and getting to that point where you can give back to to the women in tech community as well and and helping she Can Code um with our mission by sharing your story in this way. It's almost like you've reached that point where now you can um share your advice and help to support the community as well. I was really interested when you said about internship, because it is some of the ladies in our community they do wonder whether or not they should take an internship and whether or not they are worth it. Obviously, from your side, it was incredibly worth that. Applying and getting all the way through and then getting a job is that, I mean, I know what?
Speaker 1:you're going to say but is that something that you would? You know, tell other people if they're kind of on the fence.
Speaker 2:So definitely think about that internship, because it really took you a long way so I think it depends what it's for, but, like I have, my internship does didn't really align super well with what I'm doing now, but it was still valuable for so many reasons like a couple were like the introducing me to the style of working agile development, so like getting used to like stand-ups and kind of like the kinds of ways that we interacted with our work. That was super useful. Everything I did with I don't know any like bash scripting or working in like a Linux terminal transferable everywhere, it was just things that I wasn't as like comfortable doing but that became part of my daily activities. I was more doing a lot of like database testing then, but it still ended up being really useful, even though it's not anything I'm doing now, just getting like comfortable and familiar in an environment.
Speaker 1:also getting a paycheck while I was going to school quite helpful, yeah yeah, and just an introduction to the world of work, and even that can be quite baptism of fire when you get into your first role and what that is like and being in a workforce yeah, you're right, even if it's not related to what you go on to do, just a really useful experience. Erica yourself, what about you? Have you got any key milestones in your career that really stand out for you?
Speaker 3:Yeah, of course, probably the beginning of it is not tech related, but the first milestone I had was me going alone to Spain to volunteer for like two months. So that was a first experience which made me go then abroad to study. And the second milestone was actually going to UK and starting my studies after that, getting this tech role of the arts bachelor. Sorry, I'm getting basically university studies after the arts. The next one was the funny bit, because when I started my master's, my first project was with R and I never in my life properly coded, so I didn't know how to do it.
Speaker 3:I cried over my first project, which is something I always remember and always tell myself, and then at the end of those studies I got best mark in dissertation in like math department that year, uh. So that was, like you know, uh, coming from zero percent to hundred, um. So definitely a milestone which I do remember getting the job, um, and now I would say um, today I posted an initiative at work which I just did. So basically I experienced a day of another role in the company and I shared this experience for everyone else to experience too. So that was another milestone for me. And also getting on this podcast. Becoming ambassador at Chicken Coat definitely is a good next step.
Speaker 1:Yes, definitely, yes, definitely being part of our mission and helping our community. I love the fact that you shared as well how your first project affected you and that you know we do all have those moments, kayla, I could see you nodding along with that one. We have those moments where we go that imposter syndrome moment, where you think somebody is going to find me out, this isn't for me, I can't do it, and then actually you found yourself just really excelling in that area. But it's like you had that moment where you were kind of thinking, oh gosh, I don't know how I'm going to do this, but actually you just aced it in the end.
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly it in the end.
Speaker 1:yeah, I sometimes think of myself as a cat in a tree, like. As long as I keep climbing up and don't look down, it'll be fine. I love that. Yes, it was like clinging on to the brush, it's fine. Just don't look down. Just don't look down.
Speaker 1:I love that yeah, yeah, I think it's definitely something that we've all felt in the workplace and ladies like yourself sharing that on this podcast, and why we share those stories with our community. It's just for more people to hear that. We all feel that way because it's so easy to see on social media people doing wonderful things and they only post the good things. You know they don't post how people are feeling and and sometimes, you know not even sometimes a lot of the times we have those feelings of how am I gonna get through this project or whatever it is you're working on.
Speaker 1:But we do get there, um, and the more people that hear about that in our community and the more stories that are shared, just the more the people will think it's not, it's not just me you know, I'm not the only one that was thinking that, um, and on that note, I want to talk about challenges with you, um, because, um, erica, it sounds like you um had some challenges along the way. Kelly, you were nodding along with um, sometimes that feeling of when you're working on a project, um, but what, what were some of the significant steps or challenges in your journey? Kayla, should we start with you? It sounds like you had a really good time feeling like, you know, I got sent to somewhere where a company was paying for me in another city and all of those things sound fun, but there must have been challenges along the way, right yeah?
Speaker 2:Yeah, certainly.
Speaker 2:So that first project, like I mentioned before, we have this brilliant academy that you can go through at the company to kind of walk you through a typical project and get you comfortable with the format of how we set up our code base and just kind of the general things you'll see.
Speaker 2:See, I started that when I started at the company but I didn't finish it. I went on to that project and so part of it was incredibly exciting being in this gorgeous office in Midtown and on this project and the other part was terrifying because I had no idea what I was doing, because I didn't finish my training, so I was just spending a lot of time relying on my team to help catch me up. I had a lot of like constantly deep dive sessions with, like some of my more senior engineers on the team and like I had like a kind of direct mentor outside of my TL that just worked with me constantly on the things I needed to know, my tickets, like giving me loads of feedback and it was really good. Like my team was incredible. I wouldn't have been able to kind of do it without them. But it was also very humbling Like I needed so much help. There was so much I didn't know.
Speaker 1:I didn't even know all the things I didn't know, but it was also just so exciting, thrilled to care, I think, and just happy to try my best and get on with it yeah, that's always interesting and you're right, taking on the, the feedback is a skill in itself, because you join the workforce and then you have to take on this feedback and learn and be humble enough to take it on, and sometimes as well the people that are giving you that feedback. They're almost learning as well. How to deliver feedback to people that are learning without crushing them is the other thing. So, yeah, it's a fine balance between you learning and taking on that feedback and obviously getting to the point where you can then hire and know what you're looking for in people as well. Erica, what about yourself? What kind of significant steps or challenges do you think of when you think back about your journey?
Speaker 3:I have managed to finish Academy, which is a good first step. I have managed to finish Academy, which is a good first step, but after it I went on an internal project which was, I would say, absolutely unrelated to the Academy which we were doing. So it was like absolutely new task to go on. It was also a new programming language I have, because Scala is the language we use in my university studies. I had R, mainly with a bit of Python. Hence, again, new language. New project wasn't definitely an easy task to do. Also, the first client project. I started with something I know and then moved on on the bit which I didn't know about as well at all. It was constantly like challenging myself to each project I go to. So that part, I would say some of the biggest challenges I had so far yeah, that's quite a lot.
Speaker 1:It's quite a lot to want to be willing to learn a new language. But I know Contextless Academy and they do help you through every step, don't they? It's very. It doesn't sound like they just drop you in and say you need to learn this new language. It sounds like it is very supportive along the way and you do make it out the other side thinking I learn a new language and this is how I can apply that. I take it you didn't feel like when you got to the end you went like oh god, thank god I finished that. It sounds like you were helped along the way oh yeah, that's definitely.
Speaker 3:It's just different levels. You know when, when you learn academy, you kind of do the basics. When you go on the project, it's more than that, um. So you need to constantly learn, constantly improve, which is another challenge in tech in general. It's it's never like in one place, it's never copy paste, it's, it's always learning, it's always improving. I've been in company two years. There are still million of things which I still don't know, which I'm just going off, you know, and learning it for our new projects. So you, you need to be ready for that. It's. It's not the job where you would you know, um, just sit and chill.
Speaker 1:Yes, it's a lot of learning, it's studies, not finishing and that's the thing, and you're right, it is a lot of learning and I think, um, like kaylee yourself, they, you know, context us or something in you that you're one of those people that enjoys learning and even if you didn't have all of those coding skills at the start, you were clearly one of those people that wanted to learn and will continue to learn. That's not for everybody, that's the thing. It's that that thought of going through an academy. Even when you're done with that, you're still always learning in tech anyway, so you never stop. So you can tell the good companies that grab hold of people that just enjoy learning and want to keep doing that and obviously, uh, skill you up in the areas that they um need you to to be skilled in. Um, and on that note of supporting you, um, how has context as culture supported your growth and development as professionals, kayla? Is that you know? How has that helped your growth and your development?
Speaker 2:I take it, you're still learning now, every day, constantly. I don't think there's a second that goes by, that I'm not. I do think this is the area where I can't kind of underline enough how good of a job Quantexa does at this, I think. So I guess I think I've had a bit of a unique experience, to be honest. But but also like if there has been something I've kind of wanted to do or try to make time to learn, I've always had the opportunity to do so.
Speaker 2:In general, they will take into account the things that you'd like to work on as much as they can. Obviously, projects need to be resourced at the end of the day, but they try their best to accommodate the areas that people are looking to develop in. But also, if you have ideas for things you want to do and you have kind of managed to balance your project work and have a bit of free time on the side, you have time to do that um, and so that's something that I've really tried to take advantage of as much as I can over the last five years, and not everything that I'm doing is like super technical. I've been interested in loads of things and more around just trying to bring, like more community to the offices or like have a bit of fun Cause those are the things that I'm more inclined to do, I think, outside of just sitting on my laptop.
Speaker 2:So it's been quite nice to just I don't know, always have the excuse to kind of look at for opportunities to do things or make things better. I think it's a pretty open culture of suggestions here, so you can always try something or you can always bring ideas to people and if there's something that you're looking for that you can't find, you can ask and there's a good chance it'll be provided. So that's honestly been incredible and that's the main reason why I think a lot of us have stayed so long, because there's a good chance it'll be provided. So that's honestly been incredible and that's the main reason why I think a lot of us have stayed so long, because there's just so much freedom to grow and develop yourself. While some of the bits are like a bit repeatable, as any kind of company that's implementing a product, other bits it just there's. There's kind of no shortage of possibility.
Speaker 1:Yeah yeah, and and that makes sense as well, because contacts are so good at, you know, putting you through an academy and and um teaching you a new language. It's almost like why would they invest in people so heavily to then you get in the job and then you don't want to stay because you don't have that freedom to continually learn and move around and try things? It's almost like they've got that down to a tee. They invest in you heavily at the start and then obviously really still look after you throughout your whole journey, because otherwise you would just have a lot of people dropping off um, kind of around mid-career level um. But like you said, kayla, people just stay. They, they realize um, it's not just getting you through the door, but obviously retaining talent as well, um, and helping you to to move through the ranks um, which obviously sounds like they're currently doing a good job at um, erica yourself, um, how do you think Quantexa's culture supports your growth and development as a professional?
Speaker 3:I would definitely equal worth growth for Quantexa because there are so many opportunities. Well, you mentioned already the academy, but together with it we have like a data practice sessions where we learn more technical skills so you could go register and just learn, let's say, you know defense, elastic, git, whenever people suggest they adopt it, and then we also have social skill sessions where you can also register and take part in. If you're more interested in doing something, additional machine learning sessions we do have each week where people you know present what they have learned, what they are doing and just in general reading some reports and then presenting to someone else who are interested. If you are more interested in more social stuff, there is a social committee so you could become part of a social committee. Do events be part of social media? There are multiple opportunities where you can express yourself.
Speaker 3:Also this initiative I've talked before. So I had this idea and there were people assigned to me to actually make it happen. And one of the latest highlights for me, I did start an apprenticeship with an outside company, but Quantexa is helping out with that and I will be studying for two years level five data engineering course, which is definitely a big proof that company is investing in our growth.
Speaker 1:That's amazing that they they are supporting you with that apprenticeship, um as well. That's. That's um, uh, so good to hear. And some, some companies we've noticed, um, at chicane code, they can get a little bit nervous about kind of celebrating their ladies, celebrating that talent and telling other people about the great talent that they have at their companies. And we've always found this really strange because we know that, like Quantexa, the companies that are confident that they can retain their talent, they're the ones that shout about their ladies.
Speaker 1:They, you know, come on the podcast. They, we, we talk about you and what you do and the great things you're doing. Um, they enter for our awards, for instance, and it's those companies that you know they don't mind sharing that. These great ladies work there because they're not worried in any way that people will leave and think, oh, you know, I'll look elsewhere and we can. Almost all the other companies will poach that talent.
Speaker 1:We can almost tell the ones that are really confident about what they're doing and how they're retaining their staff and to help you with an apprenticeship that is outside of that is definitely unique I haven't heard that one before from a company and but they're obviously very invested in you and retaining you in that way. So and we are almost out of time, but I have one last question I wanted to ask you and it's something that we ask ladies on this podcast a lot what advice would you give to young women aspiring to enter the tech industry? Kayla, is there something that you wish somebody had told you? What would you give as advice for young women just entering the tech industry?
Speaker 2:I think I'd say like be comfortable, being uncomfortable or like not not knowing things. There is always something that I I don't know or I don't know how to do. I've never seen before. That's just kind of a factor of life, and just getting like accepting that that's how it is and and not being afraid to just attack it head-on or break it up into pieces and start working your way through it, it's all going to get sorted out. Like don't be afraid of the big, scary thing in front of you, just just deal with it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and that feeling doesn't go either. That's the thing. You're right. It's almost like you have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable, because there are more uncomfortable things, as you move through your journey, it's not as if they they disappear, they're. They're with you all the time. So you're right, you just need to settle in and just just work through things, you're so right.
Speaker 2:I also think like that's, that's a big thing, because, like, once you're comfortable, you're in your comfort zone, and that's not usually where the growth happens yeah so if you want to keep growing, you want to keep improving, you want to see what you can truly achieve, definitely, like the discomfort is the key, I think yes, yes, to move outside of your comfort zone.
Speaker 1:I couldn't agree more um, erica yourself, any advice that you would give to young women aspiring to enter the tech industry?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I would absolutely want to agree with Kayla on the thing that you need to get used to that. That was hard for me in the beginning. I just understand that. I just don't know and I don't know what to do next. But yeah, just get comfortable with that. Two years in tech, it's still there. So definitely a good suggestion. And from my side I would say from probably my history, my past, is not to be scared of changing a career if you would like to. So if that's something you would like to try, it's definitely possible. There are opportunities and you can do it. And more probably a practical side of the suggestion, I would say multiple projects is definitely a good point when getting through interviews, because I had seven or eight projects which I've done throughout the masters. I got lucky with masters, but if, if you don't have too many projects in your course, you, I would like and suggest you to do additional so you have a proof of something practical you've done. So that would be main two suggestions from my side yeah, that's really good advice.
Speaker 1:I had a lady on here previously who said something similar and she said that she found um different communities that she could work on projects um to to help with um, and there was one in London that she she was working with and she said she had found something similar that it is easier to show projects you've worked on real life things um, and even if you're not doing that yourself, to try and find a group that can help you with that, you're definitely bang on there just to try and find some projects to really show what you can do. That is lovely advice to end it on and brilliant advice to share with our community. So thank you so much, erica and Kayla, for coming on, sharing your journeys and sharing your experiences and inspiring our community. So thank you so much for joining us, thanks for having us.
Speaker 1:And so everybody listening as always. Thank you so much for joining us and we hope to see you again next time.
