On this International Women’s Day, I want to celebrate all women – no matter in what field they work, we want to honor all those who contribute to the well-being of families in one way or another: from mothers who wake up early to prepare their children for school to those who split their time between their home and their job, who are the foundation of their family and their workplace.
I also think it’s the perfect time to look at both the past and current situation for women in the industry in which I’ve been lucky enough to work and grow as an engineer and as a woman. I know that the technology field is hardly a stranger to women: it has seen many pioneering and influential women over the years, such as Ada Lovelace, a pioneer in computer programming, or Hedy Lamarr, the inventor of the spread spectrum, a way of transmitting radio signals used in GPS, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi connections.
Some of the Latin American women who currently hold leadership in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields include Lilian Rincón, who works on issues related to artificial intelligence and currently holds the position of Senior Director of Product Management for the Google Assistant, and Diana Trujillo, who achieved her dream of working at NASA and is one of the telecommunications engineers who directs missions for the Curiosity probe on Mars.
Although these impressive women currently work in the STEM field, women are underrepresented in these careers compared to men — and the data center industry is no exception.
Main Obstacles in Joining the Tech Sector
We asked several women who work at Vertiv in LATAM to share the main obstacles facing young women when they themselves entered the labor market, and why it was so important to them that more women get involved in the tech industry workforce, especially in data centers.
Renata Padua, a Project Coordinator at Vertiv Brazil feels that women have traditionally been “seen as a symbol of fragility” and have not been supported in fields of study or careers that are math and science heavy. “This makes women feel intimidated, leading to a lack of representation in this market.”
However, current trends seek to encourage women to participate in a variety of spaces, with no limitations on the roles they can have. For example, toy brand Mattel has created campaigns through its Barbie doll line that encourage girls to pursue professional careers. Their slogan “be who you wanna be,” allows girls to play as teachers, vets, lawyers or whoever they want to be.
“Historically, women have tended to choose paths that are more geared towards the humanities than science. In my opinion, this is because Western society does not promote women’s participation in different spaces and prefers the idea of women as wives and mothers,” says Dayana González, HR Manager at Vertiv Mexico.
Magdalena Mardones, Channel Manager at Vertiv Chile, thinks that technical areas, such as IT, that are overwhelmingly male dominated would benefit from becoming more inclusive and accepting the skills that women can bring to the jobs. “Telecommunications area is another example of a segment where we have to end the stigma and stereotypes. There is space for us to participate in the technical field.”
Meanwhile, Gineth Contreras, Sales Executive NSA at Vertiv tells us that “Scientists and engineers are currently working to solve some of the most pressing challenges of our times. With a more diverse workforce, it is likely that the products, services and solutions will be better designed and better represent all users. With this in mind, it is important to encourage women in areas in which they have participated the least. This includes electrical, electronic and mechanical engineering, given that they have a direct impact on the data center industry and the core of Vertiv solutions.”
Dedicated to Technology
“My abilities and the development of my professional career have always been linked to the commercial sector. When I was a child, I was naturally experiencing the paradigm shift that occurred with the emergence of computers, video game consoles and cell phones. They caught my attention and made me want to be a part of this industry,” says Magdalena Mardones. “It is a dynamic industry that presents new advances every day, as well as the need to adapt to the digital transformation. Yesterday was 4G, today it is 5G, smart cities, augmented reality, autonomous vehicles and the network edge.”
“My start in the tech sector was by accident,” comments Mariela Patricia Missiano, APUB (Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil) Sales Manager at Vertiv Argentina, “but I discovered a world that was so exciting that I’m still here 15 years later. Technology is dynamic, ever-changing, and pushes us to grow, learn and constantly evolve. I think that we, as women, have much to contribute. Our world is enriched by diversity, it’s just a question of breaking down prejudices, pulling the cultural switch that has told us, for years, that women aren’t good at this sort of thing.”
“12 years ago, I entered this company knowing that Vertiv plays a key role in the future of people’s lives. All industries have a growing need to use information and to do it at high speed. Our company supports critical information belonging to industries that are vital for humanity,” said Diana Ayerve, Supply Chain Manager at Vertiv Peru, about her own passion for the technology industry.
Vertiv currently offers the employee program Women at Vertiv Excel (WAVE), a support network for women and men at Vertiv that aligns our actions with our corporate values and provides women with tools, resources and opportunities that they can rely on in their work. The Vertiv LATAM marketing and public relations Initiative DC4Women has been developed as part of this program, with the objective of to provide advice to female engineering students on how to get involved in the data center industry. We hope that this initiative will help to raise the profile of Latin American women in the tech industry, and that other companies will provide similar guidance to young women.
While we remain a relatively small part of the tech sector, I am sure that this situation will change over time. Our way of seeing things, our diversity, agility, collaboration and leadership will help us to confront the challenges that this field presents. Women’s inclusion in the industry is increasingly important in our ever-changing world.
