TOR Systems, a ticketing and booking specialist, is marking the approach to International Women’s Day 2022 by celebrating its own team members who are making their careers in the male-dominated field of STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths).
Last year, it was reported by The Guardian that the percentage of women working in technology has hardly risen in the past decade, despite the efforts made to make the industry a more appealing option for all. There has been a renewed focus on STEM subjects at school, as well as initiatives such as TED talks.
TOR’s talented team member
One TOR team member who is going against this trend is project manager Becky McFarlane, who has been with the company since 2017. Initially, McFarlane joined as a support desk engineer, before moving into the development team after her maternity leave, where she became the in-house software tester and trainer.
“TOR has been a fantastic business to work for as I have been given so many opportunities to learn new skills, pursue different interests and grow as a person within the technology industry,” she says.
McFarlane has a decade of experience supporting a variety of sectors, such as retail, hospitality, law and recruitment, and previously held positions with Epson and Lyreco. Her skills, alongside her professional and personable nature, ensure that she is able to build and maintain a strong relationship with TOR clients.
Her opportunity to enter this field came after she chose to study Computer Science at A-Level, as well as English Language and Spanish.
“Technology has always been very close to my heart,” she explains. “I was extremely fortunate that I grew up in the period where home computers were beginning to be more commonplace and the internet was just starting to take off.
“Technology has advanced so rapidly in the past 20 years that the industry is always buzzing with ideas and concepts, which is really exciting to me. TOR really embodies that drive to keep moving forward and evolving and that’s what got me hooked here.”
The benefits of more women in tech
According to the article in The Guardian article, the percentage of women employed in technology in the UK increased from 15.7% in 2009 to 17% last year. Women only hold 10% of leadership roles in the industry.
“There needs to be not just a push to get girls interested in STEM fields early on, but a sustained cultural and mindset shift on the topic,” says MacFarlane. “Our schools’ curriculums need to be better shaped to encourage diversity and inclusivity, there needs to be more apprenticeship and training schemes and reskilling options that encourage women into the fold.”
And there are many benefits to getting more women working in tech. According to Forbes, diversity generates more revenue: “Companies that not only hire but also manage to retain more women put themselves in a position to automatically gain a competitive advantage, a benefit that extends to all stakeholders.”
In the same article, Forbes makes the point that women think differently from men, allowing them to bring unique ideas to the table and aid problem-solving. It also explains that celebrating strong female role models in this field will encourage girls to pursue their interests and subsequent careers, enabling women to “have a seat at the table so they can engage men on the topic of gender equality”.
Balanced teams are vital
“I feel passionately about gender equality and the many benefits of ensuring a mixed workplace,” says Sarah Bagg, TOR’s business development director. “If a workplace is heavily weighted towards one sex, it can be unbalanced. We’re fundamentally different in so many ways and I think that should be celebrated.
“Many of the issues I have seen first-hand have come from a lack of understanding surrounding minorities within teams, whether that’s gender, race, religion, sexuality or education.
“If your team is not balanced, the ethos, culture and even direction of the company can be affected. I’d welcome more emphasis on leadership in the sectors which so often need equality the most, including tech.”
Earlier this year, TOR outlined how its systems have enabled operators on the road to recovery, in the wake of the pandemic.
