Women in Tech: Sujata Sinha
What’s your name and role?
My name is Sujata Sinha, and I am working as a QA Manager in the Nuffield Electronic Patient Record (NEPR) Programme.
How did you decide to pursue a career in technology? Was it your childhood ambition or a spontaneous decision to work in the field?
My career path is interesting. I am a Psychology graduate from Delhi university in India. I had relocated to the UK as I got married to an IT profession who was working in the UK. Initially I used my Psychology career to help people with mental health issues get back into work. While doing this, I was also gradually looking into other avenues of merging my psychology career with technology. I had started using various applications which would match my clients to various roles that would help them get into mainstream group of workers. While doing this I took up various certifications that would help me get into the software industry. It gave me immense satisfaction when I helped people through technology to get back into work. This also gave me a broader perspective and outlook of how much more I could do in helping people in the community through technology. This was the turning point for me to pursue a career in technology. If I look back into my 14 years of career in technology, I can say that by being in the software industry I have served various areas of the community like schools, hospitals, people with health issues (physical and mental).
What are your biggest achievements / moments you’re most proud of in the workplace?
While working at a Volunteer Centre – I was able to place more than 100 people with mental health issues into some kind voluntary work that helped them get in paid work. This was done through various software application as the skills had to be matched up for the right opportunity. I could see the power of technology while doing this as technology was playing a very vital role in changing the lives of all these individuals. I am very proud of my journey from the Volunteer Centre till now as a QA Manager at Nuffield Health. The goal has always been to help people through technology.
What advice can you give to women considering a career in tech?
“It’s never late to do the right thing “and “Follow what your heart says”
Of course, it will be tough at times as we women have to multi- task. If you have the passion to get into tech career there is nothing that can stop, you. I have always been an advocate of volunteering as that’s how I started my career in the UK – as a Volunteer!
If you are changing your career and want to get in Technology, there are various organisations that are looking for people that can help them maintain their database, review their requirement documents, or just browse through their website to find issues. All these might sound very basic but believe me, these are the things that create a strong foundation to get into the technology world.
Do you think that women have the same opportunities as men in the tech world? How can we change that?
Tech world has seen a strong presence of men in the past, but I think things are changing now and now it’s time that we flip the question