Mulheres na TI - Sibele Pimentel

The technological area has brought important women throughout history who have contributed a lot to the future of computing.

In 1943, a new female name appears that brings great contributions to programming development as a whole. Grace Hopper helped create the COBOL language, a project in which three other women also participated.

Today, with the growth of the technology market, there is a movement for women to occupy more space in this market, an example is the partnership between WoMakersCode and Microsoft, which developed a digital marathon with the proposal to bring more information to women and encourages them to invest their careers in the technological world.

To understand this scenario a little better, we interviewed Sibele Pimentel, who works in the Technology Management area, to talk about her professional trajectory, learn about her daily achievements and challenges.

Check it out below!

What most motivates you to work in the IT field?

Being able to experience all the markets that exist. It’s a differential that I see, we can work in financial services, retail, industry. So it’s possible to experiment with different areas and work with people. In my trajectory, I see that people develop technology. Teamwork is communication and engagement, as you are very close to the team in deliveries. The technology area takes you out of your comfort zone, with the advancement of digital transformation, serving an area and serving a business, it is necessary to innovate, have creativity and always challenge yourself. That’s what motivates me to work in the IT field.

Does IT have any particularities? Is it different from other areas?

I see that in IT you will never get bored. In IT, change is constant, fast and impactful. IT, Information Technology, is in everything, in all areas and segments and in all products and services. So, this digital transformation drives products, services, sectors, to be interconnected. That’s the thing, when making these interconnections these deliveries, you can’t get bored. This intersection that exists between technology and business demands from the IT professional, in addition to innovation skills, social skills, as it is necessary to understand the problems, debate them in order to propose solutions.

Have you thought about working in another area?

I can’t imagine working in another area. I am very happy with what I do. And I see that this is very important, when the person is happy with what they do, everyone wins, the person wins, personally and professionally and for whom they are providing the service. I don’t see myself working in another area. You can act in several segments, it allows you to try everything and you have to understand the business, you can know programming, system analysis, information security, big data, but you can act in several segments. But to deliver solutions, you have to understand the business, you cannot only understand the tool. So IT challenges you, that’s why you fall in love, even if you don’t want to, you’re learning all the time.

Have you ever suffered any kind of prejudice, whether in the company, college or family, for choosing to work in this field?

No, my family has always supported me. And the companies I’ve worked with I’ve always had the opportunity, I’ve always had a voice in the meetings, the demands regarding deliveries and results have always been the same for me and for the men. I never saw a difference. Recognition, I’ve always been recognized by the companies I’ve been through. In college too, despite women being a minority, I never felt differently treated for being a woman, quite the contrary, my work always allowed me to be invited to participate in important projects to participate in meetings. So the areas called me, the company called me, because of the professional you are. As long as you make a good delivery and get along well, it’s a matter of alliance if you keep talking, making alliances, making deliveries, you will be recognized for your work, at least by the companies I’ve worked for, I’ve never suffered prejudice.

Do you think people’s views have changed a bit or do you feel that there is still some prejudice?

I see women as a minority in the technology world, this is a fact. But they have conquered space. I think it goes back to college. First than a more exact, more logical science, I see it as a cultural issue. Perhaps in the past it was understood that technology was only for men. I see this is changing. This interaction that we are doing, makes women read more about technology, women in technology, it awakens those who are starting to decide now with what they are going to work with. So if she reads a story, if she reads a blog related to that, she can identify herself. But I think it’s a more cultural issue that technology is just for men, but it’s not. The woman is indeed a minority, I believe she is still in college and in the job market, but I see that she is gaining more and more space. I’ve never been through prejudice, I can’t say that it still exists.

What is your biggest aspiration in technology?

Today I see that technology is very present in people’s daily lives, it modifies, it includes behaviors and I see myself collaborating for this. My aspiration is to continue working with innovative projects. Make the impossible possible. When we are delivering a project, we say that anything is possible, just investment and deadline.

Could you leave a message of encouragement for women who dream of working in IT or in some other area that still faces resistance?

Women can and should work with technology. If you like to make a difference, you have come to the right place. I’ve worked with many women in the IT market and I see there is room for everything, I see many women working with analysis, project management, I see that they identify a lot with these two segments within the technology area. I’ve also worked with women in information security, which would be a technical area, programming too, digital marketing, women standing out in big data, Data Science. I’ve worked a lot with women who stand out in the UX area. I see the most participative woman in project analysis and management, there is now the issue of agile methods which is the scrum master and the agile, I worked with women organizing this issue of teams like agile, but in infrastructure I worked with few women. I came from programming, analysis and project management, that was my choice when I got out of college.

How is the partnership and the way GX2 works, would you highlight anything?

GX2 is a company that combines technology, innovation and people. I’ve worked with them at two companies I went through. I don’t see it as a supplier, but rather as a strategic partner for clients, developing software and allocating qualified professionals.

And this opportunity to be able to talk about women in technology, I think it’s very cool, as it increases interest. Empowering women, giving them the opportunity to talk about the issue of discrimination, to be able to talk about technology and not just being a men’s issue. I think this space that the GX2 is giving is really cool.