#WomensMonth: Women must explore the future of tech
This Women’s Month, Mazibuko shares her journey - from helping fellow students with their tech needs while studying towards a Computer Science degree at the University of Zululand, to leading a team of technical support legends, who support customers in the Middle East and Africa on the Mimecast services.
Could you describe a typical day in your job?
The best days are the ones that start early as I get to sort out most of my admin before everyone else gets to the office and meetings start. On a good day, I will start my day at 7am and sweep through emails and review reports to plan for discussions with relevant stakeholders.
I review the team’s KPIs for discussion on how we are doing against them and I also draft communications about the team’s performance for the rest of the business or external stakeholders.
In between reviewing reports and drafting communication, I attend meetings to discuss business projects and strategy alignment. Or I spend time coaching my team and helping them with their development. The rest of the day I spend with the team, assisting with any issues that require my attention.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
I remember telling my principal in higher primary that I wanted to be a social worker. When I got to high school, I became less certain and while I didn’t have a specific career path in mind, I knew I was passionate about science and studied it throughout my schooling. I stumbled on my love for technology when I was at university while taking a “life detour” studying biomedical science.
How did you get into the tech space?
I would like to say that my journey to tech was planned and that I spent my younger years working towards it, but that would be a lie. My love for tech was an intuitive need, which was so loud that I couldn’t ignore it.
After spending a year studying biomedicine, I was introduced to what would become my life’s biggest venture - a PC. That was the first time I used a PC and I remember so clearly the first time I interacted with one. I was fascinated by every aspect of it.
I wanted to know how what I was typing was being processed and stored and how data was being retrieved from the internet. I wanted to understand all the convenient functionalities that were suddenly a crucial part of my life.
What was the best advice anyone ever gave you?What advice do you have for the future generation of women wanting to get into the tech space?
There is more to IT than computers and servers. I found technology to be a lens that one can use to explore every market and industry. Don’t be afraid to invest time in your future by exploring mathematics and science. Believe me, it’s not as hard as it's deemed to be.Who or what is your biggest motivation?
I learn from different people all the time. The lessons I need to learn to move forward depends on where I am in my life, or what I’m looking for. What I read, listen to or observe, can provide wisdom and help me grow and evolve. I am a firm believer that surrounding yourself with people with “clean energy” can help you learn and be inspired. And hopefully, you can do the same for them.
Are South African women getting enough of a chance to shine in the tech industry?
Any young woman with the desire to enter a career in the technology field will be exposed to a world of opportunities. Anyone who works in this sector will tell you that there is a major skills gap. The demand for technology skills - and in Mimecast’s case, security skills – is massive.
The rate at which technology is evolving means there are opportunities for new professionals to enter the sector.
In our field, cyber attacks are on the increase, hackers are becoming more sophisticated and smarter and security professionals are battling to keep up with the level and volume of attacks. So, the opportunities are definitely there.
Unfortunately, the problem lies with the perception that tech is for men only and so most young women don’t have an interest in entering this field. I find it in my own role all the time. I’m always looking for young talented women, but the options are limited. I think once there is a mindset change and people like myself share the information about this sector, women will soon realise the enormous potential and quickly realise that tech is the future.
As a female business leader, what’s the least and most exciting aspect of your workday?
I love seeing people I have mentored and coached achieve the goals they have set for themselves. It’s so rewarding seeing the behaviour shift as they evolve into the people they want to be.
The least exciting aspect is having necessary, but difficult conversations, with members of my team and trying to provide the facts while being empathetic at the same time. I tend to get to the point quite quickly in a difficult conversation and this straightforward approach can sometimes cause more harm than good.
So, I always try to consciously have a conversation with the aim to aid and empower, rather than demotivate. I love the Maya Angelou quote that says, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel..”
Women are considered to be natural problem solvers. Why do you think this is perfect for the tech industry?
I think that women historically have had to come up with solutions to fend and provide for themselves and for their loved ones and that, I guess, has forced them to be problem solvers.
And because all technology solutions are developed for a purpose and to solve a problem - either a business issue or a market opportunity – being in this sector seems like a perfect fit for natural problem solvers.
Take for instance what we do at Mimecast, we are always providing solutions that align with customers’ needs. We are responsible for securing their data and providing continuity when required, and I love being able to help provide these solutions every day.
Could you list a few, if any, specific challenges females face in this industry?
As mentioned previously, there is a major skills deficit in the technology space. For the past eight years or so, whenever I look to hire resources, I find it incredibly challenging to find people with the correct skills, more so in the security space. Every business requires technology, especially if they want to improve efficiencies and in turn, improve profits, so there are endless opportunities available.
I remember going through a research paper when I was still studying that said women tend to heavily criticise themselves, which limits the opportunities they explore. It also compared how women and men view job specification advertisements, saying that most men look for one or two things they’re qualified for, and feel confident to apply for the position. Meanwhile, women will only be comfortable to apply if most of the specs speak to their skills or experience.
We should not be afraid as women to explore these opportunities.
All this data sharing is great and it has made our lives extremely easy and convenient but it’s created an even greater urgency and need for security to be at the core of all solutions. The chances of any of these devices being hacked will only increase and this could have significant and sometimes devastating consequences.What is your advice for overcoming these challenges?Women need to be more confident in their abilities. Once they feel totally comfortable that they have the necessary skills and knowledge, they will be in for a world of success. There is an urgency to provide quality technology skills and women can help fill this gap.
What trends do you predict in tech in the coming years?
User education will also become a non-negotiable for organisations. Unfortunately, hackers continue to find ways to exploit vulnerabilities and technology alone will not protect organisations. They are targeting the employee – the weakest link – and these unsuspecting users are clicking on malicious links and opening contaminated attachments. End-user awareness and training is going to become an essential weapon in the cyber war.
