As NATO's technology experts, this initiative is particularly pertinent for NCIA. Information and communications technology play an integral role in the Agency's daily work to secure and strengthen NATO and preserve peace for the Alliance.
To commemorate International Day of Girls in ICT, we spoke to Carol Macha, Chief Information Officer at NCIA, to learn how she overcomes professional challenges, her advice for the next generation of women in STEM and what her younger self would think of her now.
What challenges have you faced throughout your career and how have you overcome them?
I have faced a lot of the same challenges as others when it comes to careers. In which direction do I want my career in IT to grow? How do I progress? What is the best way to gain experience in a certain area?
To overcome this, I have developed a strategy of asking myself the one thing I want to achieve next. This helped me to focus on a specific goal and enabled me to plan out the process of methodically working to achieve that objective. Throughout my career, I have also learned how important it is to take care of all aspects of myself so upon reaching my personal or professional goals, I always give myself some breathing room before working towards my next ambition.
What career advice would you give to women looking to pursue a career in ICT or STEM?
I would wildly encourage them to go for it and remind them that their voice matters! The growth in ICT and STEM positions is explosive and there has never been a more critical time for our voices in these roles, however, we have to use them. I can guarantee that if something does not make sense to you in a meeting or as part of a project, there are also others to whom it does not make any sense. You have to be willing to speak up and ask questions, and the beauty of these fields is they require and encourage curiosity. Our strength as women in STEM is that we have a different experience basis which helps us think differently and this helps us contribute to a successful and efficient ICT delivery. We need a wealth of diverse and inclusive experiences at the table to ensure that the technology we build and deliver accurately reflects the society it serves. Our voices matter so we should use them!
Also, I would encourage women to talk about their successes and get comfortable with sharing their successes! We tend to be shy about telling people about our achievements, or reminding people of the successful projects we have delivered. While working in teams is important—do not hesitate to remind supervisors about your individual impact on an effort or deliverable. This is especially important when interviewing for new positions. Give yourself the credit you earned and showcase your talents.
What should women entering a career in STEM and ICT be mindful of as they enter their roles?
While I wish this was not advice I had to offer, until we have more gender equity in ICT and STEM fields, it is important for women to evaluate the organizations where we work and understand how to operate within the pre-dominant cultures of that environment. We all have unconscious biases that we bring to the workplace. For example, if your organization is male-dominated, learn how to manoeuvre within that culture. This understanding allows us to chart a successful career path and learn the rules of engagement, which in turn empowers us to start asking the necessary questions that allow positive change to occur.
An important aspect of gaining this understanding is expanding our networks. Throughout my career, I have used every opportunity available to me to expand my network and connect with people. If there was a special project, or a hiring panel, or a tiger team, and I had the capacity, I volunteered. Doing so has given me the chance to get to know more people in my organization and gain a wider perspective of ongoing work outside of my scope. Networking with others in and out of my field gave me a broader view, and with that I was able to navigate a course to different positions and move up in my career.
If your younger self could see you now, what would she think?
Overall, I think she would be amazed! I have had tremendous opportunities, met amazing people around the world and followed my heart to serve critical missions in the military and national security environments. I think my younger self would recognize that she always worked super hard to get here. Mostly though, I think she would be proud that she learned how to use her voice, work within challenging systems and never met a problem she could not solve. Although ICT is a critical field of work, what really matters is the people. My younger self would be immensely honoured that wherever possible, she listened to people, made sure they felt appreciated for their contribution and left them with a positive sense that they matter.