Celebrating Women in IT on International Women’s Day
March 8 is International Women’s Day – we take a look at our female IT colleagues.
Ada Lovelace and Grandma COBOL as female pioneers in computer programming
The first computer program is said to have been designed by the British mathematician Ada Lovelace. In the midst of the 19th century she thought up a method by which a calculating machine could evaluate a certain sequence of numbers and therefore is considered by many to be the very first programmer.
Grace Hopper developed the first compiler (A-0) in 1952, a software that converts programming commands into machine language code. She did essential preliminary work for the development of the COBOL programming language with the FLOW-MATIC programming language and the associated compiler. This is where her nickname Grandma COBOL originated.
Women in tech industry today
Until today it is still a long way to go to reach gender equality in the male dominated tech industry. Yet, Information Technology should be all about forward thinking and reaching new heights, where injustice and inequality should have no room, but where women should feel supported and valued.
Empowerment of the female techies at birkle IT
For our woman developers at birkle IT, working in software development gives them a lot of opportunities to become a tech expert not only about databases and programming, but also as a Project Manager or a Tester. Teamwork with colleagues from different departments is aiming to build a space of inclusion, empowerment and interaction to grow all together and learn from each other. We incorporate and live by our slogan: #thisisyourtime TO BE EXACTLY WHO YOU ARE.
Nicole Wikenheiser (in the back) , for instance, has been working as associate architect for more than a year at birkle IT. In her current project she implements the frontend for a logistics client. This also includes decisions regarding the frontend architecture and guaranteeing a high code quality. She discovered her passion for computer technology early:
„I like to hands-on solve things. Software development combines many fascinating aspects. As technology is evolving fast, there are always new things to learn“
Nicole Wikenheiser
She always feels welcome and inspired by her colleagues at birkle IT. For women in tech industry in general, though, she wishes that in future women shouldn’t be facing obstacles or prejudices.
Katja Kirchhofer (in the front) is Associate IT Consultant at birkle IT. She developed a mobile app that is efficient, user-friendly, reliable and meets the client’s needs. She was responsible for planning and implementing the app’s business logic as a mobile application. Additionally, she implemented state management and performed API requests and tests to ensure the app’s functionality. Always at her side: Officedog “Champ”.
„“I feel fortunate to be part of a company that is working on meaningful projects, where I can take responsibility and be challenged, while receiving support and developing my skills. I also totally relate to birkle’s slogan, because it empowers me to embrace my unique qualities and pursue my passions without fear of judgement or rejection“
Katja Kirchhofer
Equal rights are a high priority at birkle IT
birkle IT is internationally diverse
The birkle IT AG tech team is also internationally diverse. We spoke to two colleagues from Vilnius, Lithuania and Tallinn, Estonia.
In Vilnius, our Lithuanian nearshoring site, Aiste Petkeviciene works as a Senior IT Business Analyst. In her daily business she analyzes business requirements and provides them to developers in an IT language. If she could, she would debunk myths surrounding women in tech, since she is convinced that men and women are equally important. If she could pick one superpower she would decide for invulnerability, being invulnerable from prejudice and harm.
Anne-Mai Lõpp lso works as a Business Analyst in birkle’s Tallinn office. The Estonian colleague is fascinated about IT:
„The job never ends. The good thing is there will be always work for you. If you decide to go after IT, there are many fields you can chose from. IT is not only about databases and programming, but you can also be Project Manager or a Tester – there are lot of opportunities for women in IT.“
Anne-Mai Löpp
Many other women are important contributors at birkle IT AG – however, women are unfortunately underrepresented at the top management level. We asked board member Thomas Fraenzke how he would like to change this:
“We are addressing this trend, which is by no means intentional, with our internal “Empower Leadership Program” – many women are in middle management at birkle IT or on their way there. Our long-term growth guarantees that we will ensure a balanced ratio right up to the Management Board level. Addressing the issue of women in leadership positions brings enormous benefits, as it ensures a differentiated, professional and strategic perspective that enriches the entire organization”
Thomas Fraenzke – Member of the board at birkle IT AG
We think it’s a promising sign and an exciting statement for International Women’s Day!
Maybe birkle IT is the right fit for you? – Take a look at our current vacancies now or send us an unsolicited application!
We look forward to hearing from you!
About us
birkle IT is an IT consulting and software development company operating mainly in the DACH region, the Nordic countries and the Baltic States. The company employs over 150 specialists who develop innovative solutions for leading companies in the industry. birkle IT specializes in consulting and tailor-made software solutions for companies – with special expertise in the insurance industry. We provide established companies and start-ups with immediately scalable teams of experienced developers so that they can implement their projects faster and with state-of-the-art technology.
