Women in Tech: Kate's Journey into Application Support

Can you tell me about your career journey and how you got into application support?

I have worked in customer service and business support roles for over a decade; anything from front of house restaurant staff, to call centre staff, to higher education programme administration. While I found some gratification in being able to perform my job well, I always felt I was missing a level of personal satisfaction in what I was doing.

It was during the pandemic that I stumbled across a 5-day coding challenge. I have some vague memories of enjoying learning how to write my own (very simple) computer programme in Visual Basic as a child, and so thought it would be a fun experience even if it didn’t lead to anything.

I enjoyed the challenge so much that I made the huge decision to enrol in the Diploma in Full Stack Software Development. The course itself was really tough, challenging, but rewarding, and at the end of March 2023 I was awarded my qualification with a merit overall.

Soon after completing I was looking for a role that would help me transition from my administration role at a university into tech. I was somewhat nervous that if I threw myself into a developer role where I couldn’t immediately see my successes that it would really discourage me from pursuing my tech career. I was fortunate to come across a role for a Software Development company that married both technical skills and customer service skills. In September 2024 I started my role as an Application Support Technician and I’m very much enjoying learning a whole multitude of new skills.

 

How did your background in customer support and administration help shape your transition into tech?

Working in customer service requires a great deal of resilience and adaptability, which are qualities that have been invaluable in my transition into tech. My experience as a front-end user of various software packages across different industries has given me first-hand insight into user expectations and behaviours.

I also believe that the skills required to be a good administrator, such as attention to detail, a methodical approach, and precision, are highly transferable to becoming a good developer.

 

What has been the biggest challenge in moving into the tech industry, and how did you overcome it?

The decision to enrol on the year course was a massive undertaking both personally and financially. During my studies I had to juggle a job, a toddler, and some really difficult personal situations; two pregnancies and subsequent miscarriages. Miscarriage, for me, was a terrible and lonely time. It was hard to get my head down and code during the weeks and months that followed, but I persevered.

I can say with absolute certainty that there were two elements that contributed to my overcoming those difficult periods. The first, and foremost, is a strong and dependable support circle. I wouldn’t have been able to do what I did without the support of my family. But also, after nearly 20 years of trying to find a career I could feel passionate about, I knew this is what I wanted to do. So I had to just build up my resilience and persevere.

 

Were there any key moments or projects during your studies that reinforced your decision to pursue a tech role?

Every time I got to assignment submission day I felt this overwhelming sense of achievement and satisfaction. I had actually created something myself. I was particularly proud of my full stack project, ‘Little White Dress’, where I created a website for a fictitious wedding dress shop. Even though I knew it had minor flaws, and there were some endless nights of shouting at my laptop when things wouldn’t work, I still feel such a sense of pride when I look at the site.

When you’re problem-solving with your code it can feel relentless, but the moment you find that answer and you make it work it’s just fantastic. It was those ‘Aha!’ moments, that happened shortly after contemplating chucking my laptop out the window, when I knew this is what I wanted to do.

 

If you could give one piece of advice to someone considering a career change into tech, what would it be?

Be ready to want to quit and be ready to push through regardless. The ups and downs, and the challenges anyone faces when trying to career change, are overwhelming. Once you accept that it’s not going to be easy, but that it is going to be worth it, you can definitely make it happen. The key is to be persistent, break problems down into manageable steps, and celebrate any small wins along the way. There might be times when progress feels slow, and undoubtedly imposter syndrome will rear its ugly head, but you’ll be constantly learning and building resilience ready for your future career.

 

What does an average day look like for you as an Application Support Technician?

Every day is different! I spend the majority of my day triaging tickets from our clients, but each ticket has its own unique issue that needs solving. I spend a lot of my time reading code written by our developers, or by our clients’ developers, and that’s a skill that was relatively new to me when I started the role.

I am fortunate enough to work for a company that places a strong emphasis on career development, which has given me the opportunity to deepen my knowledge in front-end software development; the area I’m particularly interested in working in. Each week, I have dedicated self-development time to focus on expanding my skills, and I’ve also been able to take on projects that allow me to apply and further advance these.

 

How do you continue to develop your technical skills outside of your formal education and daily work?

Continuous learning is so important in the tech sector as things are changing and evolving so rapidly. I have a multitude of things I would like to learn but I have to pick and choose what I think would be most useful to me and I can fit in around my work and personal life. I mainly use online coding courses, and am currently learning Flutter, for example, as I have a personal project that I’ve been wanting to build for some time.

 

Have you faced any unique challenges as a woman in tech, and how have you navigated them?

One challenge I’ve faced as a woman in tech, especially while juggling family responsibilities, is making sure my work is seen and valued. When you have a lot going on at home, you might not always be the one staying late for extra meetings or networking events, and sometimes that can feel like it puts you at a disadvantage. I’ve had to be really conscious about making my voice heard when I have the opportunity and throwing myself into projects that might be out of my comfort zone.

 

What are some ways companies can create more inclusive work environments for women in technology?

I think companies should focus on equal hiring and promotion processes, making sure that women have the same access to leadership roles. Providing tools such as mentorship programs can also make a significant difference. One of the things that attracted me to the role with my current employer was the visibility of women in both leadership roles and technical roles.

Flexible working is another way that companies can be more inclusive, and to be fair most companies have embraced this post-Covid. A woman who has to go on the school run, or might be dealing with morning sickness for example, shouldn’t be penalised for these things. Having policies in place that allow for flexible working really has a positive impact on the contributions of these employees.

 

What advice would you give to young women aspiring to enter the tech industry?

It’s going to sound cliché, but just believe in yourself. Just because this is currently a male-dominated industry doesn’t mean you don’t belong or you don’t have what it takes. It can be intimidating at first, but my experience has been that almost all the people I have met working in this sector, men and women alike, have valued me for the skills and knowledge I am able to bring to the table.

 

What do you think are the most exciting trends in software support and troubleshooting?

It has to be AI. It’s so interesting to learn about the developments in AI and watch how it grows so rapidly. I’ve been fortunate enough in my current role to see how AI can have real tangible uses for our clients. I think we are seeing a lot happening right now, but that it’s still got so much room to grow and I’m excited to see what happens in the near future.