There has always been something intriguing about computers. Growing up, I loved playing computer games and just spending hours doing something, often quite meaningless, with computers. At the time I did not understand that I could have done more from the command line than just learn to dig into the file systems or turn off all the programs that were mandatory for the Windows 95 to run. Oh, so many oopsies. And still counting...

When we finally got the internet to our home (the year was 2001 btw..), I started playing some online multiplayer games for some time and found my way to IRC and everything related to that. I remember vaguely participating in some IRC-bot configurations for our channels and loved it.

Unfortunately, when I was 17, I had a negative experience at college where I was studying computer sciences and dropped out. Then there was a long time period where life happened and in the year 2015, I found myself browsing through university websites looking for something and stumbled across Laurea Applied University’s degree in information technology for adults. I could work and get an interesting degree at the same time. YaY! That was it for me and here I am.   

A degree may give you an advantage

Today, I am an integration developer. I joined Epical only a few months ago, so I'm still learning to use Azure Logic Apps, but I've had over 5 years in the integration field. My job is to develop new and existing integrations for our customers.

Although my field of study was Business Information Technology, in my opinion, a degree in IT is not needed to work in the IT field. I know quite a few people who have incredible enthusiasm and greater knowledge from the field than you can ever get from a degree, but unfortunately the degree is mandatory in some positions for quite many employers so these people sometimes struggle to get the work they would want. However, getting a degree is sometimes a sign that "you can get things done", so it gives a positive image of you for the employer.   

Too often good experiences are shadowed by the bad ones

After my negative experience in college, I haven't had any. It is true that women as a gender are a minority in IT, but I believe that this has taken a turn for the better these days. Gender should not matter, and I have had the luxury to experience that in my case it hasn't. I've had so good experiences that sometimes I am a bit annoyed that inequality and discrimination so often dominate the discussion on women in tech. I do believe that there is a lot of work to be done but there is none needed to be done for me. I also believe that in a few years, the new generation will balance this.

As a piece of advice, I would like to say that if you love what you do (and might even be good at it), go where you are wanted and supported. For example, Mimmit koodaa community is a great place to start. They have an amazing network, and the members are very helpful. If you'd like to learn something they arrange all kinds of crash courses for just about anything IT related. They also help you with your career and do a lot of work to bring together all the women in IT. It is free to participate in any of the events and most of them don't have any requirements for previous experience.   

- Satu Santamaa, Integration Consultant, Epical