~ An interview with Ramanpreet Chopra, software and support engineer at Novotek UK & Ireland ~
At school, Ramanpreet Chopra’s favourite subject was always maths and, as she got older and started her A-levels, a module in programming ignited her love for IT and computer science. Now, on International Women’s Day, Chopra shares her experience as a woman working in IT and gives advice to others wishing to pursue a similar career.
Even today, Chopra recalls that, while engineering was always a popular subject during her studies, there was a lack of programmes and initiatives encouraging young people, particularly women, into the sector. While the gender split in engineering is moving in the right direction – 16.5 per cent of all engineers are female today, compared to just 10.5 per cent in 2010 – we still have a long way to go in making this equal.
“The programming work that I completed in college, coupled with my BSc in IT, cemented the fact that I wanted to pursue a career in computer science. I went on to study for an MSc in computer science and, for my thesis, I used object role modelling software for an orthopaedic department at a hospital. After finishing my studies, I began working as a software engineer – a career that I’m lucky enough to still be enjoying 15 years later.
“There’s a misconception that males are better suited to careers in engineering – I believe this couldn’t be further from the truth. I’d say that the top three soft skills required to be successful in engineering are a fresh mindset, the ability to motivate yourself and the ability to believe in yourself. No one is born with the skills required to work in engineering – we learn while we grow. But, if you believe in yourself and are confident, then nothing will stop you from achieving your goals. This, in particular, highlights the need for females with an interest in engineering to have role models from a young age.”
Since beginning her career as a software engineer, Chopra has had the opportunity to work on several interesting projects. However, she recalls a project that involved migrating a downtime system to the latest Windows server version as one of the most exciting, but also challenging.
“The project was for a British multinational pharmaceutical and bio-technology company. Tasks included moving critical applications to the new server stack, installing the applications and licences, setting up a SCADA client, resolving application compatibility issues and rewriting application code. I used a test server first and, once all of the results came back as successful, we were able to make the new downtime system server live. We faced so many challenges while completing the project, such as the issues with compatibility, which gave us even more satisfaction when it was completed successfully.”
Today, sustainability is at the forefront of everybody’s minds, and Chopra is no exception. “As a software engineer, I get to see first-hand how important it is for manufacturers to be operating as efficiently as possible. When downtime occurs, it doesn’t just have cost implications for the business suffering. There’s also a cost to the environment when things go wrong in manufacturing, from having to rely on additional run-time or having to scrap affected products. One of the most rewarding elements of my role at Novotek UK & Ireland is the part that I can play in helping keep our customers operations running smoothly, and knowing the positive impact that this has on the environment.”
Despite being 15 years into her career, Chopra sees every day as a new opportunity to learn, especially in a technological landscape that is always changing. “As a software engineer, I’m always working with new technologies. The Internet of Things is becoming the hot environment at the moment, with all industries moving to the cloud. Because of this, I recently chose to focus my personal development on Azure and have already passed a few exams, such as Azure fundamentals, data fundamentals and SQL developer. Staying up to date with the latest technologies is so important, especially when they can have such a huge impact on our lives, both personally and professionally.
“Technology offers a way of staying connected. Take social media as an example. We now have apps for Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, all of which enable us to keep in touch with friends, family and colleagues. Even at work, shared digital environments, such as Microsoft Teams, allow us to work so much more effectively. I can’t remember the last time that I visited a travel agent to book a holiday, or visited a bank to make a transfer. While I completely understand that, for some it can seem like huge changes, for me personally the impact that technology has really excites me. “
When she isn’t working as a software and support engineer for Novotek UK & Ireland, you can find Chopra at home with her eleven year-old daughter, teaching her to see no barriers when pursuing her dream career. “If I could give my younger self one piece of advice, it would be to have patience and a long-term plan. For my daughter, I’d love her to see how exciting and engaging a career in engineering can be. For someone that loves a challenge, and loves to learn, there really is no better option.”
If you’re a female wanting to start your career in engineering, Novotek UK & Ireland is hiring. Visit the company’s website to see its latest vacancies and find out more about its culture and values.
