June 23 every year marks International Women in Engineering Day around the world. The day celebrates and honours women in the field of engineering.
Women Love Tech asked Wendy Zveglic, VP of Engineering at Fluent Commerce, to share her experience of being an engineer and asked why she believes organisations should invest in more time and effort in addressing the gender imbalance in the industry.
While Wendy became keen to build upon her deep technical career, she started out in banking rather than as an engineer.
“My path to engineering was a bit different than most, starting less than five years ago,” explains Wendy Zveglic, VP of Engineering at Fluent Commerce. “Having mastered many various roles and divisions in banking and finance, I was extremely curious about how technology could change things for the better, so I decided to change course.
In a period marked by intense dedication and a hunger for knowledge, she embarked on a journey of deep technical growth, determined to acquire the skills necessary to make a difference. As she delved into the world of engineering, Wendy’s passion ignited, and she fell in love with the limitless possibilities that technology presents.
However, Wendy acknowledges the current underrepresentation of women in engineering. In Australia each year, over 18,000 students graduate from engineering; 18% are female, and shockingly, only 11% of working engineers in Australia are women.
She believes that organisations must invest in their people and foster inclusive cultures to address this gender disparity effectively. Often, the obstacles begin with the recruitment process itself. Women are often socialised to hold themselves back, doubting their abilities when confronted with requirements or job descriptions. Wendy personally experienced this challenge while building her engineering team at Salesforce, where she noticed that the applications primarily came from men with similar backgrounds.
Driven to encourage more women to apply, Wendy took action.
“Leveraging the power of technology, she used Textio in 2020 to revise the job description, making it more appealing and accessible to women,” says Wendy. “Within 72 hours, 20 talented women had applied, compared to 2 applicants using the previous job description. This transformative experience reinforced the notion that companies must adapt their hiring strategies to attract and empower women.”
Wendy’s own journey is a testament to the importance of providing encouragement and opportunities to talented women who may lack conventional experience but possess incredible potential.