coding pink

So you think you want to get into tech? You’ve found yourself thinking about it? Have you done some research, but haven’t been able to convince yourself to make that leap?

I was in the same position a year ago, I enjoy studying Economics and Public Policy and working in the international development sector. However, I found myself losing hope and motivation as I didn’t see a clear link between this career choice and making an impact socially. I then started researching the impact that tech has on international development and found social-good technology initiatives to be most interesting. After further research I came across 23 Code Street, a coding school for women and I was able to enroll due to a generous scholarship for Muslim women from Amaliah.

In just 12 weeks I was able to learn more than I had anticipated due to the help of the awesome instructors, the friends I made, and the structured learning experience at 23 Code Street. Which made programming easier to learn, accessible, inclusive and interesting (I talk about my experience in detail, here) Since then, I’ve become familiar with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (including Jquery and NodeJs). I’m currently teaching myself Python and SQL and involved in a few Data Science projects alongside my studies.

Here are a few facts to get you started on your search towards a career in tech.

Technology has arguably become the most important democratizer of this day and age. The field is progressing faster than ever, and the opportunities seem endless, making a career in technology is rewarding and exciting. Yet, there are still so many misconceptions surrounding pursuing a career in this industry such as ‘you have to be a highly skilled programmer or engineer. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. As technology advances, careers in this field are becoming as vast and varied as the qualities and skills needed to pursue them. As Muslims, we make up a fourth of the world’s population and 51% of that are Muslim women.The hands and minds that make technology will have a direct impact on us, therefore we NEED to be at the table.

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Here is a short list of career paths in tech

Software Engineering: A natural fit for coding connoisseurs is Software Engineering. Software engineers create, test, and evaluate software applications and systems with the purpose of solving problems for many users. You could be in Web/App Development, coding those many web-pages you look at over your morning coffee or creating a software for the hottest startup. Depending on what path you want to take as a Software Engineer, you’ll need to understand and research the different types of roles. If learning to split large complex goals into small, simpler ones and coming up with creative solutions excites you, then this just may be the right career for you.

Data Science: With the emergence of Big Data and Machine Learning we are increasingly starting to hear phrases like ‘Data is the new oil’. Data science is now known to be a sexy industry and data scientists are pretty much viewed as superheroes, which has increased the demand for this role. Data Scientists empower businesses by helping them make better decisions and identify opportunities by bringing quantifiable, data-driven evidence to the table. As a data scientist, your work could range from [definitely not limited to] data visualization, data mining, and manipulating data with the goal of deciphering patterns and discovering insights. Got the analytical chops? Then this could be a satisfying career in technology for you.

UX/UI Design: Ever walked down a hip street of the world’s tech capitals, and overheard words like ‘UI’ and thought will I ever be cool enough to understand what these words mean? No? Just me? Ok…UI Design stands for User Interface Design. It focuses on the look and feel, the presentation and interactivity of a product. On any given day a UI designers work can range from branding and graphic development to UI Prototyping, interactivity, and animation, sometimes even extending to front-end development.

UX design refers to the term User Experience Design, which is the process of development and improvement of quality interaction between a user and all facets of a company. They’re usually responsible for being hands-on with the process of research, development, and prototyping to test for quality results. Despite both roles being different from each other, they have a close relationship.

“A UI without UX is like a painter slapping paint onto canvas without thought; while UX without UI is like the frame of a sculpture with no paper mache on it.” – Rahul Varshney, Co-founder of Foster.fm

Interested in customer behaviour? cognitive science? people and great products? UX design is where it’s at. If you understand those principles and are more visually inclined, UI is the place to be. In this day and age, great design is to be expected, in most cases, it’s actually a requirement. As a UX/UI designer that’s exactly what you’d be delivering.

Product Management: Product manager’s, also known as the mini-CEO, help deliver high quality digital products and features that solve real problems for customers. This is done by flushing out the various ideas brought up in the ideation process, and making a final decision on a product that they can ensure successful delivery on. As well as following up on how users respond to the product and incorporating the user feedback, so they can further improve it.

Jack of all trades? with a mind for management? The role of a product manager would allow you to apply your strengths to the technology field. It would give you the opportunity to use your broad knowledge base to make trade-off decisions and bring together cross-functional teams.

Technical Writer: If guiding people through complex processes and writing clear, concise, informative prose pieces are things that interest you, technical writing might be a career field worth looking into.Technical writers do not only write software manuals, but they also work alongside designers and participate in the development life cycle and information architecture which is really a huge domain. As the demand for software products increases so does the demand for tech writers.

Cyber Security: A more connected world enriches our lives. However, the added connectivity also leaves room for vulnerability. As cyber attacks continue to increase, companies are looking for professionals to keep their data and information safe. Cyber Security professionals have never been more in demand, and the industry has a bright future. Cyber Security roles include but are not limited to: Computer Forensics Investigators, Security Engineers, Information Security Analysts and Penetration Testers. Not to worry, employers are no longer only looking for geeks; they just want quick thinkers with a knack for problem solving. Obviously, soft skills too.

So as you can see you have a flurry of options at your fingertips, and this is just to mention a few. All that is left is for you to evaluate your skills and find the position that is best for you!

Iqra .

It Is International Coding Week! Here Is a Little Explainer for Muslim Women Interested in Tech