Women in Tech: Katrina Woolley
We’re thrilled to kickstart our very first blog in the “Women in Tech” series, where we shine a spotlight on remarkable women who work at Valto.
Katrina Woolley, a junior cloud developer at Valto, is an example of the evolving landscape of women in technology.
In this blog, we dive into her experiences, challenges, and achievements that are redefining the narrative for women in tech.
Starting a journey into tech
Katrina’s journey into the tech world is a clear example of her determination and love for learning.
She originally studied Biology at university, but decided to follow her passion for computing, and took the opportunity to retrain in this field instead.
Her earlier experience with Computing during her GCSE years provided a good starting point for this change.
When Katrina joined Valto as a junior cloud developer, she didn’t have any prior knowledge of Microsoft technologies, let alone knowledge of Power Apps.
Katrina’s journey with Valto has been nothing short of impressive. Through training provided by Valto and her proactive approach to working closely with our senior staff members, Katrina has achieved remarkable progress in the business applications team.
She has since completed her Microsoft Fundamentals exam in Power Apps, Power Automate and Dataverse. She is currently on the path to earning her PL200 Power Platform consultancy certification.
Both of these exams add significant value to Valto, as we require a set amount of exam certificates to retain our prestigious Microsoft partnership.
Same opportunities as men
In a world where the tech field has often been seen as a male-dominated space, Katrina’s experience is a mix of both optimism and realism.
She acknowledges that the tech world can sometimes feel daunting for women due to the significant gender divide.
Additionally, Katrina believes that while progress is being made, more encouragement is needed for young people, regardless of gender, who wishes to pursue a career in tech.
In her own experience, she has noticed that her gender has been a topic of conversation during tech job interviews, something that doesn’t happen to men.
Her opinion is that achieving a job in the tech world should be entirely skill-based, and nothing to do with her gender. Which is something Valto strive to achieve.
In her view, your capabilities, your drive to learn, and your passion for the field should be the primary factors determining your success. Her journey reflects this belief as she continually hones her abilities.
Katrina acknowledges that while the tech industry has traditionally been male-dominated, the landscape is evolving.
She has observed a positive change in recent years, noting that it’s becoming increasingly common to see women in tech roles.
This is a change that inspires her and reinforces her belief that more women should be encouraged to pursue careers in tech.
Challenging stereotypes
One of the misconceptions Katrina would like to challenge is the idea that women in tech are all “nerdy” and have no life outside of coding.
She recognises that this stereotype is attached to not only women in tech roles, but anyone that pursues a job within the tech world.
Katrina is a living example that enjoying a job in business applications development doesn’t mean sitting in a dark room all day. She enjoys holidays to Ibiza with her friends every year, and loves a night out on the weekends.
Proudest achievement
Katrina has taken on a range of responsibilities and projects with an unparalleled sense of dedication.
The achievement she is most proud of so far in her career in tech is her most recent project at Valto, where she single handedly built an entire Power App from concept to delivery.
This project, in particular, represents a turning point in her career, showcasing her ability to navigate the entire development process and deliver a product that exceeded client expectations.
This project marked several firsts for Katrina. It was her first experience in building a business application from the ground up.
It also offered her the opportunity to witness the entire project lifecycle – from receiving the client’s specifications, translating them into tangible solutions, to finally delivering the finished product to the customer.
This project was her first experience building a product within a professional environment using the Power Platform. All of her other tech based projects had been done as a hobby in her own time.
Witnessing the satisfaction of the client with the outcome of her efforts provided Katrina with even more confidence for her future in tech.
Advice to women aspiring to pursue a career in technology
To aspiring women in tech, Katrina’s advice is simple: go for it.
She emphasises that gender should never be a barrier to pursuing your dreams. Your skills and the quality of your work are what truly matter.
Katrina believes that the best way to challenge the idea that “women don’t belong in tech” is to be a successful woman in tech, proving that talent knows no gender boundaries.
