Women of Multiverse - Jessica Okonkwo

(3 min read)

Written by Jessica Okonkwo, currently completing the DF apprenticeship working at the Financial Times in the UK.

My name is Jessica Okonkwo and I am currently a junior data analyst at Financial Times. Whilst working full time here, I am also studying towards my Level 4 Data Analytics qualification with Multiverse. Before joining the FT, I had very little experience in tech and even less when it came to data. However, I did a lot of research and found particular modules incredibly interesting. Not only did I want to dive into those topics but I really wanted to challenge myself! 

I am beyond proud of women! Despite the constant stereotype and stigmas we are suppressed by, we continue to prove ourselves time and time again. I have been surrounded by women of all levels in the workplace and I admire them all - one thing we all have in common is we share a nurturing sense of community, we are all there to support each other and that goes a long way!

This year's theme #Breakthebias really resonates with me. It's about recognising womens contribution, and addressing culture correction in so many fields - for explamle tech and marketing. First acknowledging the bias and then doing something about it. I feel like more people would help, but so many are oblivious to it! This theme helps break that. 

One situation that calls to mind with my own experience to bias was when I applied for my first apprenticeship in software engineering. I did excellent on the interviews and assessments, and made it through to the group assessment. I remember walking in confidently, until I saw there were only men in the room. The assessors were all men, and the other apprentices who applied were men. I felt a lump in my throat and it threw me off my game. I still tried to prove myself during the assessment center but I was constantly shut down and my ideas were brushed to the side. After that, I never applied for software engineering again because I was convinced it was a man's role and I would struggle if I ever made it.

To change the narrative, I think we need to build more communities that target specific subjects, for example, women's sports is broad, let's break it down to women in basketball, aged 18-24 or Women in their early data careers, black young women in tech, instead of women in tech. I think if we tackle smaller issues head on, we will build a network of confident women who trust their work and have a team behind them.