Catalyst are strong supporters of diversity in the IT sector. So, to celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) 2024(external link), we are sharing insights into some of the amazing women who work at Catalyst and learning what IWD means to them.
Meet Vicki McKay, Software Developer
Tell us about your career journey:
I've been programming since I was a kid, creating forums and designing websites for fun, so making websites for my day job is a joy. I primarily work in the Python/Django stack and have been in the industry since interning at a startup (Publons, now Web of Science Researcher Profiles) in 2016.
What does International Women's Day mean to you?
It's a bittersweet day, honestly. I'm grateful for how far we've come since Ada Lovelace, but the journey to equality is a long road, and we still have work to do.
Every day, another kid discovers there is more to them than society's expectations, and the box they were placed in doesn't fit. I hope International Women's Day brings joy and solidarity to everyone who belongs here.
The International Women's Day theme in 2024 is Inspire Inclusion. What do you do personally, or what do you think businesses can do to create a better culture reflecting this?
Recognising women in tech often comes with appreciating and understanding the alternative pathways folks have come to get here. Computer science has a lot of emotional growing to do - there's a lot of room in our industry for smart, motivated people who can excel regardless of when they're coming to the field—and support for those people is going to look different from the support they're used to providing.
I want to ask every business whether the support they're providing "for women" is actually meeting people where they're at: is that childcare considerations, flexible hours, understanding of te ao Māori, Ramadan and Eid, ensuring policy around the correct use of pronouns and non-discriminatory language: what can we do that honours people?
What is the biggest change you have seen in your career supporting inclusion?
Intersectionality is a huge part of bringing equality to everyone. I've been proud to see Catalyst taking steps towards Te Tiriti and acknowledging how we can be a better partner in that space. We've also recently participated in WITCON(external link) in Wellington (as we do nearly every year!). Attending as a panelist and seeing so many women entering the field was a privilege.
I hope the gender balance has improved more since I took COMP103.
What's one thing you hope to see change in the future to help empower more women in the workforce?
I want more people to join their unions and more businesses to see the value in their employees.
What one thing are you most proud of in your life?
I'm most proud of the people in my life: women of all kinds, funny, smart and adventurous, compassionate and insightful programmers, loyal friends, dedicated activists, and talented storytellers.
What's one piece of advice you would give to your younger self?
Your profession can be as kind as you hope it will be.