17 Feb Mere – PwC
Technology Consulting Analyst at PwC New Zealand.
NZ Diploma in Information Technology Technical Support (Level 5)
A graduate from our Level 5 Diploma in IT Technical Support now working as a Technology Consulting Analyst with PwC, Mere first came to Techtorium to reskill after the Covid-19 pandemic cost her her previous job as a flight attendant. Mere was also a speaker at our 2022 Graduation Ceremony where our full cohort of graduates got to hear about her inspiring journey into IT and how she is continuing to grow in the industry. We recently caught up with her and talked about her experience at Techtorium and her time so far in the IT industry. It was great to hear about how her previous professional experience complemented the knowledge she gained at Techtorium to help her find and succeed in her current role.
We talked about her experience prior to Techtorium, and what drew her to us, “My brother had finished 3 years at Techtorium, and he basically said it’s all about problem-solving. You did that in your old job, so try and see how you go”. She continued, “And then coming to Techtorium was so crazy, I didn’t know any tech and it was a big learning journey. Now I’m in the IT industry, and again it’s so different, so many opportunities have opened, and I’ve learned so much”.
It was great to hear about how her insights into IT have evolved even since her studies, “I thought it was mostly just networking and coding. Then I came to PwC and saw that it’s so much bigger than that. We have five different teams just within our technology consulting firm”. She told us about each team that she’s been a part of or worked with so far, “There’s Data and Integration, Strategy and Architecture, and Digital Health”.
Our conversation continued to how her broader understanding of technology has developed, “It’s not just one small thing. And the cool thing about tech that I’ve noticed is if you’re interested in something, you can start out in it, and it starts to branch out into a lot of different areas. You can keep moving and learning about a lot of different aspects of tech”. As her understanding has developed, she has identified new pathways that she wants to pursue, “I want to help build our digital health practice and also go back to Techtorium, do my Level 7 Cloud certification and create a career pathway that combines the two”.
We spoke to her experience in IT, both as a woman and in bringing her Māori and Pasifika heritage to the IT industry. She told us it has been a really positive experience continuing, “I’ve had a lot of support. I’ve definitely noticed that there aren’t as many women around me, there aren’t as many Māori or Pasifika”. About her work environment and teams, she tells us, “I also feel very supported” and “they kind of celebrate it. Everyone is happy to catch up with me and give time to help out if or when I need it”.
Finally, we asked if she has any advice for young wāhine considering pursuing their own careers in IT. Her advice was great, “Don’t be afraid, you will probably be one of only a few girls in the room, but that’s what makes you different. Use that drive to figure out what you want and go for it. The first step is always making the decision to just go for it. That’s always the hardest thing, even if it’s just a small course for one day, it’s experience.”
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