#NonStopHer : “Reach your peak. Glass Ceilings are meant to be broken”, says Ankita Sinha, a woman in tech who carved her own path and navigated it on her own terms.
I remember being intrigued with computers since school time. I aspired to get an Engineering degree in Computer Science. But when I was not able to secure a place in a top tier college, I felt dejected. I decided to work harder and make the most of my four years of engineering. I obtained a deeper understanding of CS discipline. I worked hard to master programming. Coding helped me improve upon crucial areas like Logic building and Problem-Solving. I was also able to allot my time towards my GRE preparations. Fueling my budding love for AI, I decided to join my Alma mater UMBC. I was very happy because my family also supported my decision of moving abroad for higher education.
Back then I was a meek & timid student who avoided inviting any attention during class. I would instead wait till the end of the class to discuss my doubts with the professors. A habit among many others that I would later learn to correct. For my summer internship, I interviewed at various firms and decided to join ASR Inc., Baltimore. Gradually, I got acquainted with the American culture. The experience helped me become a confident and self-reliant person.
When most tech people were seeking opportunities to make a transition to States, I decided to take a step back to my homeland. One of my acquaintances even tried to warn me that it may not be a good career move and reminded me that being a woman in tech might mean that opportunities are less likely to knock twice. But getting lucky once had never been my focus. Instead I believed in myself to consistently unlock the doors of opportunities at my own terms.
I often see women second-guessing their knowledge & worth. But what I have realized is that if you do not give up, eventually, even your minuscule efforts will become fruitful.
With that in mind, I started to carefully analyse my vulnerabilities as potential risks to my career & have continuously strived to minimize them. Since then, I have worked at various government and private sector projects in different domains. I also started conducting training sessions on Python, ML & AI projects. Learning by teaching is truly the best way to deeply understand a subject. My experience as an educator helped me become better at public speaking and engage with a live audience.
My work is rooted in inspiring others and making an impact by building intelligent solutions. My journey as a Fractalite has just begun. Fractal is a vibrant and energetic place. I see a lot of emphasis on learning and development of individuals. The place is thriving with opportunities to strengthen one’s grasp in Data Science, Advanced Analytics, AI/ML or Consulting.
Not all women in tech must be coders. Collaboration is about being involved at all levels. Small efforts to diminish gender role stereotype can bring significant changes in the work culture. All we need is to keep pushing the boundaries of our comfort zone.
Author: Ankita Sinha (The author is a Senior Consultant at Fractal Analytics and a proud woman in tech)
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