You are here:  Home  Graduates  Theresa Swayne - Senior Development Manager

Thursday 9th February 2012


  Back to Role Models
 Company: Highlands and Islands Enterprise
"It doesn’t matter what sector your work in or what your occupation is as it is probably guaranteed that technology will make a positive impact."


 

Describe your background and how you got into IT

I started a nursing qualification when I left school and enjoyed the ‘databases for nurses’ module more than anything else.  Transferred to BA Information Management and then got a job with the NHS in Business Management and Information Services. A fantastic opportunity came up to work at the Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI) in Invergowrie who gave me the opportunity to study a postgraduate qualification – so I worked full-time and attended the University of Abertay Dundee attaining a Postgraduate Diploma in IT with Distinction and MSc IT - then transferred to a post in the IT department. Moved to the Highlands & Islands in 2000 and had the opportunity to work in various information management roles in the public and private sector.  

What is your current position?

Senior Development Manager at Highlands & Islands Enterprise at HIE. I'm also beginning a Research Degree at the University of Southampton sometime in 2010.

What do you like best about working in IT?

Always an opportunity to learn something new and it's challenging because it's an ever changing environment.


What have been the highlights of your career so far?

I'm still creating highlights.

What are your career aspirations?

These change regularly depending on priorities. My aim is to ensure that my career and learning opportunities balance out with my personal life as this is important to me, would like to complete my research degree by 2014 and go for Chartered IT Professional status. 

What are your tips for success?

Focus, be super organised, communicate well.

What books / websites etc. would you recommend to a woman just starting out in IT?

I wouldn’t know where to start – at the moment any websites or information coming through from Technology Strategy Board, FutureLab, NESTA, Industry (CISCO, Microsoft etc), various games based learning, computer weekly, publictechnology.net – spend far too much time on Google.

Can you share a few words of wisdom for those people who are thinking about pursuing a career in IT?

I guess there are so many opportunities because of the impact IT is having on society and it is great to have an understanding of information technology to apply it in different scenarios.

How important do think your education or background has been in influencing your career choices?

Hugely important, it provides vision and a certain amount of confidence, and has provided marketable skills.

Do you think it might have been a different story, of "how you got to where you are now", if you'd been a man?

Yes, it would have been easier and would make things easier still.

Tell us a little about your life outside of work.

I live in a small village in the Highlands just north of Inverness. I'm married and have a baby boy called Robert who is 3 years old and my biggest priority over everything else. 

Do you think that there are obvious differences between what men and women have to offer an IT department?

No, I’ve chosen to switch off from them.

What do you think could be done to actively encourage more women to join the technology market place in general?

I think there are more opportunities than ever in the technology market place as technology is cross cutting. It doesn’t matter what sector your work in or what your occupation is as it is probably guaranteed that technology will make a positive impact. I think the mystery needs to be taken out of IT as an occupation and more focus on the opportunities. 

Do you think enough is currently being done to counterbalance what has become an obvious lack of women in technology?

No, but I think womenintechnology supports the effort.

If you could give young women looking for a position in the IT market place a single piece of advice what would it be?

Focus on a specific area and an area that interests you, one that will make a difference under the right circumstances, develop an expertise and build strong networks – communicate.  Remember it’s about people and not technology.
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