60 Seconds with WITS Midwest Speaker — Sue Wallace
Sue Wallace is the Executive Director of National Workforce Solutions for Creating IT Futures. Her session at WITS Midwest is Successful IT Careers Await — Don’t Fall for the Myths.
· Why is speaking at WITS important to you?
WITS is not just another tech conference. It is an opportunity to connect to other women in the industry with a shared passion about supporting women and helping them to thrive in the industry.
· What inspires you?
My organization is mission-driven to help people, including women and people of color, who are under-represented in tech gain access to the field and thrive in the industry. It inspires me to meet people who have been excluded, watch them take a deep breath and the hand-up we offer, and then launch their career in an amazing direction. And as they enjoy their new found success, they aren’t afraid to reach back to the next generation to encourage them along a similar path. We need more women in tech, and it inspires me to watch people pay it forward.
· Most useful article you’ve read in the last month
I continue to be impressed with the career opportunities in IT; the field continues to grow. The attached CompTIA Employment Snapshot tells the story. According to CompTIA Market Research, “ After a year of monumental gains, 2018 closed out with another strong quarter for the number of IT job postings in the US with 807,000+ ads during Q4. That’s a 69% increase over Q4 2017, and 790,000+ more ads in 2018 than 2017. While the number of job ads may vary widely over time, we sometimes see drops for Q4s. Last year, there was only a -1% decrease from Q3 to Q4 2018.”
· When you were a kid what was your dream job?
When I was a kid, I watched my mom put on her business suit every day and go to work in the corporate offices of a construction company. It too is a male-dominated industry and was especially so back in the 80s. She had to work twice as hard, but she was accepted and respected. She was a great role model for me. I didn’t know exactly what it was that I wanted to be when I grew up, but I knew I wanted to be a successful business woman, and that because of women like my mom, I could be anything that I wanted to be.
· Tell us something about your session
So you have to be a math wizard to succeed in a technology career, right? Nope, not necessary. That is just one of seven myths about tech jobs that I will debunk for WITS attendees in my session. A successful career in IT may be waiting for you. Don’t let any of these myths stand in your way.
· Anything else you would like to share
Yes! Below on three recent podcasts/blogs to share with attendees highlighting how we are advancing the mission of the organization:
- 7 Key Ways Employers Support IT-Ready — https://www.creatingitfutures.org/resources/blog/creating-it-futures/2019/02/12/7-key-ways-employers-support-it-ready
- The “3 U’s”: How IT-Ready is Helping to Fill the IT Skills Gap — http://technologistalk.libsyn.com/the-3-us-how-it-ready-is-helping-to-fill-the-it-skills-gap
- IT-Ready in Action: Busting Diversity Myths — http://technologistalk.libsyn.com/it-ready-in-action-busting-diversity-myths
