Women@OOP-Meet-up: Empowering Professional Growth Through Skill Development

As part of our ongoing efforts to empower and support women in technology, we are excited to invite you to join us for an enriching discussion that combines expert knowledge with personal experiences, empowering you to take charge of your professional journey.

This meet-up is specifically designed to address a crucial topic that resonates deeply with many professionals in our field: identifying and filling skill gaps to further your career.

Note: This meet-up is free and can also be attended without an OOP-ticket. Everyone is welcome - regardless of gender.

Target Audience: everyone
Prerequisites:openness
Level: Introductory

All voices welcome - A case for gender quotas at tech conferences

Katrin Rabow (Business-Analystin & Qualitätsmanagerin)

Men dominate the IT world – we see this in our teams, at events, and on conference stages. Currently, we find that women make up around 20% of the industry. At IT conferences, their share is often significantly lower, both among participants and presenters. Arguments that women simply need to be more involved or have to be better ignore the fact that men have been benefiting from networks that ensure visibility, career opportunities, and influence for years. Women, on the other hand, often lack access to these crucial resources.

One of the Lads - Things I'm tired of Hearing about Women in Tech

Sophie Küster (Test Automation Engineer @ cronn GmbH)

I’m the odd-man-out. Or rather odd-woman-out, that’s the point. I’m a woman in tech. By the reactions I sometimes get to that simple statement, you’d think I had just said that I’m a talking dog or a flying monkey. Why is that? Why, after all these years of discussing, campaigning and fighting, are women still underrepresented in tech? What can we do to change that?

A lot has been said to answer these questions. Sometimes even clever, helpful, well thought out things! I do not want to add yet another version of “pay us as much as the men and treat us like human beings, please.” I am also very aware that, as a white cis woman, I’m speaking from a position of privilege. I wouldn’t want to assume I know what every woman, let alone every non-male in tech needs or wants.

But still, in the debate about diversity and inclusivity, people have also said a lot of things to us and about us women in tech that set my teeth on edge. I’d like to tell you, from my totally personal, flawed, and biased point of view about the things that I – as a woman in tech – do not want to hear any more about the problem with women in tech, from the well-meaning, the mansplaining and the pet peeves to the straight-up infuriating. There might be swearing.