Dina Celli studied psychology at university. She never considered a career based in technology or science, as she felt that she was weak in subjects such as math and chemistry. After graduating in 2010, Ceri pursued a career in education. Although she was initially successful, she soon became disillusioned.
“I’ve hit a plateau. It seems like the further I get into the field, the further I get from the people I have meaningful, impactful relationships with. So I’m not interested in continuing to move in that direction.” ” said Celi, who is based in Chisinau, Moldova.
Dina Seri. Provided by Dina Celli
Seri happened to have a friend who was a mentor at Tech Women Moldova, a program founded to support the participation of women in the information and communication technology (ICT) field. Seri’s friend convinced her that it was a good fit and that she would get a lot out of the program, so she applied for and completed a three-month project management mentorship program in 2021 .
She and two other women were partnering with a project manager from Orange Moldova, one of the country’s largest telecommunications companies. They learned deeply about how the industry works, from basic technical terminology to what software development and DevOps teams do and how they interact. As a result, Ceri was able to secure an internship and then a full-time position at the IT company Endava. Thus began a new and exciting chapter in her career.
“A world of opportunities”
Since entering the industry, Ceri has found her job to be incredibly flexible. “My role has become more and more technical, and I think that’s the beauty of the game: you’re not stuck in one lane that you choose. There are so many opportunities. , you can also change directions mid-way,” says Seri.
“What I like is that things are tangible and actionable. I feel like I’ve opened the door to a whole other world of opportunities. I’ve reached that ceiling in my previous career. At the time, every role felt similar and there was nothing else I could try.”
Tech Women Moldova has accepted 371 mentees since 2021. By: Tech Women Moldova
Ceri’s experience perfectly illustrates why more women in Moldova are considering a career in the technology industry. According to figures provided by the Moldova government, women make up 43 percent of the country’s ICT sector. Meanwhile, the proportion of female university graduates in the ICT field has steadily increased from 22% in 2017 to 26% in 2023.
The fact that women make up almost half of the workforce in Moldova’s ICT sector is particularly noteworthy when compared to other large and economically successful countries. In the US, women make up 28% of the tech industry, compared to just 19% in the UK. Women make up 22% of all tech jobs in Europe. In Asia, it’s around 32%, but in Singapore it’s even higher at around 40%. In Australia it is around 29 per cent, while in Latin America it ranges from 17 per cent to 22 per cent. With a population of just 2.5 million and a GDP of $14.5 billion (compared to Amazon’s $37 billion in profits, for example), it would be no exaggeration to say that this is an area where Moldova is pushing far beyond its capabilities. Not.
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So how has this little-known Eastern European country created an environment where women are attracted to and thrive in the industry?
The answer is largely driven by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). UNDP identified promoting the country’s digital infrastructure as a way to create more opportunities and economic prosperity in a country that is still growing despite significant growth over the past two decades. One of the poorest countries in Europe. UNDP is helping Moldova develop a national strategy for digital transformation, a big part of which is getting more women into STEEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Entrepreneurship, Arts and Mathematics) careers. It’s about making it happen.
Women make up 43 percent of Moldova’s ICT sector. Offered by Tech Women Moldova
According to UNDP, between 40 million and 160 million women worldwide will need to move into more skilled roles that require complex digital, cognitive, social and emotional skills by 2030. It is said that there is. As STEEAM-based roles are expected to be in high demand, UNDP says it is important to support women to enter and succeed in these fields by working closely with academia, schools, civil society organizations and the media. I’m guessing.
Moldova’s assistive technology ecosystem
As a result, the United Nations has a significant presence in Moldova’s technology sector. We support programs such as Tech Women Moldova, which has hosted 371 mentees since 2021, and the online learning platform established by the Moldova ICT Enterprise Association, with 1,000 women enrolled. It also participates in Girls Go IT, whose educational program has 3,000 participants from across the country. From STEEAM University’s women-focused summer school to women’s participation in technology conferences and school programs, there are too many individual initiatives to list, but Moldova is passionate about pushing other women into the industry. It is clear that there is an ecosystem of women. It is known around the world for being female-friendly or gender-equal.
Marina Buzovi. Provided by Marina Buzovi
A gender-balanced tech industry is quickly becoming the norm in Moldova, and the movement is changing the way companies and schools think and make decisions, as well as women like Seri. In this small country where rumors spread quickly, everyone seemed to have gotten the memo. As Marina Buzovi says, women are welcomed in the tech industry.
She is the manager of Moldova IT Park. Moldova IT Park is a hub established by the government to make it easier for technology companies to set up and operate in the country through the country’s low tax regime and special IT visas to attract foreign workers. She is also an assistant professor at the Technical University of Moldova, originally studying law, but has worked as a technical program manager.
“When you introduce a woman working in technology in a small country, that message reaches many women. We have women in leadership roles at our major (telecommunications) companies, and they are well-represented as role models. Many companies now have informal gender-balanced leadership policies, and more companies are working with universities to offer internships and encourage more women to participate. “We can now do that,” Buzovi said.
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“It was a process. We even had to change the mindset of teachers, who 10 years ago actually believed that women shouldn’t be in technology. Now those stereotypes are gone. , the way parents think is changing. It’s growing day by day.”
woman paying in advance
In Moldova, there is a strong culture of women paying in advance. Ekaterina Artemyev has been appointed as the ambassador and coordinator of Tech Women Moldova in 2023. This year, she took on the role of mentor and supported four mentees in the area of quality assurance. This is an area she has specialized in in her role at IT consultancy Stefanini.
Ekaterina Artemyev. Offered by Tech Women Moldova
“We work towards our mentee’s goals. Let’s say she wants to increase her salary. We make a plan for that. We check her resume, which courses she should study. and how to obtain specific certifications, especially those that the instructor already has,” says Artemyev.
“All they need is support and motivation. When I started in the industry, I didn’t have a mentor. I can see how much of a difference it makes to have at least one person to go to for advice. That’s why I thought it was time to share my knowledge.”
That’s the vibe at Dina Celli. “There are so many strong women out there supporting each other and trying to open doors for other women,” she says. “It’s a very small country, so it’s easy to come up with and promote a program, whether it’s a book club or a conference. We’re a really close-knit community here.”
