Girls in ICT Day: Girls shaping the digital future

As a professional female leader, do you have any advice for women who are pursuing any career in tech or STEM?

Tracey Spicer AM

My best advice for women pursuing a career in STEM is to lean on your resilience. We know that there are a lot more girls and women going into the industry, but then a lot of them drop out in their 20s or 30s and even mid career.

So we need more diversity and inclusion in the sector to have better innovations that work well for everybody. And the hard thing is getting through that mid career hump.

So my advice is keep going. Thank you for being trail blazers. More power to your arms.

Katherine Bennell-Pegg

For women that are pursuing STEM, I'd say you have a place there. STEM is for everyone and when you're in the minority it just means you bring something extra.

Believe in yourself, you're capable of more than you realise.

When you're in the minority, you can often be underestimated, so prove them wrong and delight in proving anyone wrong that underestimates you.

You will find your place and you will belong there.

What advice would you give your younger self, knowing what you know now?

Tracey Spicer AM

I would give the advice to my younger self to stand up earlier against bad workplace behaviour. It took far too long for me to call out call out toxic workplace behaviour. I wish I had done it when I was younger.

But what I would say is the more you stand up for yourself, it's like building a muscle at the gym. You become stronger every day.

Katherine Bennell-Pegg

Advice to my younger self, I'd say enjoy the journey.

Yes, focus on performing at school and in studies at work, but also keep doing all the extracurriculars. You need that basis as a well rounded person to be able to perform in teams in complex environments.

I was lucky that I did a lot of extracuriccular activities because I enjoyed them, but actually they provided a foundation that was really necessary that I didn't realise at the time.