When we started our adventure in the IT market more than 11 years ago (still under the name TJ.Software), it came as a great surprise that a woman was the head of a company in this industry. As I remember today, when just three years after our inception, we hired our first female programmer. We felt special because Iza was a great role model and an example of how a woman could find her place in what was a very male-dominated industry, especially in those days. Not only did she find her place, but she also showed that a woman can be a much better programmer than not a single man. You can find out more about Iza’s history in the IT industry in an interview she gave as part of a project carried out by SoDA (Software Development Association Poland) with the catchy title “Woman Can Do IT.”

Women can do IT: ‘Nie umiałam sobie wyobrazić siebie jako programistki’

It was clear that as a software house run by a woman from the start, we would get involved in this project—a project that aimed to underscore a principle that has always guided us: It doesn’t matter what gender you are; what matters is what you can do. Even your field of education is irrelevant because, as the story of Ania, our tester turned Project Manager, demonstrates, a humanities education does not preclude a successful career in the IT industry. With a willingness to learn, anything is possible. You can also discover Ania’s journey from a university teacher in the very humanistic field of history to a career in IT by reading her interview alongside Iza’s, among others.

Another woman from our team who participated in the project and wanted to share her story is Agnieszka. She began her journey with us as a novice tester in a team that was predominantly male. Currently, she is the Leader of a team of testers, which consists solely of men, and she excels in this role. You can learn more about Agnieszka in the interview below.

Women can do IT: Jeżeli system ma nie zadziałać — zdarzy się to mnie!

And finally, I am also honored to mention my participation in the SoDA project. For those curious, my story is available to read below. 🙂

Kobiety w IT — Marta Roszko

Fantastic initiative. We are grateful to SoDA for inviting our company to participate. This allowed us to showcase our talented women, each with a unique history in the industry. They demonstrate daily that skills, not gender, are what matter, affirming that women have a rightful place in the IT industry.

I’m even tempted to say that the more women there are in a team, the better the working atmosphere becomes. 🙂