Why Female Tech Careers Thrive With Vodafone

Why did I choose a career in technology? Believe me, it wasn’t a normal path for a girl to choose when I was growing up, but my dad always encouraged me to sign up for maths classes at school and that sparked my interest in STEM. I’ve now been part of the Vodafone Albania family since 2004, when I joined as a contact centre agent during my last year of graduation for Telecommunication at the Polytechnic University of Tirana.

Since 2005 I’ve managed a 24/7 Service assurance Team  to ensure that services offered over the network meet a predefined service quality level. In 2021, when we introduced some new services, I took on two more teams who are focused on FIX and Enterprise services. Then, at the end of last year I was offered a huge new opportunity – I was asked to lead a new function called Steering, Transformation and Excellence in which I plan activities across cluster markets and a shared service team.

A rewarding career in a great company

There have been so many moments for me at Vodafone I will cherish forever. I joined when I was still a student and I’ve grown and learned so much in my years here. One of the things I’ve loved most are the people I meet and interact with every day. I have always been surrounded by great mentors and amazing leaders, people for whom I am very grateful.

I enjoy helping to pass on the same opportunities I have had to a new generation, which is why I am part of the Discover Vodafone Graduate program as an assessor. It’s an amazing program that gives young people a chance to experience Vodafone, learn tech skills and hopefully emerge as tech leaders and entrepreneurs of the future!

I was also truly honoured to accept the Tech CEO award in [2015] for Outstanding Performance. This prize was not about me, but about all of the great teams we have working together to implement the transformation our business is currently undergoing. I really do want to thank the whole Network Operations team for their incredible efforts!

Empowering women in tech

I am really proud to work for a company that fully supports females in both their career and personal life journeys. There are so many amazing female-inclusive programs across Vodafone that would not be possible without the leadership and support we have here.

60% of my own team is female and I love speaking with these young women, giving them advice from my own years of experience in the industry, and supporting them as they climb the career ladder. I was honoured to receive the Woman in Red award at Vodafone in [2016]  for helping to encourage gender diversity through my support for other women in our organisation.

Programs like ‘Code Like a Girl’ are also a big part of Vodafone life. We provide strong support for the program and we hope it leads to a continuous increase in interest in technology careers from young girls.

As a Woman in technology for 18 years now, and as a mother of two young girls, I can feel the power of change emerging. Vodafone is investing its time and resources to create opportunities for girls to enter the exciting world of technology. Once they’re here, they thrive, and it is wonderful to see!