A woman’s place is wherever she wants to be: this sums up very well the “Alumni Talks” held this Monday, March 8, on the occasion of the International Women’s Day. Over almost two hours, 7 alumnae shared their experiences and demystified some ideas about female disadvantage in the job market, showing that it is possible to overcome some obstacles that still exist, with determination and resilience. More than 70 female students attended the online session and were inspired by the successful alumnae.
The 7 alumnae were Sara Mendes (Senior Solution Manager at Huawei Portugal), Isabel Guerreiro (Head of Digital Europe at Santander Group), Joana Oom de Sousa, (Strategy & Business Development at Sovena Group), Cristina Borges Correia (I&D Director at PRIO Energy), Ana Dias (Board Member/Chief Financial Officer at RTP), Inês Godet (PhD student and researcher at Johns Hopkins University) and Sandra Conceição(Supply Chain Development Manager at Nestlé Nespresso).
The Técnico president, professor Rogério Colaço, stressed the importance of this event and expressed appreciation for the inspiring testimonies. Professor Alexandre Bernardino and professor Beatriz Silva, coordinators of the Gender Balance Group at Técnico (BG @ Técnico) listed some activities promoted by the group to attract more female talent to the School and promote equal opportunities between women and men.
The Técnico alumnae shared their professional journey until the present date and recalled their experiences at Técnico. “Técnico teaches us to think, to approach problems in a very different way and I think that marks us for a lifetime”, said Cristina Borges Correia.
The female students clarified their doubts about the job market and the recruitment dynamics, learnt more about what work values employers look and how to find fulfillment at work.
The session also addressed opportunities for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women. Ana Dias recalled: “I think that important gender equality achievements have been accomplished in Portugal in recent years, but I also believe that it is necessary to increase the number of women in decision-making positions”. Isabel Guerreiro stressed the importance of fighting stereotypes, encouraging female students to believe “in their ability to do anything”. “Do not accept anything less than what you are entitled to”, she stressed.
Sandra Conceição shared “reconciling work and family life is possible, even in management positions. We are able to manage this situation easily because we have highly developed problem-solving skills”.
Joana Oom de Sousa encouraged students to take risks, to always give their best, and “to make decisions with your heart”. “Think for yourself”, said the alumna.