Telford's Becky McFarlane bucking the trend by forging a career in technology

Becky McFarlane, from Telford, is currently project manager at ticketing and CRM solutions company TOR Systems.

According to reports, the percentage of women employed in technology has scarcely increased in the past decade.

As today is International Women’s Day, that fact is made more stark given the strenuous efforts to make the industry more appealing and accessible to them.

Initiatives such as TED talks – influential videos from industry experts – and a renewed emphasis on STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects at school has not yet resulted in a migration of women into a male-dominant environment.

Becky said: “TOR has been a fantastic business to work for as I have been given so many opportunities to learn new skills, pursue different interests and grow as a person within the technology industry.”

Becky joined the Stoke-on-Trent based business in 2017 as support desk engineer. She then moved into the development team to become the in-house software tester and trainer, after returning from maternity leave.

She has 10 years’ experience supporting a range of sectors including, retail, hospitality, law and recruitment, having previously worked for companies including Epson and Lyreco.

Her experience, combined with her professional and personable nature, ensures that a strong relationship with TOR clients is maintained throughout the project lifecycle and beyond.

As a teenager, her education gave her a gateway into technology, after she elected to do A-level computer science alongside more established options English language and Spanish.

Becky added: “Technology has always been very close to my heart. I was extremely fortunate that I grew up in the period where home computers were beginning to be more commonplace and the internet was just starting to take off.

“Technology has advanced so rapidly in the past 20 years that the industry is always buzzing with ideas and concepts, which is really exciting to me. TOR really embodies that drive to keep moving forward and evolving and that’s what got me hooked here.

“There needs to be not just a push to get girls interested in STEM fields early on, but a sustained cultural and mindset shift on the topic.

“Our schools’ curriculums need to be better shaped to encourage diversity and inclusivity, there needs to be more apprenticeship and training schemes and reskilling options that encourage women into the fold.”