Nazma Rasheed, Longest-Serving Woman in STO’s IT Team

“If you like to come up with innovative solutions to problems and be creative, IT is an awesome career,” says Nazma Rasheed, the longest-serving female developer in the IT department of STO. She is also a member of the local NGO Women in Tech.

Nazma says she has experienced some negativity in the past for pursuing this career choice, “people look down on girls studying in IT field.”

She says that people have a preconceived idea that girls are not good at tech skills.

“You have to make your own space generally speaking even with men or women. You have to make your voice heard.”

Nazma is particularly interested in problem-solving to make other people’s jobs easier, “it allows me to learn new skills and be creative.”

When asked why having women in IT teams is important, Nazma highlighted that diversity is essential to bring unique solutions.

“Since men and women are good at different cognitive functions and think differently it would create new perspectives and alternate viewpoints.”

She also highlighted how important it is to have mentors and role models for younger girls.

Nazma is currently working on a project on Dhoadhi Flow for STO, which is a process automation system.

STO reports placing a strong emphasis on diversity and inclusivity within its workforce, particularly within its IT teams. Currently, 16% of the IT team is comprised of women, and the company is dedicated to providing equal opportunities for all employees, recognizing that a diverse mix of individuals can add significant value to the team.