If you can see it, you can be it': How the media technology industry can take action to inspire more women to join

In the second of TVBEuropes series of articles celebrating International Womens Day 2024, we look at how the media tech industry can encourage more women to enter and stay in it

By Jenny Priestley

Published: March 7, 2024 Updated: March 18, 2024

In the second of TVBEurope's series of articles celebrating International Women's Day 2024, we look at how the media tech industry can encourage more women to enter and stay in it

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In the second of TVBEurope's series of articles celebrating International Women's Day 2024, we look at how the media tech industry can encourage more women to enter and stay in it.

From mentoring to educating young women at school or university, or even articles like this, the industry needs to be more vocal about the opportunities available.

We hear from various organisations to find out how we can encourage and promote the women who are part of the media technology industry.

Stacey Wiederhold, VP of human resources, AJA Video Systems Promoting the incredible work and achievements of women across the industry can be a real motivator for anyone looking to enter the field or pivot career paths. Similarly, ensuring that women across your organisation are visible and active in the community you serve is also important. I personally try to make it out to as many local career fairs as I can, as I often find that candidates are more willing and comfortable to approach a company when they identify with the person they're speaking to.

Marketing also has a role to play, which is why our team seeks out opportunities to partner with organisations, guilds, events, and publications on initiatives that highlight the accomplishments of women in the field or that are designed to educate and inspire those women getting started or looking to advance their careers.

Daniella Weigner, co-founder and MD of Cinegy

In the media technology sector, we can inspire more women by acknowledging the contributions of female leaders in our field. I've seen firsthand how leadership can influence an inclusive, supportive environment. It's essential to send a clear message: opportunities in this field are not limited by gender. Implementing initiatives like mentorship programs, targeted recruitment drives for women, and policies that support a healthy work-life balance are key steps to encourage more women to join and excel in the media technology industry.

But the real change starts much earlier. For example, in our Ukrainian office, we've built strong connections with a local university known for its excellent technical programmes. We've successfully recruited many staff from there, including a significant number of women, and have maintained a balanced gender split in technical roles like development, testing, and support.

The shift needs to begin at the school level, with encouragement for all students to engage in STEM subjects from an early age and throughout their academic journey. The industry can contribute by sponsoring local schools and colleges, and offering networking and mentoring opportunities.

Hannah Robinson, production development producer, dock10 Being visible, and being seen is hugely important. We need to encourage more women already working in the industry to showcase themselves. If you see someone like yourself on a panel or on a podcast, then you get the sense that you will belong there too, and you can fight against the imposter syndrome that takes root if you are the only one in the room. There are already some great initiatives out there, such as RISE and the Media Careers Podcast, and we hope to see others join them. We need to shout about women more and encourage women to shout about themselves too. After all, that's literally what platforms like LinkedIn are for!

Wendy Stanborough, HR director, EMG/Gravity Media We need to get better at promoting the industry to a wider external market, especially now that we are seeing broadcast technology being increasingly transferred to other verticals. We must also continue to promote media technology to girls in school, and following through into university level, as a great career choice with exciting opportunities, demonstrating that our industry is inclusive. The lifestyle factors for certain production sectors and roles, such as regular travel and unpredictable hours, can be off-putting, but the growth of remote production may make the industry more attractive by providing more structure and stability to job roles.

Amanda Dixon, broadcast marketing manager, MRMC To inspire more women to enter the industry, concerted efforts are needed at every stage of their educational and professional journeys. By increasing exposure to the opportunities available in the industry from the grassroots level we can help women make informed decisions about their career paths. Encouraging more internships and work placements tailored towards women can offer hands-on experience and mentorship, fostering their confidence and skills, and engaging with universities to encourage more women to pursue engineering and technology-related degrees can also expand the talent pipeline.

Furthermore, promoting collaborations with SMEs can offer women a gateway into the industry towards diverse projects and experiences that may not be achieved at big multinational corporations. Companies should also implement childcare and maternity provisions, as well as offer general flexibility in work arrangements. This can support women in balancing their personal and professional lives, ultimately contributing to a more inclusive media technology sector.

Yaya Selva, global marketing director at Net Insight

I am acutely aware of the need to draw more women into the media technology sector. Inspiring more women to enter and thrive within our field is not

LINK:	https://www.tvbeurope.com/business/people/if-you-can-see-it-you-can-be...
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