"Do what’s right for you."

What is your current role?

I work in the exciting world of messaging (chat) in IP Multimedia System (IMS). As a system manager, I participate in standards discussions and requirements definitions. As a product owner, I work with a team of designers and system integrators to continuously evolve Enriched Messaging (EMe) into a feature rich and performance driven application server. I am also an Ericsson Response volunteer. I participate in missions when my work schedule allows it. 

How did you come to work in ICT?

I first heard about Ericsson Response when the Haiti video, made by ER volunteers, was shared at an All Employee Meeting. I thought at the time that this was the kind of ICT work I would be interested in. I had the technical skills to fulfil the role. I immediately filled out the application form, did the interview with a local ER volunteer and participated in that year’s Basic Training Course. To be technically prepared and to fully understand the role of an ICT officer in a disaster situation, I participated in a few UN sponsored training activities (Let’s Net, Triplex, etc.) and met some of the people I would eventually work with in the field.  

What is it you like the most about working in ICT? 

The thing I like the most about working in ICT is that you have to improvise. It’s really a hands-on job, working with the conditions in the field, the tools available and constraints that exist. It’s constant problem-solving. Every Ericsson Response mission is unique. 

Are there any particular challenges you face as a woman in ICT? 

There are still very few women working in ICT. I often find myself the minority in a team environment. It isn’t a challenge for me personally as I’ve got accustomed to it, but I think women bring a different perspective to problem-solving that can often be useful - sometimes it’s the attention to detail, other times the ability to multi-task or prioritize. 

What message do you have to encourage girls and young women considering careers in ICT? 

Before choosing a career path, explore as much as possible. Participate in career fairs, ask questions to ICT professionals to understand what it’s like to work in this field, take a summer job working in the ICT industry, then decide if it’s the right path for you. Do what’s right for you; don’t follow what your peers are doing. 

Fei Wang
Systems Developer
Ericsson Canada

For International Girls in ICT Day 2016, the ETC celebrates women from across the network who ignore the stereotypes to not only pursue their passion in ICT, but to help the lives of others. 

Through the stories and the words of these women, the ETC network supports the global Girls in ICT movement, encouraging girls and young women to pursue studies and careers in ICT.

Celebrated on the 4th Thursday in April every year, International Girls in ICT Day is an International Telecommunications Union (ITU) initiative backed by all ITU Member States, that aims to create a global environment that empowers and encourages girls and young women to consider careers in the growing field of information and communication technologies (ICTs).