Catherine Pash

Job:

Product Owner

Company:

London

I work with a team building new software tools to help my company work more efficiently, save money and build sales. I am not a recgnician, i don't write code. I focus on understanding what the business needs and Iwork as a go-between, between business people and sofrtware developers. It's great fun.

I am...

Pragmatic

Friendly

tenacious

The skills I use most in my job...

Listening

Writing requirments/stories

Managing people

IT understanding

The most interesting thing I've worked on in my career so far...

I worked on desigining and building a software tool to be used in every Sainsbury's store by every colleague.

What inspired me into digital and tech...

Two years after I had graduated it was one of the few areas where there was lots of employment. Mt first role in IT was in the year the first PCs arrived.

My educational background is...

I did a degree but not in STEm subjects it was in Geography and languages. Then after working for a couple of years I went back to University and did an MSc in Information Systems. This was a 'conversion' course to teach Arts graduates about computing. It was a long time ago. Since then I have had lots of training in technical skills and in soft skills. Now I am doing a Business Analysis Apprenticeship.

What advice I'd give to girls thinking about a career in digital and tech...

It is really interesting, more so today than ever. All organisations use some kind of technology so you work in tech in any area you are interested in. Tech needs lots of different kinds of skills including people who are good with people and language, sometink that women are often better at than men. Alos it pays well and can allow you work flexibly. Its also really fun!