AXA Debunked: Kerina
Myth #324: Men are better at technology than women
I’m Kerina and I’m the Head of Functional Architecture in the Chief Technology Office at AXA UK. I’ve been here for 15 years and I've worked in tech for 25 years. There are a lot of myths around working in insurance and tech, particularly as a woman, and I’m here to debunk a few.
Do you think there are any stereotypes about insurance and tech?
Insurance isn’t normally associated with pushing the boundaries of what you can do with technology, and even less so with having women there doing it!
IT in general is still male dominated and has been throughout my 25-year career. Even now when I tell people what I do they are surprised or say, ‘well done’. It’s funny that I don’t hear men being congratulated on having a career in IT! I don’t know if it’s an acknowledgement that it’s harder to succeed as a woman in IT, or if it’s just surprise that a woman can do that role.
There’s also the stereotype that men are better at technology than women, especially in the engineering and coding space.
Would you say those stereotypes are accurate?
Insurance is actually a great and varied place to work if you love technology. From developing websites for customers, through to technology that allows us to run complex models that manage quotes and claims, there’s always something different to learn. As the insurance market becomes more and more competitive, our need to innovate through technology grows and we’re always looking at how to use tech to get the competitive edge.
We are starting to see more women enter a career in technology and achieve a lot of success. There are now a lot more female role models that are leading in this space, although it’s still nowhere near where it should be. But with every woman who succeeds, there’s a path being paved for more to do the same.
Being able to code is just like learning a language, and no one bats an eyelid when a woman does that, but as soon as the language is an IT one, the eyebrows raise. If you can learn a language, you can code and therefore it doesn't matter if you are male or female.
Have you faced any challenges as a woman in tech role?
It’s generally been an assumption that I’m ‘not as technical as the boys’. I’ve been sidelined for pieces of work that I would have been able to do in my sleep or missed from conversations and meetings because there was an assumption I wouldn't understand.
On many occasions I’ve had to prove my expertise where my male colleagues haven’t been asked to do the same. My pet hate was nearly always, as the only woman in the meeting, being asked to take down minutes and actions. It got to the point where I would actually have to say at the start of the meeting that I was there to contribute with my knowledge and not to just write down what everyone else thought we should do. This doesn’t really happen now, but it was a big deal at the time and did used to set the tone for how the other men in the meeting would talk to me.
Would you recommend a career at AXA?
Absolutely — you feel like you are working with real friends. Friends that will be there for you and help you really succeed. We are doing some really exciting things with our Women in Tech initiative, and we want AXA to be a place that becomes known for sourcing and growing exceptional female talent in our technology teams. We of course want to also attract more men who want to work in an inclusive environment where everyone is given an opportunity to have the career they deserve.
There are so many parts of AXA that make it tick. Yes, it is a large complex organisation but the beauty of that is it comes filled with opportunities to do new things. Your options can be almost limitless if you choose to be curious and allow new experiences into your career.
If you want to work somewhere where you'll be supported to thrive in an inclusive environment, keep an eye on our latest vacancies to find a role that’s right for you. Or follow us on LinkedIn to find out more about life at AXA.
