To raise awareness of International Women’s Day 2024, we spoke to three Graphnet graduates to discuss their experiences of the technology industry so far and their recommendations to other women wishing to follow in their inspirational footsteps.

To follow the International Women’s Day conversation this year, you can use the #InspireInclusion hashtag via social media.

Sofia Lisitsa, Population Health Analytics Graduate

What is your role and when did you start at Graphnet?

I am a Population Health Analytics graduate, having started my journey with Graphnet in September 2022. My rotations have included working in Analytics and Development Escalation, and I am currently on my rotation in the Development team.

What do you do? What does a normal day look like at Graphnet?

A normal day varies depending on the tasks I am working on. As a recent example, when completing some POC Data Lake migration work, I would be creating Databricks notebooks using Python, which extracts audit data using APIs and I would then load this data into the Data Lake. I tackled different notebooks across different days, each requiring their own data transformation tasks and debugging. Once all were running successfully, I progressed onto building a data pipeline in Azure Data Factory to execute and monitor the notebooks.

What drew you to healthcare technology? 

I strongly believe that we are sitting on copious amounts of heath data that can revolutionise healthcare. After completing my Bachelor's degree and industrial placement for a consumer healthcare company, I knew I wanted to further develop my tech skills to leverage data and push technological change in healthcare. I went on to complete a Master's degree in Digital Health, which delved into novel health technologies and from there I joined Graphnet.

What appealed to you about Graphnet in particular? 

The leading Population Health Management solution drew me to Graphnet. I wanted to work for a company that was driving the transformation of health and care services nationwide using data intelligence.

What are some of the highlights from your time with Graphnet so far?

The graduate scheme has allowed me to work across different teams in Population Health Analytics. Being able to work with, and get support from, so many talented people inspires me to push myself daily. 

I am also partial to a dance at the Graphnet Christmas parties and have got some great memories from those evenings! 

The lack of women in technology is an on-going topic in the media etc. Is there anything that could be done to encourage more women to consider it as a career option? 

If we have more women sharing their path to a career in technology, I feel it would shed light on the various ways to pursue this career and not necessarily conventional routes.

What are your plans for the future?

I want to keep developing my tech skills and pushing for healthcare technology to be adopted across our healthcare system.

Do you have any tips for other women thinking about a career in tech/health tech? 

Don't be afraid to pursue your academic or career goals, even if it feels daunting. A career in tech and health tech can be for anyone who has a passion for it, even if you’re just starting off.

Aleksandra Stefanska – IT Support Graduate

What is your role and when did you start at Graphnet?

I started at Graphnet in September 2022, which was a few months after I graduated. My degree is BSc in Pure Mathematics, but during my studies I took a role of an IT Support Tutor at my university. This was the first time that I started to believe that I might be able to pursue a career in IT and I decided to go down this path. 

My current job title here at Graphnet is IT Support Graduate, which allows me to make rotations within the Operations Department and see what different roles look like and what does it take to – for example – become an integration engineer, a database administrator, or a service delivery executive. I appreciate this opportunity as coming out of university, I didn’t have a clear plan of what exactly I might want to do for my career.

What drew you to healthcare technology? 

When I graduated, I didn’t imagine myself working in any particular niche industry. I did, however, want to make sure that my work doesn’t contribute to anything that I consider morally questionable. I am personally very aware of the ongoing socioeconomical and environmental issues that the world is facing, and I knew I would feel deeply unhappy and torn working towards something that I don’t support. Working here at Graphnet, I can stay true to my beliefs, and I feel like my everyday work contributes to making the world a better place.

What appealed to you about Graphnet in particular? 

At Graphnet, I feel like I’m being noticed and valued, and I’m not too small to make a difference. Even the most important figures in the company don’t appear like some unreachable aloof people, who don’t know what ordinary workers are doing.

I must also admit that Graphnet’s achievements in The UK Best Companies To Work For were something that I took into consideration when deciding that Graphnet is a place for me!

What are some of the highlights from your time with Graphnet so far?

I will say I have become much more of a team worker than I was ever before! I love my team and I love how we support each other, joke, and work together. I’ve learned how important that sense of camaraderie is.

The lack of women in technology is an on-going topic in the media etc. Is there anything that could be done to encourage more women to consider it as a career option? 

I read a study somewhere, that more women chose STEM-related jobs in countries where they know it’s going to help them build a more stable future. So, I think it’s crucial to provide women working conditions that will allow them to balance work and family lives, such as (for example) paid maternal leave.

When it comes to encouraging girls into STEM education, I would say it’s about making them feel able and welcome in those areas that are dominated by men. When I was at school, I was often discouraged from studying maths, because I was told that I was going to be too emotional for it, just because I was a girl. I was also told that if I pursued an engineering degree, which I considered, I would be treated like an oddity, because I was likely to be one of the only girls on the course. 

I’m glad I didn’t listen to those voices, but in my opinion, there isn’t enough focus on what girls and women could bring into the tech! Everyone uses technology, so everyone should be involved in the processes of developing it, so that it reflects the variety of the people whom it’s going to serve. I have the crash test dummies example in my head: for decades, the crash test dummies were only made based on male body type, which might have caused a lot of unnecessary deaths and injuries among those with female bodies, as all safety measures in cars were tailored for men.

What are your plans for the future?

As my current graduate contract with Graphnet is coming to an end this September, I would love to stay here on a permanent basis, possibly on a service desk role. Doing a First or a Second line job allows me to learn new things every day and learn from my awesome colleagues, whom I’m never afraid to ask for help, if needed!

I’m also continuously thinking about getting back to university, if I can find any part-time or flexible courses that I would be able to commit to whilst continuing to work. I love how my job lets me learn the technicalities of things, but sometimes I also miss the abstract and often purely theoretical speculations of maths.

Do you have any tips for other women thinking about a career in tech/health tech? 

Don’t be too critical of yourself, you are probably much better than you think, and you can do it!

Leena Jorgeson – Product and Programmes Graduate

What do you do? What does a normal day look like at Graphnet?

I’m currently in the content build rota, which involves me collaborating with cross-functional teams to understand user needs. A typical day will involve me going through the Jira calls that have been assigned to me. The work will usually involve me making design changes through rapport, then to QA for test and deploy.

What drew you to healthcare technology? 

I have the potential to improve people lives. With technology you can create innovative solutions that make healthcare more accessible. Additionally, the opportunity to use my skills to improve the delivery of healthcare services and enhance patient experiences resonates deeply with me. Healthcare technology presents a unique challenge and opportunity to create solutions that can directly improve health outcomes.

What appealed to you about Graphnet in particular? 

Graphnet’s dedication to using technology to improve healthcare delivery and patient outcomes stood out to me. Also, the commitment to innovation, and collaborative inclusive culture. This appealed to my desire to work on meaningful projects with teams of talented individuals to accomplish the mission on making a lasting difference to care outcomes by supporting the delivery of modern integrated care systems and services.

What are some of the highlights from your time with Graphnet so far?

One highlight of my time at Graphnet has been the opportunity to be part of redesigning EPACS to ensure it is user friendly. Working closely with clinicians and healthcare professionals to design specialised tools that streamline their workflows has been both challenging and rewarding. Also being part of the forefront of cutting - edge technology and seeing how it directly impacts patients care through the various projects on each rota has been fulfilling.

The lack of women in technology is an on-going topic in the media etc. Is there anything that could be done to encourage more women to consider it as a career option? 

Initiatives such as promoting STEM education for girls from an early age, providing mentoring and networking opportunities for women in tech. Fostering, inclusive work environments where diverse voices are valued can help break down barriers and inspire more women to enter the field.

Do you have any tips for other women thinking about a career in tech/health tech? 

Yes! if you are considering a career in tech or health technology, I would encourage you to pursue your passion and not be deterred by challenges and stereotypes. Seek out mentors who will support and guide you along your journey, don’t hesitate to advocate for yourself and your ideas. Remember that your unique perspective and skills are valuable assets in driving innovation and positive change in the tech industry.

To learn more about opportunities at Graphnet, visit our Careers page. You can also follow the Life section of our LinkedIn page for more insights into what it is like to work at Graphnet.