March is Women’s History Month and ITS is celebrating by highlighting Carolina women in technology. All month long, ITS News will share profiles and Q&As to share the breadth and diversity of the Tar Heel women-in-IT experience. For the full list of profiles and to read some ways to get involved, visit Celebrating Women’s History Month with Carolina women in IT.
Tell us about your current role and what you do.
I am a tech support analyst for Student Affairs. My primary role is to provide on-site and remote technical support for all Student Affairs staff. This support can involve anything from onboarding new staff to troubleshooting any technical issues that come up. I also help clients find ways to use technology to not just enhance their workflow but how they interact with each other and with students.
What path led you to IT and where you are now?
I have a lifelong interest in figuring out how things work and how to make them work. When my mom brought home our first computer when I was 6, I wanted to be the one who put it together. Whenever something went wrong with the family computer or with our internet connection, I was always the one on the phone talking to technical support trying to figure out what the issue was, how it happened and how we could fix it.
I ended up being a lot of people’s go-to for technical support issues and through helping them, I found a real joy in not just helping but also in educating. It is the educating part that led me to where I am now.
What excites you about the future of your field?
I think a lot about how we carry devices in our pockets that are magnitudes more powerful, computationally, than the systems that sent Apollo 11 to the moon 55 years ago. If we managed to achieve such a feat in 55 years, what does the next 55 years look like? What new challenges will technology help us overcome? When it comes to technology, it genuinely feels like the possibilities are endless and that excites me more than anything else.
About Rebecca Cheng
Rebecca Cheng has worked IT and client support at UNC-Chapel Hill for nearly 14 years. She serves as a technical support analyst for Student Affairs.
A hobbyist tinkerer, she enjoys working with small electronics, crafting leather accessories and collecting fountain pens.
Has your gender been a factor in your career trajectory, path or choices? How so?
My mother was a mechanical engineer and would often be the only woman in the room. She faced a lot of prejudice as a result, but she always made it clear to me that I should never let my gender or anything else hold me back from doing the things I love and want to do. I’ve also been blessed to have so many colleagues and clients who always took me seriously and rarely looked down on me because of my gender. I wish more of my colleagues enjoyed the same privileges.
What would make it possible for more women to work in IT?
As important as getting more women into IT is, an equal amount of emphasis needs to be placed in creating a work environment that allows women, and others in similarly marginalized groups, to not just stay in the field but also thrive. There are too many documented reports of IT-related work environments where women are driven away due to outdated attitudes and perceived hostility towards them. While there’s been some progress on that front, more work is needed to ensure that everyone can enjoy an equally welcoming environment where they can work and thrive.
What resources do you recommend for women who are looking to start or advance their IT careers?
There is so much information available these days and IT is so broad. For online resources, I like Udemy, Codecademy and Coursera for a more structured course like experience. Coding bootcamps are great too. LinkedIn Learning is another good one. Also just following industry sites like TechCrunch, Ars Technica and GeekWire. If hardware is more your jam, hardware review sites and YouTube channels that really go into the nitty gritty of things or Adafruit Industry’s learning section are fantastic resources as well.
What career advice do you have for women in IT?
IT is a massive umbrella that encompasses so many things. Don’t let others tell you where you should go or what field you should get into or specialize in. Find the one that interests you and take a course or find a side project and try it out. Reach out to others in your field and network. Most importantly, apply for that job even if you don’t think you match that job description one hundred percent.