To Celebrate International Women’s Day: Interview with Keltouma Simohand, Senior Software Developer

To mark the 2020 International Women’s Day and honour the many women with thriving engineering careers all around me, I wanted to learn more about the everyday experiences of women in IT and how their role within our organization has evolved over the past twenty years. I can think of no better expert than Keltouma Simohand, a software developer for the past 35 years – of which 12 have been spent right here at Intelerad – to share her personal journey and vision.

Paul.

Interview conducted by Marie-Pier Therrien

Keltouma, what led you to start a career in software development, at a time when this industry was even less known than it is today?

When I was 17, my brother gifted me a programmable calculator, and I immediately wanted to figure out how it worked. Even at that age, I already wanted to be independent and had an insatiable curiosity! A few years later, I started my undergraduate degree in computer science in Algeria. Next, I was fortunate enough to receive a scholarship from the ACDI to continue my studies at the Polytechnique in Montreal, working toward a Masters in geometric modeling.

As a woman, what was it like to study in a non-traditional field back then?

At first, I clearly remember being one of only two women in a class of over 100 students. Let’s just say that back then, the best way to integrate into a group was to adopt a male mentality. Over time, the boys would forget that I was a woman; I was part of the “boys club” despite being female. I also have to say that there were very few female role models in engineering, since all of my professors were men! Luckily I always had the support of my parents and family, despite this unconventional professional choice for women. To them, intellectual equality between men and women was a given.

How did you fare when you first came into the job market? Was the situation any different for you?

I won’t hide the fact that on numerous occasions, I had to fight to take my rightful place. However, the person who really left a mark is my first boss, who believed in me when I was leaving university. I still clearly remember our telephone interview, during which I felt he saw me as I was, with my mind and my mathematical bent, and not as a female developer. I think from that moment on, I became confident that I could have a career that would fulfill my aspirations.

In your opinion, what additional value does a woman developer bring to a mostly-male team?

I think we bring a female perspective in our way of seeing certain problems, because our analytical skills are very often built differently. In my case, I’m contributing every day to make a difference by working on InteleViewer, which is at the heart of our radiologists’ diagnostic workflow. Without resorting to stereotypes, we’re often more comfortable with multi-tasking, and our capacity for empathy is a definite plus in terms of team dynamics. The support of my leaders is obviously key, and I’ve been fortunate to work for people who believed in me, listened to me, and encouraged me, especially over the past twelve years at Intelerad.

As a woman, what major changes have you noticed in this field over the past 30 years?

There’s definitely been a major progression, specifically in terms of balancing aspects of professional and personal life. A growing number of male colleagues are taking on family responsibilities; so when a woman needs to leave work to pick up her children at daycare, for example, it’s no longer frowned upon. Companies like Intelerad have implemented policies to make this work/life balance easier, including flexible hours, remote work, personal days off, and more.

I’m also seeing a generational change. The inclusion of women in non-traditional roles is becoming increasingly commonplace, and mentalities are shifting. I’m also very proud to see a growing number of women acceding to key decision-making roles. Congratulations to them!

In closing, what advice would you give young women who are considering starting a career in software development?

Don’t be afraid of the technical aspects of this work. At heart, you must enjoy using creativity to resolve problems. You should have passion, perseverance and a strong character, but it can all be extremely gratifying. Another tip to help you succeed: have a sense of humour! Many situations can be defused with a bit of banter and self-deprecation, and you’ll quickly earn the respect of your male colleagues. Programming can open all kinds of doors; choose something you are truly passionate about. For my part, I feel like I’m making a real difference to people’s health at Intelerad, and this makes me want to challenge myself every day!