MAUREEN SALINI
Trust and the changes in ICT
Pacific Women in ICT feature
This story first appeared on IT Society Solomon Islands
Since Chung Wah Primary School and even throughout my high school years at the King George VI National Secondary School, the aim was to get into medicine.
Then in my last year, the 7th Form, my father suggested I take up Computer Science and Information Systems instead.
I was scared at first because I didn’t know what to expect. All I knew was it would be tough and it was a male dominated industry.
“Intimidating” was the word that came to mind.
But with my father’s encouragement and being the recipient of an Australian Award Pacific scholarship, I decided to take up the challenge and soon became excited about what the future would hold.
My father was very influential and supportive in shaping my decision to take up technology as a career.
In 2015 I stepped onto the University of the South Pacific Campus in Suva, Fiji. Bootstrapped with the scholarship and my father’s encouragement, as well as my family’s support. I felt validated and just as competent as any CS student. And for the next four years I challenged myself.
In March 2019, I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Computing Science and Information Systems.
Completing my studies was not that easy. The courses, especially the computer science programming units were challenging. The theory of computing – interesting! But when it came to actual programming or coding in languages such as C++, Python and Java – that is a different story. It took a lot of patience, critical thinking and many hours of google searches and watching Youtube videos which was both interesting and funny.
Psychologically, the disproportion of male to female ratio in this environment was intimidating. And to a certain degree it toyed with my self esteem.
Nevertheless, my peers, lecturers and the support and encouragement from family were crucial in my journey to successfully complete my studies.
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