{"id":57421,"date":"2024-12-13T13:13:14","date_gmt":"2024-12-13T13:13:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/careers.expleo.com\/en\/?post_type=employee-stories&p=57421"},"modified":"2025-04-28T06:15:00","modified_gmt":"2025-04-28T06:15:00","slug":"helen","status":"publish","type":"life-at-expleo","link":"https:\/\/careers.expleo.com\/en\/life-at-expleo\/helen\/","title":{"rendered":"Helen"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Can you tell us about your background and what led you to pursue a career in STEM? <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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I\u2019ve always leaned towards logical, problem-solving subjects like science and maths. At school, I chose those pathways at GCSE and then narrowed them down further at A-level. I attended an all-girls school where traditional career choices like medicine, law, and teaching were more popular, and computer science wasn\u2019t something many students wanted to study.<\/p>

Despite this, I had the opportunity to take computer science at A-level and was exposed to coding, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It appealed to me that not many people were pursuing it, and I saw it as a field with immense opportunities, particularly in the early 2000s when IT was booming. I decided to study computer science at university, and the rest is history.<\/p>

Interestingly, I come from a family where women have always done their own thing. My grandmother and great-grandmother both had maths degrees, so I had a solid foundation of support.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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What has been your biggest challenge as a woman in STEM? <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Confidence has been my biggest challenge, especially at the beginning. At university, less than 10% of my coursemates were women. Many of the men were stereotypical \u2018techies\u2019 who bonded over gaming, which wasn\u2019t my thing. They seemed to share an implicit knowledge I didn\u2019t have, and I initially struggled to recognise my own abilities.<\/p>

It took time to realise I was just as capable\u2014sometimes more so\u2014and that my voice mattered. Starting work brought similar challenges, including speaking up in meetings, disagreeing when necessary, and recognising the value of my opinions.<\/p>

Sexist comments were another hurdle, particularly at my first workplace, which wasn\u2019t a supportive environment. However, those experiences built my resilience and taught me to establish boundaries. I learned to confidently shut down unacceptable behaviour and focus on my value as a professional.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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What attracted you to join Expleo, and how has your experience been so far? <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Before joining Expleo, I\u2019d reached a point in my previous role where I felt I\u2019d gained all I could and was ready for a new challenge. Consultancy wasn\u2019t something I\u2019d considered before, but when the opportunity at Expleo came up, it intrigued me. The variety of industries, technologies, and projects Expleo offers was appealing, and I saw it as a place where I could stay technical while growing into leadership roles.<\/p>

Since joining over six years ago, I\u2019ve loved the company culture and opportunities. The variety keeps things exciting, and I\u2019ve enjoyed working across different industries while staying supported by a strong team ethos.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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How has Expleo supported your professional growth and development within STEM? <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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My growth at Expleo has been incredible. I joined as a Senior Developer, moved into a Team Tead role, then became a Technical Lead on client projects, and eventually a Practice Lead. Each role has come with new challenges and opportunities, from building client relationships to leading large-scale projects.<\/p>

Expleo has always supported my aspirations, whether through leadership opportunities, training, or exposure to new technologies. I\u2019ve seen tangible growth not just in my career but in the development of services we offer, particularly in software development.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Can you describe a particularly rewarding project or achievement you've had while working at Expleo? <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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My proudest achievement isn\u2019t tied to a single project but rather to growing our software development service in Ireland. When I joined, we had just five developers. Over time, we expanded that team to over 60, established an offshore team in India, and built a solid client base for software solutions.<\/p>

One standout project was a three-year scaled Agile programme for a global insurance company. We started small, with just a few people on the ground, and eventually scaled to multiple teams in Ireland, Romania and India. Delivering a global platform within three years was an incredible accomplishment, showcasing the strength of the team and the services we\u2019d built.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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How would you describe the company culture at Expleo, particularly in terms of inclusivity and support for women in STEM? <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Expleo has a fantastic culture of inclusivity. From the moment I joined, I felt heard, valued, and supported. Initiatives around diversity and inclusion go beyond gender\u2014they extend to race, ethnicity, and family situations, creating an environment where everyone feels welcome.<\/p>

The team atmosphere is another standout aspect. Although we work on different client sites and in various disciplines, there\u2019s a strong sense of camaraderie, with regular events like summer parties and Christmas gatherings bringing everyone together.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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How do you see your future at Expleo, and what are your career aspirations within the company? <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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I\u2019m currently a Practice Lead, but I\u2019d like to continue growing the service and move into a director role. I want to have more influence over the services we offer and help shape the future of Expleo. The opportunities here are endless, and I\u2019m excited to see where my journey takes me.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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What advice would you give to other women considering a career in STEM, especially those looking to join Expleo? <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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If you\u2019re interested in STEM, go for it. Don\u2019t let gender hold you back\u2014there\u2019s a huge variety of career paths, industries, and opportunities in this field. STEM offers a great work-life balance, competitive pay, and respect.<\/p>

Whether you want to travel or work remotely, the options are there. The key is to believe in yourself and take that first step. At Expleo, you\u2019ll find a supportive environment that values your contributions and helps you thrive.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEXPLORE OUR JOBS<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Senior Development Manager in Ireland<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":57422,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"_oasis_task_priority":"","footnotes":""},"profile":[269],"topic":[261,145],"industry-taxonomy":[265],"content-type":[332],"country":[119],"service":[],"role-family":[136],"class_list":["post-57421","life-at-expleo","type-life-at-expleo","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","profile-experienced","topic-corporate","topic-digital-transformation","industry-taxonomy-all","content-type-employee-stories","country-ireland","role-family-it-and-digital"],"yoast_head":"\nExpleo | Helen, Senior Development Manager in Ireland<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Elena, Senior Development Manager in Ireland, thrives in a dynamic role with strong team support and exciting growth opportunities.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/careers.expleo.com\/en\/life-at-expleo\/helen\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Helen\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Elena, Senior Development Manager in Ireland, thrives in a dynamic role with strong team support and exciting growth opportunities.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/careers.expleo.com\/en\/life-at-expleo\/helen\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"EN\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-04-28T06:15:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/careers.expleo.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/employee-stories-helen.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"740\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/careers.expleo.com\\\/en\\\/life-at-expleo\\\/helen\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/careers.expleo.com\\\/en\\\/life-at-expleo\\\/helen\\\/\",\"name\":\"Expleo | Helen, Senior Development Manager in Ireland\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/careers.expleo.com\\\/en\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/careers.expleo.com\\\/en\\\/life-at-expleo\\\/helen\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/careers.expleo.com\\\/en\\\/life-at-expleo\\\/helen\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/careers.expleo.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/12\\\/employee-stories-helen.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-12-13T13:13:14+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-04-28T06:15:00+00:00\",\"description\":\"Elena, Senior Development Manager in Ireland, thrives in a dynamic role with strong team support and exciting growth opportunities.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/careers.expleo.com\\\/en\\\/life-at-expleo\\\/helen\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/careers.expleo.com\\\/en\\\/life-at-expleo\\\/helen\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/careers.expleo.com\\\/en\\\/life-at-expleo\\\/helen\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/careers.expleo.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/12\\\/employee-stories-helen.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/careers.expleo.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/12\\\/employee-stories-helen.jpg\",\"width\":740,\"height\":400,\"caption\":\"A person with shoulder-length blond hair smiles softly against a dark background. 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