W erze pierwszych komputerów nie istniały wygodne interfejsy graficzne ani przyjazne systemy operacyjne. W tamtych czasach programiści pisali programy ręcznie, używając kodu binarnego lub prostych instrukcji maszynowych (asemblera), a następnie wprowadzali je do komputera za pomocą kart perforowanych lub taśm magnetycznych. Każdy błąd lub literówka mogły doprowadzić do awarii programu i wielu godzin poprawek.

Pewnego wieczoru w 1959 roku Grace Hopper - programistka pracująca z jednym z pierwszych komputerów UNIVAC I - pomyślała, że ma już dość każdorazowego ręcznego wprowadzania programów do maszyny. Patrząc na gigantyczny komputer stojący przed nią, wpadła na pomysł: dlaczego by nie wykorzystać już sprawdzonych, wolnych od błędów programów przechowywanych w pamięci komputera i nie powiązać ich prostego opisu z ich adresem w tej pamięci? W ten sposób powstał pierwszy kompilator – podstawowy program, który tłumaczy kod wysokiego poziomu na język maszynowy.

Jej pomysł był absolutnie rewolucyjny. Dziś nie sposób wyobrazić sobie współczesnego świata IT bez kompilatora - całe oprogramowanie, na takim czy innym poziomie, korzysta z kompilatorów.

Na tym osiągnięcia Grace Hopper się nie skończyły - jako jedna z pierwszych zrozumiała, że języki programowania powinny wykorzystywać angielskie słowa do opisu poleceń, aby uczynić programowanie bardziej przystępnym. W ten sposób powstał COBOL - pierwszy język programowania przeznaczony do przetwarzania danych biznesowych. Dzięki przejrzystej składni, COBOL stał się fundamentem wielu systemów rządowych i korporacyjnych i jest nadal aktywnie używany.

Kobiety na pierwszej linii programowania

W latach 50. naprawdę wiele kobiet było zaangażowanych w tworzenie oprogramowania - co dziś niestety często bywa zapominane. W tamtym okresie głównymi wymaganiami przy rekrutacji były logiczne myślenie i dokładność. Zawód programisty nie był jeszcze obciążony wyraźnym piętnem płciowym, dlatego wiele kobiet podejmowało pracę w laboratoriach, pisząc kod i w ten sposób zapewniając wsparcie finansowe swoim rodzinom. Niestety, ich niezwykle istotna praca często pozostawała niezauważona i dopiero teraz zaczyna być właściwie doceniana i nagradzana.

Na przykład Dorothy Vaughan, Katherine Johnson i Mary Jackson - afroamerykańskie kobiety znane dziś jako NASA Hidden figures. Pomimo dyskryminacji i segregacji rasowej, odegrały one kluczową rolę w amerykańskim programie kosmicznym. Pracowały jako tzw. „ludzkie komputery”, wykonując skomplikowane obliczenia ręcznie dla niemal wszystkich ówczesnych statków powietrznych, w tym także dla pierwszej załogowej misji NASA w kosmos. Z czasem samodzielnie nauczyły się języka Fortran i przekazywały tę wiedzę innym, co umożliwiło automatyzację obliczeń i znacząco przyspieszyło rozwój technologii. Wszystkie kolejne misje kosmiczne, w tym lot człowieka na Księżyc, były możliwe dzięki matematycznemu i algorytmicznemu geniuszowi tych kobiet.

Innym znakomitym przykładem jest Barbara Liskov. Urodziła się w Kalifornii w rodzinie akademików, gdzie jej zainteresowanie matematyką było wspierane od najmłodszych lat. Po ukończeniu studiów Barbara pracowała nad wieloma projektami - od badań nad sztuczną inteligencją (tak, już w latach 60.!) po tworzenie systemu operacyjnego od podstaw. To doświadczenie pozwoliło jej dostrzec ograniczenia istniejących metod programowania i zaproponować nowe, bardziej efektywne podejścia do tworzenia oprogramowania.

Między innymi sformułowała zasady dziedziczenia i abstrakcyjnych typów danych, a także była pionierką podejścia obiektowego w programowaniu. Dziś programowanie obiektowe jest jednym z najpowszechniej stosowanych paradygmatów w tworzeniu oprogramowania. Barbara Liskov była jedną z pierwszych kobiet, które otrzymały Nagrodę Turinga oraz Medal von Neumanna za swój ogromny wkład w projektowanie systemów komputerowych.

U źródeł Internetu

Później, gdy komputery zaczęły coraz częściej pojawiać się w życiu codziennym, nauki informatyczne zyskały status prestiżowego zawodu i zaczęto je promować głównie wśród chłopców. Dziewczynkom i kobietom coraz trudniej było dostać się do tej dziedziny. Mimo to, wiele z nich nie tylko przebijało się przez bariery, ale również odnosiło sukcesy, przełamując zakorzenione stereotypy płciowe.

W latach 80. Internet stał się nowym „next big thing” - i także tutaj kobiety odegrały kluczową rolę. Przykładem jest Radia Perlman, amerykańska programistka, która zaproponowała algorytm - Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) - pozwalający unikać zapętlenia danych w sieciach komputerowych. Dzięki temu możliwe stało się skuteczne skalowanie systemów sieciowych. Jej wkład w rozwój Internetu i jego architektury był tak znaczący, że została nazwana Mother of Internet - choć sama skromnie odrzuca ten tytuł.

Inną znaną pionierką Internetu była Elizabeth Feinler. Wraz ze swoją grupą stworzyła coś, co dziś można by nazwać „prehistorycznym Google” - system informacji umożliwiający wyszukiwanie danych w lokalnej sieci instytutów Stanforda. Ponadto brała udział w pracach nad wprowadzeniem systemu nazw domen w Internecie. To właśnie dzięki niej pojawiły się znane nam dziś rozszerzenia domen, takie jak .com, .net czy .org. Za swój wkład została uhonorowana w latach 10. XXI wieku miejscem w Internet Hall of Fame.

Poza granicami Stanów Zjednoczonych

Choć komputerowa rewolucja rozpoczęła się głównie w Stanach Zjednoczonych, również poza ich granicami wiele wybitnych kobiet odegrało kluczową rolę w rozwoju technologii informacyjnych.

Na przykład ukraińska programistka i cybernetyczka Kateryna Yushchenko już w latach 50. stworzyła pierwszy adresowy język programowania - język, który wprowadził koncepcję wskaźników (pointerów). Właśnie ta idea stała szeroko zastosowana we współczesnych języach, takich jak C czy C++.

Z kolei Marta Kwiatkowska, polska informatyczka, jest twórczynią i główną projektantką PRISM - jednego z najpopularniejszych narzędzi do probabilistycznej weryfikacji systemów. Tego rodzaju narzędzia są niezwykle istotne przy sprawdzaniu poprawności działania złożonych systemów, w których najmniejszy błąd może prowadzić do ogromnych strat finansowych, a nawet zagrożenia życia ludzkiego. Co więcej, Marta została pierwszą kobietą profesor wydziału nauk komputerowych Uniwersytetu Oksfordzkiego.

Wszystkie opisane bohaterki i ich osiągnięcia to nie tylko ważna część historii informatyki, ale także inspiracja dla nowych pokoleń. Pokazały, że można realizować swoje cele i w pełni rozwijać potencjał - mimo barier, uprzedzeń czy braku widoczności. Skoro im się udało, to i my możemy spróbować!

Autorka: Kseniya Petukhova

Źródła:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/13/magazine/women-coding-computer-programming.html

https://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2020/0224/Katherine-Johnson-NASA-math-whiz-and-pioneer-for-black-women

https://amturing.acm.org/pdf/LiskovTuringTranscript.pdf

http://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/text/Oral_History/Hopper_Grace/102702026.05.01.pdf

https://hiddenheroes.netguru.com/radia-perlman

Artykuł Kobiety które zmieniły informatykę pochodzi z serwisu Fundacja IT Girls.

Artykuł Nasze prezeski nominowane w plebiscycie Wszechmocne 2025 – w kategorii „Nauka”! pochodzi z serwisu Fundacja IT Girls.

Chcesz razem z nami wspierać rozwój kobiet?

Artykuł Czwarta edycja Akademii MOCna JA zakończona! Dziękujemy ING Hubs Poland za zaufanie i wspólną drogę pochodzi z serwisu Fundacja IT Girls.

Thanks to this initiative we break gender stereotypes in the world of technology and ensure that the future generation of women has equal access to educational and professional opportunities. Every line of code written by the participants of this program is a small revolution – and we are proud to have been a part of it!

– When we decided to support the Bee IT Girls program, we wanted the girls participating in the courses to see for themselves that they can develop in accordance with what is in their hearts, what gives them joy and satisfaction – says Barbara Matkowska-Włosek, Marketing Director at TIM SA. – In the near future, they will choose their profession – the job they will do. It is important that they do it in accordance with themselves, without considering stereotypes or the expectations of others. There are no female and male professions, there are simply professions for people. It is worth building such awareness from the beginning of education – she adds.

I currently work as an automation tester, but it wasn't like that from the beginning. While still studying, which wasn't typically related to IT but was a strict field, I applied for the position of coordinator of a team of programmers. Part of my job at that time was testing the application we were creating. After half a year of working as a coordinator, I tried my hand at an independent position as an application tester and it turned out that this was it. I very quickly got the ISTQB certificate and looked for new challenges related to testing.

We congratulate all the program graduates and thank the company TIM for supporting such an important initiative. This is just the beginning – the future of technology is diverse and full of potential!

Artykuł Uroczyste zakończenie programu Bee IT Girls – wspieramy dziewczynki w świecie nowych technologii! pochodzi z serwisu Fundacja IT Girls.

Youth and Artificial Intelligence – Main Report Conclusions

Youth in Poland demonstrate a high level of familiarity with artificial intelligence. The survey results show that 100% respondents know the term "AI" and as many as 72% young Poles declare that they understand well what this technology is. What's more, two thirds of the respondents (63%) actively use AI-based tools, making it an integral part of their daily lives. The popularity of applications such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Bing confirm that AI is becoming increasingly widely used in the lives of young people.

One of the most important areas where artificial intelligence has found application is education. As many as 67% young people use AI to support their learning, including solving difficult problems, organizing work, or generating ideas for projects. More than half of respondents (56%) use AI tools to help with learning, and 50% indicates its role in learning foreign languages. These conclusions confirm that AI supports the development of young people's skills and competences.

Awareness of risks and responsible use

Despite its growing popularity and wide application, young people also recognize the potential risks associated with AI. More than 65% students are aware of the risk of AI tools using personal data, and 57% are concerned that AI may have a negative impact on their education. These results highlight the need for data protection education and the development of critical thinking among young people so that they can make informed use of new technologies.

At the same time, young people expect a responsible approach to the development and application of AI. 53% respondents were in favor of introducing regulations, that would require companies that build AI models to disclose the data used to train them. This need for greater transparency and ethics in AI is an important signal to policymakers and technology companies.

A surprising conclusion from the study is the relatively low level of involvement of parents and teachers in education about AI. As many as 63% students declare that they do not expect teachers to help them use AI tools, which may indicate a lack of competence or awareness in this area. In turn, those students who seek support most often indicate the need to assess the truthfulness of generated content and understand the potential risks associated with AI.

Collaborating for the future of technology

The IT Girls Foundation, co-author of the report, has been working for years to equalize opportunities in access to technology and promote responsible use of modern tools. - The IT Girls Foundation was established to support equal opportunities in access to technological education and promote responsible use of innovation. The report "Generation AI. How young people use artificial intelligence” shows that young people in Poland use AI consciously and effectively – as many as 67% students use it in their studies, and 50% in writing papers, which confirms the enormous potential of this technology – says Wioletta Klimczak, co-founder and president of the board of the IT Girls Foundation at the IT Girls Foundation. – However, the conclusions of the study are also an alarm signal. The too low level of involvement of teachers and parents in education about AI requires an immediate response. We must ensure that young people not only know the tools, but are also able to critically analyze their operation and possible effects, especially in the context of ethics and data protection.  

Report "Generation AI: How Young People Use Artificial Intelligence" provides valuable information on how young people perceive and use AI. One of the key findings is that most respondents are familiar with the term artificial intelligence, and 2/3 of them admit that they use AI-based tools.  – emphasizes Liwia Kwiecień, Member of the Board for HR at Nationale-Nederlanden. – This proves that young people are aware of the impact of artificial intelligence on their daily lives, and the development of competences in this field is not only the future, but above all a need. AI is playing an increasingly important role in our lives, changing the way we work, learn and do business. That is why Nationale-Nederlanden is not only involved in educating young people, but also invests in training and development of its employees in the field of new technologies and AI.   

Next Step: AI Education Program

The aim of the campaign conducted by National Dutch and the IT Girls Foundation is to educate young people about the responsible use of technology and to build social awareness of artificial intelligence. This initiative aims to support young people in better understanding the potential of AI and the ethical and social challenges associated with it. The partnership will also create an online educational program in the space Campus AI, during which young people will learn both the theoretical foundations of using AI and the practical applications of AI-based tools. 

The report "Generation AI. How young people use artificial intelligence" is based on a study conducted in November 2024 Ariadna National Research Panel. The survey was conducted among 1,058 respondents aged 16–20, representing students of secondary and post-secondary schools from various locations in Poland. Data was collected using the CAWI (Computer-Assisted Web Interview) method, and the sample was selected based on demographic criteria such as gender, age, and size of place of residence. The results of the study provide a solid basis for analyzing trends related to youth and AI in Poland.

The report can be downloaded from the IT Girls Foundation website at https://itgirls.org.pl/raport-pokolenie-ai/. We invite you to read the research results and join the discussion on the role of AI in education and development of young generations.

Artykuł Pokolenie AI. Jak młodzież korzysta ze sztucznej inteligencji? pochodzi z serwisu Fundacja IT Girls.

QA ENGINEER – Paulina Bała

What advice would you give to women wanting to get into IT?

I would start by thinking about what you really want to do. IT is not just programming, there are many interesting paths that can also be satisfying. There are many reports related to the industry available on the Internet, where you can read which specialists are most sought after. I wouldn't go into something that is losing popularity, or something where there are a lot of specialized people. I would definitely consider that now we will need more specialists in the field of artificial intelligence. Another good source of knowledge can be simply job advertisements. They already have the context of what technologies are in fashion, and I would be interested in those that are repeated most often. On this basis, you can prepare a good learning plan. Often, there are people on industry groups on Facebook who mentor people trying to enter the industry for free. I would definitely skip bootcamps. In my opinion, no one can guarantee that you will find a job after one training.

What is your path? How did you find a job in IT?

I currently work as an automation tester, but it wasn't like that from the beginning. While still studying, which wasn't typically related to IT but was a strict field, I applied for the position of coordinator of a team of programmers. Part of my job at that time was testing the application we were creating. After half a year of working as a coordinator, I tried my hand at an independent position as an application tester and it turned out that this was it. I very quickly got the ISTQB certificate and looked for new challenges related to testing.

Why do you work in IT? What do you like most about this industry?

I work in IT because I really like my job. I like being a tester because it fits my skills and character perfectly. The tasks I perform require me to be meticulous and precise, but also to think, which gives me the feeling that I am fulfilling myself creatively. I like the fact that I work on tasks - they are clearly defined, have a specific deadline, and as for the method of execution, I have a certain margin of freedom, which suits me very well. Having the perspective of working in other industries, I see the difference that people employed here (both men and women) do not compete with each other as much as I saw when working in other positions unrelated to IT. I like this state of affairs very much, because by nature I am not a person who would like to compete with someone for something. I think it is also worth mentioning the earnings. On the Internet, we are attacked with slogans such as "join IT and earn XXX". In my opinion, these slogans should be taken with a bit of distance, but on the other hand, looking at salary reports, IT specialists are very well paid employees.

Have you ever been affected by impostor syndrome? How do you deal with it?

I think it happens to everyone (including me). However, in my opinion, women experience it more often than men (or they don't say it out loud). In my career, I felt it the most when I returned from maternity leave. After almost 2 years, when I returned to work, the world of testing was completely different than when I left it for a while to focus on family life. Technologies had changed, and that was the time when Playwright entered the market with a bang. When I returned and started working on the project, I had a lot of doubts whether I should be here at all. However, with time, more experience and help from my leader, I managed to gain knowledge to work freely, which also increased my self-confidence. My advice: we should think less about how others perceive us, and just do our best.

What skills do you consider most important in an IT job?

I think it is worth focusing on soft skills, because if you have them, sooner or later you will gain the necessary knowledge. In my opinion, the ability to work in a team is very important. The specificity of working in IT is that we work more often as a team, and having problems establishing contact with other people, we can seriously hinder the work of others and harm the project. We need to be able to listen and talk so that the flow of information is good, especially when we work remotely. It is also worth having the desire to learn and readiness to acquire new knowledge. In IT, something new appears almost every month. You need to be up to date with the latest news so that you can solve problems as best as possible and constantly improve your competences. It is also worth mentioning emotional intelligence, we should cope well not only with our own emotions, but also with the emotions of other people.

What are the biggest challenges you have faced in your IT career?

As I mentioned earlier, I am not only a tester, but also a mother. The hardest moment in my career was returning from maternity leave, where everything changed during my absence. After returning, I got a new project, I had to learn how to use new tools, I started working with people I had not worked with before.
What technologies or tools do you like most and why? My absolute discovery in the world of testing and automation is the Karate Labs tool. It is a tool for automating API tests, but not only that. The entry threshold for using it is not high, and the actions that can be performed have a great advantage. Tests can be written in a simple Gherkin format, which makes it easy to understand and create tests even for people without programming experience. The Karate framework allows you to create complex test scenarios that can be run simultaneously.

Do you think the IT industry is changing for the better in terms of gender equality? Why/why not?

In my opinion, the IT industry has indeed undergone significant changes in terms of gender equality. We see women more often in IT companies, but I think there is still a lot to do. This is mainly due to cultural conditions. In my opinion, the problem is not limited to IT, because some people are still surprised by a woman sitting behind the wheel of a bus. I think it is worth supporting interest in technology from a young age.

What advice do you have for women who want to pursue careers in technology but don’t yet have a technical background?

If I were determined to develop in technological areas and had already more or less a specific direction, I would first try to build my portfolio or try to get involved in charity work. This will certainly help to gain some initial experience. It is worth bragging about such things during job interviews.

How can we increase the number of women in IT?

In my opinion, a lot depends on the organizational culture in companies. It is important for companies to want to employ women and promote gender equality. It is also important to offer flexible working hours and the possibility of remote work, which can help women better balance their professional and private lives.

How does your department support women?

I will answer this from the perspective of being a mother. As a mother, I can say that Silevis provides great support in difficult moments. The team I currently work with is very understanding, especially when a child is sick. I have flexible working hours, which allows me to adjust my schedule to the needs of the family. In addition, the company understands how demanding the situation of parenting can be. This kind of support atmosphere really helps to maintain a work-life balance.

JUNIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER – Wiktoria Szreder

What advice would you give to women wanting to get into IT?

Above all, don't be afraid to take your first steps in a world (for now!) dominated by men. I promise you won't regret it.

Let's be the change, it's worth it!

What is your path? How did you find a job in IT?

For as long as I can remember, I have enjoyed spending time at the computer, and at school, science subjects were not a big problem for me. That is how, after graduating from high school, I ended up at a computer science college, where I did my first summer internship, which introduced me to the industry, and a year later, another one, which resulted in employment.

Why do you work in IT? What do you like most about this industry?

What I like most about IT is the creative element and the ability to solve problems, and additionally the specificity of the industry makes the work flexible and there is a relaxed atmosphere, which also affects comfort.

Have you ever been affected by impostor syndrome? How do you deal with it?

Unfortunately, I often have imposter syndrome. However, it lets up when I have the opportunity to prove myself, which in a developer's job often happens in the form of solving a problem or creating something new and interesting.

What skills do you consider most important in an IT job?

Not so much skills as traits – curiosity, inquisitiveness, satisfaction in solving problems and deriving joy from the process of creating something new. With these traits, you will acquire all the necessary skills in the blink of an eye.

What are the biggest challenges you have faced in your IT career?

For me, the biggest challenge is combining work with studies. It is not impossible – especially in this industry. I study every day. Studies take up a significant part of my time, but thanks to flexible working hours, it does not stop me from developing professionally. Additionally, knowledge acquired at work is often useful at university and vice versa.

What technologies or tools do you like most and why?

Backend is my cup of tea. At first, C# and Dot Net stole my heart, but over time TypeScript and NestJS found their place there too.

Do you think the IT industry is changing for the better in terms of gender equality? Why/why not?

The ubiquitous initiatives supporting women in IT, such as the IT Girls foundation, contribute to equalizing the situation of women and men in IT. Nowadays, a woman working in IT is no longer treated as such a big exception.

What advice do you have for women who want to pursue technology careers but don’t yet have a technical background?

When it comes to the developer position, education doesn't play such a big role here - yes, it helps, but you can do without it. The most important thing is passion and interest in the subject. If you meet these conditions, then a career is open to you.

How can we increase the number of women in IT?

At work, we are all treated equally regardless of gender. What matters is what we bring to the company, not what gender we are. This helps avoid the 'imposter syndrome' that can result from favoring women in the company.

How does your department support women?

Normalizing women's work in IT. We should move away from the belief that it is a male industry, because both women and men have equal predispositions to do such work.

Artykuł Kobiety inspiracje – Silevis x IT Girls pochodzi z serwisu Fundacja IT Girls.

And probably many of us thought that learning vocabulary and grammar structures is the last thing we would leave our favorite game or series for. We have good news! – there are currently many technological improvements that will help us learn any foreign language! Working as an English teacher for several years, I had the opportunity to try out many different tools and I have collected my favorites below. However, please remember that there are many, many more.

1. Words

Currently, there are many vocabulary learning applications that are built on different mechanisms.

#Duolingo – Gamification

Duolingo is a free app that turns language learning into an adventure filled with challenges and rewards. You can choose the language you want to learn, as well as adjust the difficulty level and the amount of time you spend learning each day. Doesn't that sound great?

Why Should You Try Duolingo?

Game and Learning in One: With Duolingo, learning a language is like a game. You earn points for each lesson you complete correctly, advance to the next level, and earn badges that show your progress.

– Flexibility: You can learn whenever and wherever you want. The app adapts to your level and pace of learning.
– Variety of Languages: Duolingo offers courses in multiple languages, so you can choose the one that interests you most. 

#Quizlet – flashcards without getting out of breath

My favorite learning app is Quizlet, which has changed my approach to learning vocabulary. Quizlet was a great tool when I was learning French because most of the materials were already created by other teachers. 

If you use a textbook in your lessons, just type its title into the Quizlet search engine. Very often, lecturers and teachers create databases of words that are available to everyone! This means that you can find ready-made sets of flashcards perfectly suited to your needs.

Quizlet also lets you easily create your own flashcards. You can add words, definitions, and even images, which makes learning more creative and enjoyable. But that's not all! After you've made a set of flashcards, the app automatically generates games and tests that help you review and consolidate new vocabulary.

Additionally, the Quizlet app has many additional gamification features, such as: 

• Quizlet Live: A team game that lets you compete with classmates in real time. Perfect for lessons and study sessions.
• Writing Mode: writing and memorizing words through interactive exercises. 
• Matching Mode: Test your skills by matching words to their definitions.
• Audio: listen to the correct pronunciation of new vocabulary. 
• Quizzes: Quizlet generates quizzes that you can use to test your knowledge before tests and exams.

2. Grammar

#BritishCouncil

British Council provides clearly explained grammar, adapting the topic to the level you are at. Additionally, supplementary exercises will show you whether the material is well covered and whether you fully understand the grammar point. 

#Grammarly

This AI-based app will help you check if your essay has grammatical errors and suggest how to fix them. Grammarly will be a great tool to understand why a given error occurs and what its nature is.

3. Listening and understanding

#Netflix

One of the best language learning techniques is “language immersion”, which helps us become familiar with the language and learn many phrases from everyday life.

When watching your favorite series and movies on streaming platforms (e.g. Netflix), it is worth changing the language in the settings to the one you want to learn. If you want to jump into the deep end, I recommend turning off the subtitles and trying to listen to the words and melody of the language. Don't be discouraged if you don't understand a lot - at first, treat it as good fun ???? It is worth starting with your favorite cartoons - usually the language is simpler and the structures are less complex (although this is not always the case). Be careful with the "sound and subtitles" settings in a foreign language - they do not always match 1:1. 

While watching, write down new phrases and unfamiliar expressions, and then translate them using a good dictionary – this will make your vocabulary even richer! 

#Language Reactor

Language Reactor is a great browser extension that lets you watch videos and generate double subtitles that you can check in real time. With this tool, you can compare vocabulary, grammar, and effortlessly check synonyms for a given expression. 

#Spotify

We learn best by listening to topics that interest us. Spotify offers many podcasts, reports, and audiobooks in different languages that will help you become familiar with the accent and melody of the language.

In addition, many language enthusiasts create their own channels, explaining grammatical nuances and explaining complex structures. Just type in the topic you are interested in in the search engine, and Spotify will suggest Podcasts and Shows.

Thanks to technology, we have endless language learning opportunities that are tailored to different learning styles and skill levels. Tools like Quizlet, Duolingo, Grammarly, Language Reactor, and platforms like Netflix and Spotify make learning interactive, engaging, and fun. With a creative approach that combines science and technology, everyone can find a way to learn a language in a fun way. I hope that the next time someone asks, “What are you doing on the computer again?” you can answer, “I’m learning a new language.” ????

Have fun with science and technology, sail out into the wide waters of language learning opportunities, and enjoy every moment of this fascinating journey. 

Artykuł Jak nowoczesne technologie ułatwiają naukę języków obcych pochodzi z serwisu Fundacja IT Girls.

Over a year ago, I set myself a bold goal: after more than a decade of work in marketing, I decided to make a change. I wanted to discover new technologies, work closer to IT projects and implement innovative solutions in companies. It was then that I discovered Salesforce – a platform that turned out to be much more than just a CRM tool. Today I would like to share my experiences and tips with you, which I hope will be helpful if you also want to delve into the secrets of this, as it turned out, fascinating world.

Do you know what CDP is?

CDP (Customer Data Platform) is a tool that integrates, organizes, and analyzes customer data from various sources, such as websites, mobile applications, social media, emails, offline transactions, and many others. CDP allows companies to create comprehensive customer profiles, which allows for a better understanding of their needs, preferences, and behaviors. This allows for more effective optimization of customer experiences in real time throughout the entire stage of the so-called customer journey. Why am I writing about it? Because the desire to work with this type of tool made me start looking. Looking for a solution that I could learn and then implement in companies. Why? To help companies grow: develop, conquer new markets, increase sales.

One example of a CDP is the solution offered by Salesforce, which uses a marketing automation tool to combine with a tool for collecting, unifying and analyzing data to provide companies with a powerful, comprehensive solution. 

Has anyone heard of Salesforce?

The business world is incredibly vast, and what drives companies is their customers. A good organization in terms of customer management is the key to success. Imagine a company offering different products and having many customers from different parts of the world. That's a lot of people with different needs! This is where Salesforce comes in, a super-intelligent tool that helps companies make their customers happy ???? Salesforce gives these companies the advantage of centralized data, so that all customer information is consolidated on one platform - the single source of truth.

Salesforce is not just a place where customer data is collected. It is an entire system of tools that enable data management, using artificial intelligence to create a better customer experience. Within the platform, we will find various clouds (Clouds), such as Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Marketing Cloud or Commerce Cloud - each dedicated to a different area of activity, and at the same time being part of a larger ecosystem. 

Sales Cloud enables effective management of contacts, quotes and orders, as well as monitoring sales performance. Service Cloud enables companies to deliver excellent customer service through effective ticket management and knowledge base. Marketing Cloud, my favorite part, enables marketing automation, campaign personalization and data analysis, which allows for more effective communication with customers. Commerce Cloud, on the other hand, supports online sales, enabling companies to quickly launch online stores and deliver personalized shopping experiences.

Imagine…

One day, Anna, an enthusiastic customer of an online store, was curiously browsing through the offers of trekking shoes. Since Anna likes to use applications, information about new products appears on her phone. Anna most often looks at products related to mountain climbing, and her previous purchases confirm these preferences, so when Anna enters the online store, she sees photos of these products first, and the main banner that she sees right after entering shows a breathtaking view from the top of one of the highest mountains in the world. Staring at the screen, full of expectations, Anna added more products to the basket. However, as is often the case, life can surprise. A sudden phone call tore Anna from her current activity, after which Anna completely forgot about her previous purchases. But the store where Anna had just been looking at sports products did not forget about her. A few hours later, Anna received an email reminding her about the abandoned basket. After a moment of reflection, she decided to return to the store and finish shopping. After choosing the right products, she completed the order and waited for the delivery. Two days later the package arrived at her door. 

Unfortunately, a few weeks later, one of the products was slightly damaged during use. Undeterred, Anna contacted the customer service department, where she received quick and painless help (the company representative Anna spoke to did not have to ask for details - he knew when and what products Anna had purchased). The faulty product was repaired in a short time. Anna also received a discount on future purchases, which made her extremely happy. 

Thanks to the integration of tools, Anna was able to go through the entire purchasing process without any problems, and customer service was ready to provide efficient assistance. It was this comprehensive service that made Anna feel cared for and appreciated as a customer. But this is just a taste of the experiences that can be created using well-designed Salesforce solutions.

How to start?

If you are thinking about changing your career or you are just entering the job market, if new technologies are close to you and the above description (still quite simplified) of the possibilities and functionalities of Salesforce solutions seems attractive to you - then this may be an interesting direction of development for you. So how do you start? It couldn't be easier!

1. First things first: The Trailhead Platform.

Trailhead is a great place to start learning. The platform is free, you just need to create an account and start learning. The knowledge is divided into topic areas in short articles, making them easy to read. You also earn points and badges as you learn, which makes the process not only easy but also incredibly motivating. You can find more information here: https://trailhead.salesforce.com/ 

2. Secondly: Communities.

Salesforce is not just a tool – it is also a community. It is worth joining local groups, where you will quickly get inspired and make your first contacts. At meetings, members share their experiences, give tips, and are open to new people who are just starting their adventure. So find the closest group in your area and do not hesitate to join – that is why these groups were created!

3. Third: Events.

There are several events in Poland that are worth attending. One of them is the largest event, Salesforce World Tour Essentials (more about the event and registration on the website: https://invite.salesforce.com/world-tour-essentials-warszawa-2024/ArlanisReply). At these types of events, you will have an extraordinary opportunity to listen to interesting lectures, see live demos – interesting solutions for using Salesforce in various industries. You will meet enthusiasts, talk to leaders, make friends.

4. Fourth: Bring Women Back to Work

If you have had a career break, I also recommend checking out Bring Women Back to Work. The BWBW program is an initiative to support women returning to work after a career break. The program focuses on creating opportunities for women who have decided to take a career break for various reasons, such as childcare, caring for a family member, or other personal commitments. You can find out more about the program here: www.bringwomenbacktowork.com 

Wondering what role would be best for you?

If you're wondering what the benefits of learning Salesforce are, it's worth mentioning the wide range of career opportunities. 

First: you can work both within Salesforce itself, as well as for one of the partners who implements this solution in other companies (as I did). Finally, you can work in an organization that already has this solution and needs an internal team to support it. 

Secondly: roles. You can become a consultant helping companies implement and adapt the platform to their needs. You can also work as a business analyst helping to understand and optimize business processes. There are many options: you can also become a developer, architect, administrator… You can read more about the career, available roles and tasks within each of these functions on the official website here: https://trailhead.salesforce.com/en/career-path 

I couldn't help but mention: a few words about marketing automation

Since marketing is part of my DNA, I couldn't help but mention marketing automation more ???? Salesforce Marketing Cloud is a marketing platform that enables companies to create and manage marketing campaigns across different communication channels. It is part of the Salesforce ecosystem.

The main functions of Salesforce Marketing Cloud include marketing automation (the platform enables the creation of automated marketing campaigns based on customer behavior and interactions). With MC, you will design communication personalization (thanks to detailed customer data, it is possible to personalize content and offers, which increases customer engagement and affects the effectiveness of the campaign), create audience segmentation (e.g. dividing the database based on various criteria, including behavioral, which allows for more targeted and effective messages), and track the results of conducted activities (including e-mail open rates, clicks, conversions, and many others). Thanks to extensive analytics and reporting, companies can better understand their customers' behavior and make better marketing decisions.

Was it worth it?

Working with Salesforce, especially in the Marketing Cloud area, brings me great satisfaction. Marketing automation is not only a tool, but also a way to communicate more effectively with customers and build long-term relationships, it is a whole ecosystem of opportunities and integrations. Having business experience and technical knowledge, you gain a holistic view of the entire organization, its environment and needs, in order to build business development strategies on this basis. And that is why I love my job ????

So if you are looking for new challenges, want to explore the secrets of modern technologies and be part of a dynamic IT community, Salesforce may be the perfect solution for you.

Start small – learn the basics of Salesforce, get your first certificates and gradually develop your skills. Remember that the key to success is not only theoretical knowledge, but also practical experience and the desire for continuous development. Salesforce is not just a data management platform, but an entire ecosystem that offers virtually unlimited opportunities for professional and personal development. Regardless of whether you are just starting your adventure with technology or you are an experienced specialist, Salesforce provides a place for everyone who wants to be part of the dynamic world of IT and create innovative solutions.

If you have any questions or still don't know how to get started - let me know. I'd be happy to help.

See you!
Emilia Śledzińska, Salesforce Business Consultant @ Arlanis Reply
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/emiliasledzinska

Artykuł Moja podróż z Salesforce: Odkrywanie nowych technologii w świecie IT pochodzi z serwisu Fundacja IT Girls.

The problem starts early

The low percentage of women working in IT does not come from nowhere. In universities, in technical fields, you can notice a clear predominance of men. When I started my IT studies, I was one of 11 women out of 125 people in my first year. The situation is similar at earlier stages of education. Specialized classes in secondary schools also show such trends. More girls study in humanities classes than mathematics or IT classes. The choice of high school or technical school depends on the interests that children develop in primary schools. Therefore, the career path depends on the fields in which children feel good long before they enter the job market.

Men are scientific minds, women are artists and aesthetes

According to a study conducted in 2017 [2], the profession of a programmer is perceived as "typically male" by 59% respondents. I think that this percentage would be much higher if the question concerned the term "rather male". Men are perceived as people in whom the left hemisphere of the brain, responsible for logical thinking, dominates. According to these beliefs, women are characterized by the dominant right hemisphere, responsible for creativity. In reality, the brain and its hemispheres are not as binary as stereotypes present. Although the brains of women and men actually differ in their structure and functioning [3], gender does not affect the dominance of either hemisphere at all. Additionally, it turns out that the brain needs good communication between both hemispheres to efficiently solve complex problems. Researchers have repeatedly tried to determine the predispositions of women and men to mathematics, and the results have given a contradictory picture. Boys dominate among mathematically gifted children and students. However, in older groups, women achieved better results. This disparity disappears when the groups studied come from environments where social equality between the sexes is important. All this indicates a very strong social factor influencing the interest in mathematics among girls and boys.

Men study and work, women take care of the home

Although many people may deny it, our culture has a deeply rooted stereotype of a family in which the man works and earns money for the house, and the woman takes care of household chores and raising children. In the 21st century, adults are responsible for themselves and make their own decisions, but these are often dictated by what they learned at home. Consciously or subconsciously, we repeat certain patterns. Little boys are more often offered blocks to play with, and girls dolls. Boys are encouraged to help assemble furniture, and girls to cook together. It is from such small gestures that the belief that science and science subjects are the domain of men begins.

The number of women in IT is growing

The number of female students at technical universities is growing year by year[4]. More and more women are consciously choosing their career path. The IT industry is currently so absorbent that many women change industries during their careers. However, it is still a very long and difficult path. Women encounter a number of barriers that make it difficult for them to find a job or advance in this field. The barriers come from themselves, but also from their immediate environment, the job market and employers. Women who subconsciously feel inadequate in a typically male field have to put in a lot of extra work to convince themselves and others of their values.

What can help women in IT?

To help women in the IT industry, we need to focus on three aspects. First, employers need to know what added value comes from employing women in IT teams. Another issue is that if employers want to hire, they still need to have someone to hire. Therefore, the second step is to encourage women, from childhood, to learn science subjects and study computer science or related fields. In this way, we will be able to break the stereotype of a “male” profession and show that women can also find their place in it, and neither gender has any special predispositions here – what counts is hard work and interests. The third step, on the other hand, is for women to work on the barriers they set for themselves. Building self-esteem can help them feel confident in this field. Thanks to this, women will be more willing to take on challenges and apply for higher positions. And the more women succeed in the IT industry, the more young women will be inspired to take up such a career path.

[1] https://bulldogjob.pl/it-report/2020
[2] Report Women in "male" professions, Network of Entrepreneurial Women
[3]https://pulsmedycyny.pl/how-the-brain-development-of-women-and-men-influences-their-abilities-941487
[4] The Potential of Women for the Technology Industry, Research Report 2015 by the Perspektywy Education Foundation and Siemens

Artykuł Dlaczego w IT pracuje tak mało kobiet? pochodzi z serwisu Fundacja IT Girls.