The Women Of The DevOps Academy: On Inclusivity At AL

In 2018 Automation Logic won Best Workplace For Women in the Small Business category of Great Places To Work as well as the third Best Workplace in the UK overall. 

We know how important it is to have a truly inclusive workforce and we are always on the look-out for new ways to broaden the appeal of technical roles with AL and the industry in general.  

Sponsoring events such as Diversity in Tech and Women in STEM is a great way to spread the message externally but it’s also important that we put our words into action and so we strive to provide a genuinely compassionate and inclusive work environment where all employees are treated with respect. 

We’re delighted that our DevOps Academy, which takes STEM graduates and provides intensive training and access to work on large scale projects in a supportive team environment, reflects the percentage of women who graduate from STEM disciplines. 

With our application process, we strive to provide an experience that gives equal voice and opportunity to all applicants. 

At our assessment days we aim for a similar number of women and men applicants; we invite female employees from our previous academies to come and meet the applicants and discuss with them what life is like at AL, and we do not accept male-dominant behaviours in our assessment centres (*cough* mansplaining or talking-over), no matter how technically good that candidate may be. 

For this blog, we asked three female AL employees from previous academy intakes to tell us how they found the process of joining Automation Logic. Katie, Miya and Zuri all completed the DevOps Academy and are now working out in the field on projects in Government and Finance. 

For each of them, it was a pleasant surprise to attend an assessment day alongside a number of other women applicants, as well as meeting existing female employees during the lunch break. 

Miya, who was the only woman to graduate from her Masters in Maths, says, 

“ We walked into the assessment day assuming it would be male-dominated as that’s the balance in STEM disciplines but the way the interview process was structured reassured us that AL would be a supportive employer for women STEM grads…”

We asked if they feel they’re given equal opportunities at AL.  The answer from all three was the same. There isn’t a place for discrimination in the Academy. Everyone starts from the same point, you’re all given equal training and opportunities, so it’s not something they have really thought about. This is something AL prides itself on. Everyone is treated equally, and with compassion.  

We asked Zuri and Miya what’s the best thing about the AL Academy; 

Miya: 

“Steve [the Academy’s trainer] made the academy. He understood how it felt to not understand everything. He’s very observant. 

Also when we were in the academy, the rest of the company made an effort to come and chat with us, the office was very open to that with communal areas. Also, you can tell there is a good hiring culture because the men in AL are all good eggs, respectful, and nice!”

Zuri: 

“You bond with the team you complete the Academy with so strongly because the 12 weeks are super intense and all at once we become more vulnerable around these people and become each other’s support. 

Then there’s Steve, Steve is fantastic, he’s always there to help. He will never make you feel stupid for asking any question. He also dances the tango, not exactly relevant but I think it’s cool.”

On the reality of working here, Katie says, 

“AL works hard to provide an open and inclusive environment in the Academy and at Head Office, which is great.  They know that we will go on to work in fairly male-heavy projects, and we all feel supported. If I ever felt I had the need to raise an issue, then I have no doubt that I would be listened to with respect.”

On the best thing about starting her career with AL Miya says,  

“AL is great for women even if all projects in the consulting business aren’t always as accommodating. You will likely have to go on-site where the split is not always so even. It’s always good to be prepared for the reality of client site, but AL will consistently be on your side and supporting you in those situations to ensure any issues that may arise are heard and dealt with if needs be. 

Working with Maartens (the lead engineer for Miya’s Machine Learning project) is constructive and motivating.  He’s always thinking ‘how can I motivate and direct my team’, so we’ve chatted about where I want to go and how to progress, what my weaknesses are and how to work on them… 

The company makes efforts to have a structured career path, and your manager’s encouragement helps.”

We asked Katie, Miya and Zuri would you recommend AL as a great place for women to start their career in tech. Their answer? A resounding yes! 

If you would like to apply for a position at AL, whether in the Academy or in any other capacity, please visit our jobs pages. 

Our next Academy starts on the 20th April so if you’re interested, please apply now!