More diversity would be nice, but you do not give up a technical job for just that

Women and technology. Many people already know that this can be a perfect match, but it is not yet enough. More and more girls are studying engineering with, of course, a job in engineering as the next step. But there is still no (approximately) equal male/female ratio. Rebecca Bertram has been working in the technology sector for nine years. She is from Germany originally and now works as a managing director at Demcon Nymus, a Demcon subsidiary that produces 3D visualisations for science and technology. She recommends working in the technological sector to anyone. 

“I have always been interested in technology, which was not very common. I’m from Germany, and there was only one other girl in my engineering class.”
The male/female ratio was still uneven when Rebecca moved to Enschede to study Art and Technology. “I did an internship at Nymus and started working there in 2013. The company became part of Demcon in 2015.” She gradually worked her way up to senior project manager, and eventually to managing director. “I have supervised many projects in the past couple of years. We make processes, products and abstract concepts understandable through 3D animations. It can be difficult sometimes to put very large-scale or small-scale matters into words. Images can provide much clarity quickly.”

She likes the creative aspect of her work. “Creating animations is like solving puzzles, which makes technical work fantastic. And doing a technical study opens so many possibilities. At Demcon, you can go into engineering, mathematics, you name it.”
Rebecca has an overarching role as a managing director. “I no longer work on production, but I can use my creativity in other ways. Having conversations with customers makes me very happy, I do acquisitions and I make sure that our projects run smoothly. A good mix, if you ask me.” 

Rebecca is the only woman at Demcon Nymus. That is a struggle sometimes. “More diversity, a more realistic reflection of society, would make some things more ‘normal’.”
This was especially clear when she became a mother. “As the only woman on the team, it was not always easy to be understood when it comes to motherhood. Certain things, like breastfeeding, have been thought about to some extent and the legal regulations apply, but it’s a general problem that the regulations only last a short while. Many don’t think about the fact that children can be breastfed for more than nine months.

Initiatives such as Future of Twente are very important to Rebecca. “We need to find the right balance between men and women in the workplace, and we need to talk to each other about this.” But, according to Rebecca, you must do something with it too. “You have to give everyone the same opportunities as an employer. Everyone must be able to start and grow in the same way.” What can you to yourself? “Be self-confident and don’t let others bring you down. If you support something and are happy doing it, let it be heard. And invest in yourself... that will always be worth it!”