Breaking Barriers: Empowering Women in STEM at Maersk

21 February 2024

In the traditionally male-dominated tech industry, misconceptions persist about its inaccessibility to women. At Maersk, we are challenging this by championing diversity and inclusion in STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths).

Central to this commitment is our belief in equal opportunities for all employees to grow and contribute. Through initiatives like RISE, an Employee Resource Network focusing on supporting females in tech roles at Maersk, we aim to prioritize gender inclusivity. Our ambition is to empower women in technology and break down barriers which may hinder their career, aligning with our core values, particularly that of "our employees."

To highlight the experiences of women in STEM, some of our female colleagues share their journeys, perspectives, challenges, and successes in navigating their careers.

Megan Dawes, Senior Cyber Manager

What is your proudest achievement or most inspiring moment in your STEM career? How has it shaped your journey as a woman in STEM?

One of my proudest moments in my STEM career was seeing someone I had encouraged to pursue a career in STEM secure a tech apprenticeship. She was a student on a cybersecurity work experience programme I had managed a few years previously. I had talked to her about various tech roles, including non-coding ones, as she had been struggling with the coding challenges. When she secured her apprenticeship, she thanked me for giving her the confidence and encouragement to pursue a career in technology.

What or who motivated you to pursue a career in STEM?

The person who motivated to start my career in STEM was a colleague in my previous company. He had noticed qualities in me which led to him asking if I had ever considered a career in cybersecurity. This gave me the courage to join a Cybersecurity Graduate Scheme and through this experience, I learnt the valuable lesson about the importance of assessing potential rather than fixating solely on existing skillsets, not just tech but in life.

Madeleine Brain, Senior Engineering Manager

What is your proudest achievement or most inspiring moment in your STEM career? How has it shaped your journey as a woman in STEM?

One of my proudest moments in my STEM career was being part of the recovery of Maersk following the 2017 cyberattack. It was a time when organizational barriers dissolved, and everyone from all levels came together to save Maersk. It was amazing seeing our collaboration on a truly global scale where our Maersk core values were being lived every day. The experience, while challenging, deepened my pride in Maersk, and gave me an increased appreciation of our global impact and the importance of cooperation between business and tech.

What or who motivated you to pursue a career in STEM?

I began my STEM career after coming across a job advert for a SAP technology role that highlighted qualities I found intriguing: curiosity, problem solving, thinking outside the box, and exploring the art of the possible. All these qualities excited me, so I chose to enter the tech world and have found so many opportunities in STEM, all offering continual growth and learning, enriching my career.

Karan Randhawa, Cyber Manager

What is your proudest achievement or most inspiring moment in your STEM career? How has it shaped your journey as a woman in STEM?

My proudest moment in my STEM career is giving a talk on Proactive Risk Foresight for the Information Security Forum. Despite initially doubting that my abilities were good enough and fearing making a fool of myself in front of experts, I received amazing feedback. After the talk, I realised that I was also an expert in my own field which helped me overcome imposter syndrome. This experience taught me to believe in myself and my expertise, dismissing any of my remaining self-doubt.

What or who motivated you to pursue a career in STEM?

I didn't even realise STEM was a path for me, I fell into this industry straight out of university. I had no intention of doing anything technology related, but quickly realised that I could actually do this and even enjoy it! A career in STEM isn’t necessarily as "techy" as it’s made out to be; there are a million different avenues within STEM. You won't know until you try!

Vinuta Anvekar, Data Product Delivery Lead

What is your proudest achievement or most inspiring moment in your STEM career? How has it shaped your journey as a woman in STEM?

During my final year at university in India, Capgemini (then iGATE), considered a top-tier company, visited my campus. Being selected as one of 10 students to join the company and relocate to Bangalore was a significant achievement, especially coming from a non-Tier-1 city. I was the youngest amongst the selected candidates, and the youngest to travel abroad to work with clients. Since then, my STEM career has given me the opportunity to solve some of the most challenging problems.

What or who motivated you to pursue a career in STEM?

My dad played a pivotal role in sparking my interest in STEM. He encouraged me to build my first telescope for a school project for which I received a lot of recognition at school. Additionally, I had a wonderful math teacher who gave me Vedic maths books (in those days they were not common) which further fuelled my interest in STEM.

Another significant event was when my dad purchased our first home computer in 1999, a Celeron processor with a 4.3GB hard disk. At the time, owning a computer was uncommon for a middle-class family in India. I spent a lot of time on it, learning to do simple programming, igniting my passion for technology, and leading me to pursue a career in the field.

Women in Tech at Maersk

At Maersk, we're building a culture where everyone can feel at home and a future where all, regardless of gender, have equal opportunities, and feel empowered to contribute and grow their careers in technology.