Tracey Edwards has more than 25 years’ experience working across IT businesses from small start ups to global organisations such as IBM, NAB and Telstra. She’s worked across IT operations, service delivery and project management, with a focus on cyber security for the past 8 years. Now, as the head of Technology for Business Management and Transformation in Enterprise Security at NAB, she supports across cyber security, physical security and fraud, from a talent and advisory perspective. She has a passion for growing young talent and mentoring young women in IT and cyber security. She is also passionate about her three horses, two of which are rescues.
We talk about the wide-reaching impact of NAB’s neurodiversity targets, and the idea that diversity goes beyond just gender. Career progression can be enhanced by having a wide network, so Tracey talks about how to build that web of contacts, and the joy in your career comes from understanding what you’re passionate about and learning as much as you can.
In this episode we discuss:
- Diversity beyond gender, and harnessing a range of ways of thinking
- The importance of having a blend of ‘soft’ and technical skills
- NAB’s focus on neurodiversity in their teams, with a targeted program to hire people on the autism spectrum, and the knock-on effect encouraging managers to look for diverse thinking in a variety of ways
- The hugely positive impact on productivity and diversity engagement from bringing in neurodiversity
- The change in work practices to accommodate neurodiversity that have now made the entire team function more productively
- How respecting the different ways people operate improves working relationships
- Women’s stories from the tech trenches and navigating a male dominated environment
- Tracey’s passion for mentoring young women and the value in mentoring and networking
- Creating a culture where all opinions are value
- Tracey’s experience being promoted to a leadership team as a quota number and her thoughts on leadership targets for women
- Imposter syndrome and that we all feel like we’re faking it sometimes
- Understanding what you’re passionate about and learning as much as you can as part of your career path
Love this Podcast so much that you can’t wait to listen to another? Check out Episode Five: Understanding your strengths, taking risks and the value of volunteering
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