Julia Starkey is a Digital Solutions Manager within the Technology and IT department at Angus Knight Group. Julia’s role is varied at Angus Knight, she could be managing new implementations from requirements gathering and scoping, solution design and implementation, to strategy development for IT projects.
Angus Knight are thrilled that Julia has been nominated for a Women in Tech People’s Choice Award at the B&Ts Women in Tech Awards, presented by Atlassian.
The nomination is a testament to Julia’s hard work and experience within IT, all of us at Angus Knight congratulate Julia.
You can still vote for Julia until 11.59 pm AEDT on 8 March.
Today we sat down with Julia Starkey, Digital Solutions Manager at Angus Knight Group. We wanted to understand what Julia’s path has been to her current role and also what would she recommends for women entering the field of technology.
Q1. How long have you been working with Angus Knight Group?
A1. 3.5 Years
Q2. What inspired you to pursue your current career or business?
A2.
- I am passionate about being able to give people innovative, effective, and efficient tools and resources to do their jobs better.
- If we can be efficient and productive people can focus on helping our clients rather than being swamped with admin and busy work.
Q3. When you started with the business what was your role? How has it changed over time?
A3. Originally, I came on as a project manager for a specific platform. I have progressed through various roles and now manage all business applications, all new implementations, all major enhancement projects, a small team, and the cyber security program.
Q4. During your time with the company how have you seen the flexibility of the role and the work help with your family life?
A4. I work hard and long hours however being able to work from home means that I have still been able to keep a balance with personal life. AKG do support a work life balance and encourage taking the personal time needed.
Q5. How can companies and organizations better support and promote gender diversity and inclusion in the workplace?
A5.
- Focus on fair compensation & development in recruitment and promotion (use skill based assessments that exclude gender in the processes).
- Hold managers accountable for zero tolerance gender biases.
- Drive inclusivity in the company culture via training programs and in policies that are adhered to, and Provide the same development opportunities for everyone
Q6. What advice would you give to young women who are just starting their careers or businesses?
A6.
- My advice to young women is to follow your passion, work hard and ignore gender statistics. Don’t give anyone a reason to not give you the job.
- Find a company that will support you and work hard for them. If you are passionate about your chosen profession, you will find success.
Q7. In your opinion, what steps can we take as a society to close the gender pay gap?
A7.
- I think companies need to take on a merit-based approach to recruitment and development.
- The people who are best suited for positions get the positions.
- Salary ranges should be based on level of experience, qualifications etc. and market rates.
- The recruitment process should be transparent to avoid gender bias.
- Normalising flexible working arrangements for both men and women to ensure that is not a factor in salary.
- Women also need to be better at understanding their value and set salary expectations at the market rate and don’t accept less than you are worth.
Q8. What role do you believe men can play in promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace?
A8.
- Men can be allies and fight in their own businesses to promote women and pay equality where it is lacking. If every male exec did this the pay gap would no longer exist.
- Men can sponsor and mentor women in male centric fields.
- Men can aid women’s voices being heard in meetings and in general in the workplace, support and ask women to speak. Encourage and enable women to say no more often.
- Evenly distribute workplace housework to ensure women are not always the ones doing admin and minutes etc.
Q9. What do you think can be done to create more flexible work arrangements that benefit both women and men?
A9.
- I think that WFH or at least hybrid arrangements are becoming the new normal and should be encouraged to increase work life balance.
- Where relevant and appropriate allowing flexibility in the hours worked. Is 9-5 required anymore? People should be able to work early or late depending on what suits their circumstances.
Q10. How can we encourage more men to be allies in the fight for gender equality and women’s empowerment?
A10. Information and education is the key.
A big thank you to Julia Starkey for her time and we wish Julia good luck in the Women in Tech Awards.
