- What’s your Nationality, where did you grow up and how old are you?

- I am estonian, I am 26 years old and I have grown up in Tartu.

- Where did you study for the school and university?
- For school i was going to Hugo Treffner Gymnasium, here in Tartu and for university I
went to Tartu university.
- Was you school or university program specialized in science, mathematics,
engineering and technology?
- In high school, i was in the area of math, so more math and physics courses and in
unviersity i was studying computer scienece.
If yes, do you think that the subjects taken were useful for your career?
- Yeah definietly!
- When and why did you become interested in STEM? [ask a and b if the interviewee
doesn’t mention them by herself, ask c in all respects]
- I was always better in math rather in languages and history, for university I didn’t go to
study computer science at first, I was studying geography. I was studying basic course
of phython and it was suggested by my sister. So after that, I changed my field.
What was your family’s/firends’ attitudes towards it?
- There were happy with my decision, probably there were more happy that I chose this
field. They have a background of math as well.
c. did you face any negative factors while choosing to continue your career in the ICT
field?
- no!
- What’s your current position and how long have you been working in this
company?
- Software engineer
- How many women colleagues did you have in your department?
- Almost 20 people, I think it’s kinda half half, maybe actually now we, females, are more.
- What kind of barriers did you face in terms of self and career-wise development?
- No, nothing.
- Were you paid less in comparison with male co-workers?
- I have no idea, I don’t think so.
- As you’ve mentioned earlier, you’ve been working in the technology field for 3
years. What are the factors that keep you moving in your career?
- It’s challenging and you can improve and become better. I am studying basically every
day and gaining knowledge. It’s good to have a lot of money, but that’s not my concern
right now. I want to experience and investment in myself.
- Do you think, based on your observations, that the women representation in the
Estonian ICT sector has changed since you first entered this field?
- I think that gap is getting small. At university of course males were more but it was not
that huge, what i have heard from other coutnries. At university it was 60/40 but I think
it’s okay. I think that the number of women in STEM is increasing.
- Have you experienced the influence of the “Gender Gap” at your workplace?
- No, not really!
- What recommendations will you give to Estonian females everywherentering the
ICT sector?
- IT is good and you should what you want and not to listen to others. It’s still male
domination but you shouldn’t think about that. Women can do the same things and be
brave and do what you want. Nowadays women are everywher. Don’t be afraid it’s too
hard or something.
- What local changes [political, educational, socio-cultural] can increase the women
engagement in technology?
- Maybe job shadowing is good I think, women can see that there are others who work in
this field and it may be motivational.
- Do you think that this equal rights is in this company only or in Estonia generally?
- I think it’s happening in Estonia, we are close to Nordics and it influences as well. We try
to be equal in every way.