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#womenintechnology – Cecilia Ridderstedt, Verification leader, consultant

Cecilia Ridderstedt

Cecilia is a certified verification leader in the connectivity department and experienced consultant with a great proof record of working in the IT sector. She has strong skills in QA, SCRUM, requirements analysis, Agile methodologies, software project management, and mobile devices. Cecilia enjoys working with technologies and understanding how the systems work from inside. A real tech-savvy expert!

 

Where and what program did you study?

I have been studying data and telecommunications at Blekinge Institute of Technology during 1999-2003. Here are some of the courses I took during my study: tele- and computer- communication, real-time computer control systems, digital technique, control technology, object oriented programming (Java, C++), network management, TCP/IP.

 

What did you think about your education program?

My program was really very saturated and we had to study different courses. The program was all about technologies and programming so it was quite natural and expected. But I think it was 50/50 at Blekinge Institute of Technology when I studied, maybe now the situation is different.

 

There are still fewer girls who choose technical education than boys. How do you think it can be changed? 

I think we need more women to be exposed as leading role models in the tech sector to show the diversity. The storytelling about female engineers and technology experts working in IT will disprove the stereotype that technologies are boring. Maybe special programs for young girls so that they could feel more confident when exploring the tech industry during their education at school. 

 

Tell us about your career in tech! What do you like the most about working in the tech sector?

It started as an acceptance tester for the 3G network in 2004. I was responsible for verification on the new 3G network. Together with my team we did quality verification using mobile phones to make calls, data transfer and recordings using TEMS. Today I work as a verification leader within the connectivity department at Volvo Group.

I like technology and modern solutions changing our lives everyday. It’s so exciting to learn how things work and understand the systems “from inside”. I also like how we cooperate with the team to make something great for customers.

 

What do you find the most encouraging about being an engineer?

I adore the fact that there are so many job offers and a great variety of projects across different spheres. It’s so exciting to work closely with the technologies of the nearest future that will change our lives for the better.

 

How can the tech industry become more inclusive?

I think we can work on being not so protective of our knowledge. Instead, we should share it and make room for change from others around us.

 

About Women in Technology

Technology is one of the most developed areas nowadays, as many new inventions come every day. The majority of businesses have now recognized that balanced and diversified work environment brings the best productivity. However, still, a small percentage of women consider technology and engineering for the future employment. Therefore, we launched a series of interviews Women in Technology with Sigma Technology’s female employees to show that women are making a big change in technology and engineering world. #womenintechnology