When most people think about operations, they think about processes, systems and efficiency. What attracts me to the field is something slightly different. Operations is where decisions are made, where problems are solved and where teams come together to achieve results. It sits at the center of how organizations function, and that is where I see myself in the future.
Like many young women entering the workforce, I am at the beginning of my professional journey on a blank slate but with an idea of what success in the long run would look like for me. I come here with academic credentials, a lot hope of hope and the realization that I have limited experience. One of the reasons I joined She Delivers is because I wanted an opportunity to bridge that gap in a supportive environment while gaining exposure to a real working environment.
What I hope to harvest from this program is work related competences, confidence, leadership and professional maturity. Spending time with my cohort-mates, it is evident that we are qualified on paper, but here the rubber meets the road; a true test of if we will just enter, grow or thrive in the industry.
Operations as it pertains to client service is traditionally the most balanced space in the industry, however I feel it has historically had fewer women in senior decision-making positions than it should. While progress is being made, there is still a need for more women leading teams, managing departments and influencing organizational strategy. Through She Delivers, I hope to gain the confidence to see myself in those positions and eventually pursue them.
My long-term goal is not simply to have a job. I want to become a leader who creates opportunities for others, particularly young women entering the workplace. If I can leave this program with stronger skills, greater confidence and a clearer vision for my future, then I will have gained exactly what I came looking for.
Kimberly Wanjiku