This year, Amdaris is a Gold Partner of Tech Women Moldova (TWM), a public association that is dedicated to attracting, supporting and empowering women in the field of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Starting mid-May, Tech Women Moldova is hosting a three-month mentoring programme, which will be run by 18 mentors, including four of our talented Amdaris QA Engineers: Natalia Bodrug, Dina Gritco, Maria Sahaidac and Natalia Nezalzov.
In this blog series, we catch up with each of them to find out about their journeys into tech and why they decided to become mentors.
Meet Maria Sahaidac
How did you get into a career in tech?
I have worked in tech since 2020. Applying to the Technical University of Moldova in an IT speciality was my first step into the tech world. This world was previously unknown to me, but one of my friends encouraged me to try something new to prove to myself that I could do it.
However, I have to admit that when I started my IT studies I thought I would not join the tech industry. In the beginning, it was difficult and I remember wanting to leave, but I am glad I stuck with it. After university, I passed a full course of testing, which included manual, automation and performance. This allowed me to start my IT tech career. All the effort and hard work I put in has got me to where I am now, with an exciting future ahead of me. I am so proud to be involved in such a great industry in a role that suits me so perfectly.
When you were younger did you have female role models in tech?
Not at all. I had role models in other industries but not in IT.
Are there any women that particularly inspire you?
All the women in my life inspire me in different ways. All women are special and have a unique impact on the world around them.
Have you done any mentoring before?
I haven’t been a mentor before but in my student years I was a lecturer for young people who wanted to learn about the IT industry. I taught and supported them in choosing disciplines that suited them e.g. creating games, learning Front-end development, HTML, CSS and JavaScript as programming languages. It was a great experience that developed my soft skills and inspired me to become a mentor.
Can you tell us in your own words what the Women in Tech initiative is?
I can proudly say that Tech Women is a family; a family that continues to grow and have a positive influence on more and more women who want to change their career paths or to learn from mentors how to achieve their goals. It is a community which, through events and mentoring programmes, helps to dismantle stereotypes around women in tech that are sadly still very present. Despite this, women continue to prove that everything is possible, even in tech.
Why did you choose to take part in the mentoring?
I was inspired by my previous experience of nurturing young talent during my university days. I believe that sharing knowledge is important. It helps me as a professional to develop my tech career and also helps someone else make their dreams come true. Mentoring other women is not just about knowledge transfer, it’s also about helping them to overcome their fears and encouraging them to have bold ambitions.
What does your impossible look like when it comes to Women in Tech?
Impossible is not a word that can be applied when we are talking about Women in Tech. Every project that is touched by women becomes a great thing. So, let’s continue to do great things in great ways!
Are you feeling inspired by Maria’s story and looking to make your first steps in a career in tech? If so, apply to our Amdaris internship programme today.
We hope you enjoyed this fourth and final instalment in our ‘Meet the Mentors’ series. If you missed the first three Q&As with mentors Natalia Bodrug, Natalia Nezalzov and Dina Gritco, then do give them a read.
