Dataprise Women in Technology: Meet Celina

Marissa: Did you always know that working in technology was what you wanted to do?

Celina: No. I didn’t graduate high school or college thinking that I was going to do IT. Actually, when I was younger, I wanted to be a veterinarian!

Marissa: Can you share how you got into the technology field?

Celina: Several years ago, the state of MD was offering free IT classes at local community colleges. I decided to enroll and through that program, I was able to obtain two CompTIA certifications and things took off from there.

Marissa: What is one piece of advice you’d give to young women looking to get into the technology field?

Celina: Don’t be intimidated by technology itself or the fact that this field is dominated by men. If this is something you are interested in, pursue it! There are many opportunities for women in this field. Technology encompasses a wide array of disciplines. Find a niche that genuinely interests you, and if you are passionate about it, you will succeed.

Marissa: What do you think is the best part of being a woman in the tech industry?

Celina: Because there are fewer women in this industry, I think more companies are trying to attract more female talent so women are better represented. This means there are more opportunities out there for women looking to build a technology career.

Marissa: Can you share a little bit about what it is that you do and what a typical day for you is like?

Celina: As a Service Desk Engineer, the majority of my day is spent trying to resolve various technical issues. It could be anything from a simple password reset to hardware failures. When I’m not talking to a customer, the rest of the time is primarily used to triage calls and emails as well as assisting my team members.

Marissa: What is it that you enjoy most about your current job at Dataprise?

Celina: Dataprise has allowed me the flexibility to maintain a full-time career while handling the challenges of being a single mother with multiple jobs. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to adjust my work schedule in order to optimize my work-life balance.