As part of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, get to know the stories of three PEVs who chose data-related careers and now apply their training to company projects.

In 2015, the United Nations proclaimed February 11 as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, with the goal of recognizing the role of women in science and promoting their full participation in STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).

This year's theme, "Leveraging synergies between artificial intelligence, social sciences, STEM disciplines, and the financial system to build more inclusive futures," highlights how combining these fields can help close gaps in access to knowledge and professional development that still persist. According to UNESCO, in most countries in the Americas, women graduate in STEM do not exceed 40%, while in engineering and construction they reach 30%.

In this context, for Techint E&C, it is key to encourage scientific and technological vocations from an early age.

The journeys of Nicole Ekes, IT Technology Trainee; Agostina Pascucci, Organizational Design Trainee; and Florencia Sommariva, Materials Support Trainee, reflect how new generations are expanding female presence in technology and data-related careers.

Nicole Ekes studied Digital Technology at Universidad Di Tella after discovering her interest in programming in high school, where she became familiar with Python. “I had the prejudice that I was entering a very male-dominated field and that it would be more complicated, but when I started my degree, I was surprised to see that participation was quite balanced. That shows that more and more women are daring to enroll in careers that used to be more associated with men, and that’s an important step forward," she says.

For her part, Agostina Pascucci, from the Human Resources area and a Systems Engineering student at UTN La Plata, discovered her vocation during the pandemic when she began programming, and now applies that training in her role. "I never imagined working in a Human Resources-related environment. It's great because I work with data and reports, and the idea is to implement artificial intelligence agents to help with area processes. We seek to innovate and incorporate technological tools to make tasks more efficient, tasks that, with an agent, can be solved faster."

Florencia Sommariva, with a degree in Data Science from Universidad CAECE, began working in the Materials Management area within Supply Chain. Her addition reflects a recent trend in the team: integrating analytical profiles into operational spaces. "I think the area started last year incorporating profiles from careers like mine, and they discovered the value we provided, so they began adding more people with that background," she explains.

In her role, she works with large volumes of information aimed at improving anticipation in processes. "We can see what happened in the past and, using statistics and programming like Python, manipulate data to project scenarios and answer questions before starting a project," she explains.

All of them highlight the changes they observe in their generation and the importance of raising awareness about gender equality issues:

Agostina highlights the changes she sees in her generation. “Many examples or positions you aspire to are still held by men, and it’s hard to find female role models. But I think with our generations that is changing and there is more and more equity," she says.

Nicole also emphasizes the importance of expanding participation over time: "The more women who dare to study these careers, the more role models there will be in the future. It’s a constant process of change, and more and more women are occupying those spaces."

At Techint E&C, we are committed to creating an inclusive and equitable environment and will continue to work to encourage the active participation of women in every area of the company, thereby promoting a more equal and diverse future.