Motivation to demonstrate capability is a simple but powerful gift for early career women

Enabling more qualified, capable women to step up will be everybody’s gain, writes Heather Pettenon.

Gone are the days when younger employees were expected to serve their time quietly “in the ranks” before expressing opinions about how things might be better organised or improved.

These days, there’s widespread recognition that a diversity of thought is a genuine strength in business – and that in its absence, organisations can easily become stale and stagnant.

Young people are ideally positioned to provide new perspectives on how to engage with clients more effectively, tackle new markets and achieve sustainable growth.

The power of fresh thinking

Nowhere is this fresh thinking more valuable than in the IT industry, where I’ve worked for the past eight years. The sector has been dynamic for a long time, but in the AI era, the pace of change has accelerated exponentially. Businesses that want to remain relevant have no choice but to move apace – and to adapt their offerings to meet the rapidly evolving needs of their target markets.

Unlocking some of those emerging opportunities and transforming them into deals and engagements that align with the organisation’s long-term growth goals is my raison d’etre. It’s a remit that calls for continual collaboration and bringing together ideas and strategies to build capability and drive transformation in the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) space.

For me, this is exciting and rewarding work, in and of itself, but also because of the opportunity it gives me to contribute to the success of a sovereign Australian business – one that supports hundreds of other Australian businesses to operate efficiently and competitively.

Being supported to make a meaningful impact

I’d love to see more young women take up the opportunity to build their skills and advance in our sector, as I’ve been fortunate to do. All too often, as a cohort, we’re competent but not confident; shorter than we should be on the self-belief that’s needed to assert ourselves in commercial environments, despite being secure in the knowledge we’re capable professionals whose insights and opinions are worthy of consideration.

That’s where endorsement from senior leaders has a powerful part to play. Having my former manager acknowledge the positive outcomes I was achieving reinforced my self-confidence during my early years with Atturra. He removed friction, created space for me to move forward, and challenged me to push myself. His mentorship also helped me shape my voice to become more assertive, and he encouraged me to use it in forums and meetings.

More recently, my current manager has supported my continued growth, and this sustained sponsorship has been central to my career progression.

Without the sort of support I was lucky enough to be given, it can be difficult for women working in male-dominated industries to find their feet and feel genuinely confident in their own capabilities.

Backing and asserting yourself not only allows you to show that you have something valuable to add. It can also lead to more and better opportunities to contribute to business outcomes, whether that’s being seconded to work on stretch projects, invited to participate in high-stakes client engagements, or considered for elevation to more challenging roles.

Creating opportunities for the next generation of female leaders

Having moved into a more senior role at Atturra, I’m grateful for the support that helped me advance and am conscious of the importance of giving other young women in our organisation the same encouragement and endorsement.

Seeing these motivated, capable individuals participating more fully in company business and decision making – and making their mark in the process – is satisfying and rewarding. It’s enabling our organisation to tap into the unique perspectives they bring to the table. Over time, I hope it will help Atturra continue to play its part in addressing the gender imbalance that continues to pervade the leadership ranks of the IT industry.

Men currently hold the lion’s share of senior positions and earn, on average, $12,600 more per year than their female counterparts, according to the ACS Australia’s Digital Pulse 2024 report.

Enabling more qualified, capable women to step up into some of those roles will be everybody’s gain. As we prepare to celebrate International Women’s Day 2026, it’s a goal we can all get behind.

Heather Pettenon is the general manager of payroll and HR services at Atturra.