Guest Blogger : Tammy Jacobus from Painting In Pink Blog.
I know so many fabulous ladies and I’m always excited to feature a fearlessly , fabulous female friend on my blog! I’m incredibly lucky to know ladies from all walks of life and who live remarkably interesting lives.
My guest blogger today in Tammy Jacobus from the Painting in Pink Blog. I decided to ask Tammy to be a guest on my blog because she is a Coder/ Website Developer. Website Development is still a male dominated career path. I wanted to get some insight into the career from her perspective.
Tammy is the photographer and content creator behind paintinginpink.com . “PIP” is her space to express her passion for fashion, beauty and lifestyle related topics.
I asked Tammy a few questions about being a woman in the Tech world and how she balances career with motherhood.
You are a website developer, what drew you to this career?
I had envisioned myself a creative my entire life. The universe laughed when I had aspirations of being a designer and placed the development field in my lap instead, 11 years in and I'm not mad at it. Women working is technology is still rather rare in South Africa, how do you navigate this “male dominated” field?
It's really tough, but once you start humanizing people and seeing them as allies and not competitors, you'll realise the support system you have around you. I've been privileged enough to work alongside really strong male figures who have encouraged me to push myself further while being there to guide me along this male driven industry. One key person has mentored me and I’ll forever be grateful to his direction through my career. What do you like the most about your chosen career path?
Honestly, there is nothing else I’d do with my time. With all the late hours and hair pulling obstacles, there is nothing else that gives me the same thrill that coding does. Where did you study coding?
My first taste of web dev was in high school through a programme where I did an intense course at CTI. I then studied Information Technology at Northlink Panorama and Multimedia at CPUT. What advice do you have for young women who want to go into coding and pursue website development as a career?
With everything in life, there is never really opportune time start. My advice is start today. You don’t need fancy software or a high-tech machine. You can create magic with a basic internet connection (for resources), notepad and a browser. Covid-19 has affected many businesses. Your current company allowed employees to work from home. Did you find this challenging?
I’ve adapted quite well to working from home. A few years back I worked full time from home as a freelancer. It’s not always possible for everyone to do this, it takes a lot of sacrifice and commitment but it’s totally doable if you’re committed to making it work for you. If you were the President of South Africa, what Law (Bill) would you Sign into Law?
Being a woman who has been surrounded by strong supportive men in the industry, I’ve come to have very high standards for how men conduct themselves. Zero bail and a maximum sentence for GBV offenders. What social stigma does society need to get over?
The stigma around therapy is something we need to put to rest. Our country was birthed in violence and oppression and our people need healing. We need to take the steps in order to raise a stronger, healthier and emotionally more stable generation.
What values do you try to instil in your Mila?
It’s so important to me that she is aware of her self-worth. Even at her age, I’m reminding her of the power she holds. Courage to do what is right, regardless of consequence. Appreciation for the things that we have and don’t have. What is the most important piece of parenting advice you have received?
Someone once told me “when the time comes, you’ll know exactly what to do”, and it’s the same advice I give to new parents.
Follow Tammy and her adventures on Painting In Pink : paintinginpink.com
*Photo by Michelle Lategan Photography
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