A career in IT has given Trupti Vidwat the opportunities, challenges and support she has needed to succeed in a field that demands both technical and people management skills.
1. What is your role within Hexagon?
I work as a project management officer (PMO) in the IT department. It’s a function within an IT organisation that defines the standards for project management. I help disseminate a common project culture and mindset by informing, communicating and training project managers about different techniques, methodologies and best practices, and to develop a common project language by defining milestones, metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) so that everyone is on the same wavelength. Thus, the management of projects is harmonised and efficient all over the organization. In short, I act as champion of project management within the organisation.
I try to make it easy for project teams to do their jobs by reducing bureaucracy, helping to manage documentation, and providing project history and organisational knowledge. A good PMO will challenge, have the difficult conversations and champion approaches that lead to greater results.
2. How did you come to pursue your current career?
In India twenty years ago, IT was becoming a career option for those seeking to develop their aspirations. Overcoming the stereotypical career expectations, I pursued my interest and ventured into the challenging field of IT. Since then there’s been no looking back.
3. Is there a mentor who encouraged you?
My mentor, my inspiration, was my elder brother. He was the one who tapped my potential and guided and propelled me in the right direction for a career in this industry. A good leader is the one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way and I would like to make a special mention of one such boss without whom my success story would have been impossible. He has an impeccable ability for identifying a person’s hidden talent, and introduced several strategies to help me develop my knowledge, ability and skills.
4. Which aspects of your job do you most enjoy and why?
The general misconception is that our industry is all machinery. Although the majority of the processes are vested in equipment and machinery, the soul of the organisation lies in its employees. Interaction with people and the subsequent learning is what I enjoy most about my job.
5. What challenges have you faced and how did you overcome them?
Being initially recruited for technical intelligence, as I started climbing the ladder of promotion and success, I did face many obstacles. Managing people was one of the biggest challenges and I discovered that one of the best tutors in life is experience. Patience, vigilance and diligent understanding are the key to effectively managing and overcoming challenges.
6. What advice would you give to young women considering a career in your field?
Be in love with technology and keep yourself updated on the professional front because being in the loop always plays a pivotal role in enhancing your career. The idea that IT is a man’s world is an obsolete concept.
