My Story: Jo Young

By Jo Young

I am the first generation to go to University from a working-class family with a heritage in trawler fishing!

Initially my dad broke the family mould by becoming the first generation not to become a fisherman. We both loved maths and engineering and, at home, my gender was irrelevant to any ambition in this area.

I went to a large non-selective comprehensive school and was one of only three female students in the Engineering Drawing class of 40. The teacher sat us girls at the back and did not talk to us once, but at the end of 2 years insisted that we were not good enough to enter the public exam. My parents paid for me to take the exam, and I passed with an A grade. This was my first taste of defying gender discrimination.

Luckily my Maths teachers were incredible. I studied Pure Maths, Applied Maths and Physics at A level, and gained a place to study Maths at the University of Oxford.

Given my background, university was a shock culturally and academically: having to work to afford to be there, meant less time to study; but I needed to work harder at the studies, because I was not as prepared as many of the privately-schooled students.

But, happily, I did earn my Masters’ degree.

My first analytical job was with British Railways before privatisation, which was a very male-dominated organisation at the time. I rose up through the grades quickly and – more often than not – I was the only female around the table. However, the organisation was the best that I have experienced for training, including management and technical skills. The training included programming, presenting, negotiating and time management, which was a very solid foundation for the rest of my career. I was even able to complement my Mathematics degree by obtaining the CIM Professional Diploma in Marketing at night school.

My subsequent posts were varied between client-side roles and consultancy but always in data, analytics and consultancy.

As a problem-solver, with a ‘can do’ attitude, my strengths are in innovative solution design. It is inspiring to know that with some great teams I have created many creative, but pragmatic, solutions to their business challenges, merging established analytical techniques with new.

Through my career, it has been encouraging to gradually see more women in senior roles. When I had my daughters, it was a time when few women’s careers seemed to accelerate on having children – and often stopped completely. I fought hard to ensure that my work spoke for itself, and that my chances of succeeding were equal and fair. Thankfully I feel many businesses are less restrictive for women in this regard now.

As an older candidate I have never lost my craving for loving, learning and applying maths, analytics and technology – from using ticker tape (a reference for the original computer programmers!) to now AI. Also, having two daughters, the award means so much because it is recognition of the strength and encouragement that I have been given by my family and colleagues, and of the passion for data and technology that still shines bright after all these years.