??Interview with Amanda Clephane from AND Digital

We are dedicated to creating pathways for diverse talent to thrive, fostering innovation and inclusivity in the tech sector. We believe supporting individuals from all backgrounds is a collective responsibility, essential for a more equitable future. Tech companies have the power to drive positive change, and our goal throughout the month of March is to celebrate diversity, equity, and inclusion while recognising the ongoing work ahead.?

This article is part of a series of interviews where techUK members and stakeholders share their experiences, shedding light on the diverse realities of working in the industry. By exposing the good, bad, and ugly aspects, we aim to underscore the significance of cultivating a diverse tech future through their stories. ?

Meet Amanda Clephane , Squad Lead, AND Digital .

??How did you get into tech??

After completing a marketing degree, I joined Scottish Water , a publicly owned water company servicing the whole of Scotland. I spent time in lots of different areas of the business, and at first I thought my calling was in waste water operations. When I look back now, I realise it was the people that drew me to that side of the business. They were genuine, hardworking and down to earth.

I settled into a role in internal communications, and that gave me an amazing opportunity to see across a large organisation and to work with people undertaking a variety of roles at all levels, from the executive teams to people just starting in their careers in apprenticeships or graduate programmes like the one I did.

My move into tech started with a leadership accelerator programme. Then someone saw potential in me and encouraged me to move into business analytics within the digital directorate, so it was a mix of hard work from me and having good leaders around me. This is where I was introduced to cloud computing, agile delivery and leading teams of very technical and talented people.

I spent 13 years at Scottish Water before having a chance conversation with a friend who works at AND Digital . They referred me for a role in Glasgow. It was a big deal for me to leave the comfort of the organisation I had effectively grown up in, but the opportunities I have had since moving have been endless. I’ve moved out of my comfort zone, and it has really helped me grow professionally and personally. I still stay in touch with the people I worked with, but I also have all of these new people I get to meet and learn from too. In just over a year, I developed from a product analyst at our Club Almeida in Glasgow to a Squad Lead at Club Grace in Edinburgh. I am excited to see where my future will take me next.

??Can you share your personal experiences navigating the digital career landscape? What challenges have you faced, and how did you overcome them?

The biggest challenge for me is not being seen as a ‘technical expert’. Some of these constraints were put on me by others, and I can vividly remember the conversations that made me feel I should ‘play small’, but a big part of it was (and still is at times) in my head. I have had to learn to value what I do know and what I do bring to the table, rather than what I don’t know.

In the tech industry, it is easy to value the core technical experts—and these are definitely fundamental — but we also need to value all the other (almost endless) skills that go around that core, the things that help us build products for people or lead people in the right way to get the best out of them.

The best thing I have done is to surround myself with good people and inspirational leaders, both physically and virtually (a good podcast or audiobook). I have also spent time learning more about myself, what I value and can bring to the table, and what holds me back.

The biggest shift in my thinking was after I took a course called Remarkable Leadership By Remarkable Women. It changed my life. It was the reason I said yes to more things. It stopped fear from driving my decisions (it could stay in the back seat of the car but not drive), and it’s why I value my curiosity over knowledge.

I still face moments of feeling like a bit of an imposter, but I find that being open with these feelings and reminding myself of the things I have learned over the years helps to quickly dispel those feelings of doubt. Anything by Brene Brown helps me navigate these challenges in my mind. Playing Big by Tara Mohr has been another favourite I go back to, and I am lucky enough to be surrounded by good people who challenge my thinking and are the best kind of support network.

??How much do you think the industry has changed since you joined?

I never thought I would be using AI tools to help my research as a product analyst or to help with writer’s block. We need to be comfortable with change in this sense, but what I love is that people will always be a constant in the industry. We are either solving problems for people or growing their skills and capabilities. Even if, at the end of the day, it is a digital product, it has been touched by a person in some way along the journey, so the more diversity we get in thinking about what we are doing and how we are doing it, the better it will be.

??Have you encountered any unconscious biases or stereotypes in your digital career journey, and how did you address or challenge them?

My gender and age have been challenges for me in my career. But the most recent challenge has actually been because I am quite a smiley person who genuinely cares about people and likes to look for the positives in situations. It is funny how many people say to me, ‘Oh, but you are just so nice’ and I am very aware people think it means I can’t make hard decisions or deliver the harder news to people. Actually, it is quite the opposite. I do not enjoy having hard conversations — I am not a lover of conflict, that’s for sure — but I am a firm believer that you can always come from a place of care and kindness, even in these tough conversations.

Sometimes I fall into the trap of justifying it, but I am learning that this is more a reflection on others; it isn’t the truth, and all I can do is keep being me in these situations. I am happy being ‘nice’ but also know it doesn’t hold me back. I can still face things head-on, but I will always do it from a place of care, and I do not want to change that.

I recently read a book about the Trillion Dollar Coach. In that, it talked about the “compensation effect," how people who are warm are assumed to be incompetent and those who are cold are competent. It made me laugh and really resonated with me. I feel I have had to work harder to prove my competencies, but I am now in a place where I do not care if others see my kindness as a weakness because I know it is my strength. I do think this kind of learning has come to me with experience and age, but I can now play a part in ensuring I dispel these biases for those around me, especially those new in their career.

??What initiative or programme from your organisation on diversity and inclusion would you like to spotlight?

I am so excited about AND She Leads. The way it is diving deeper into the lack of female representation in tech leadership and uncovering the real experiences of women in digital will be very insightful and powerful. I love that AND Digital is playing a big role in looking into the systemic causes of this and more importantly looking to take action for the industry as a whole. I have experienced firsthand the difference it makes to be surrounded by female leaders I respect and can relate to. They have helped me to see what is possible. They bring diversity of thinking and a different way of approaching things.

??What advice would you give to aspiring professionals who are looking to work in the tech sector?

There is so much variety in the tech sector, so look at what your core skills are and what you value in a career in general, then see what the tech sector has to offer that aligns with that. I would be surprised if you don’t find something. Also, think of the value you can add by bringing your experience and your different perspectives from one sector to another. You bring another lens that can be applied to decision making.

Also, dispel your own myths about the industry by talking to people. Connect with others who have been or are in the industry. Get to know what it is really like and what is possible. Get them to bring it to life for you.