Spotlight on Women in Building Automation

For Women's International Month, we are spotlighting the women here at Ouman who work in the field of building automation and their experiences and outlooks on working in male-dominated field. This is Niina Nikki.

Niina Nikki is in her fifth year of studies as computer science master's student at the University of Oulu in Finland. She is also currently a software engineering trainee at Ouman. In her current role, Niina is deeply involved in software testing, development, evaluation, planning, and maintenance.

For Niina, the most rewarding aspect of her current role is knowing that Ouman's products and services positively impact people's daily lives. Without them, individuals might experience more stress trying to manage costs amidst fluctuating electricity prices.

As a woman in building automation...

"I think there is room for more female representation in building automation and I think it is important. As a woman in this field, I have noticed that sometimes I bring different perspectives to the table. However, in software engineering particularly, gender should not be a determining factor. Ultimately, we are all individuals with our own strengths, and that's what truly matters.

Enhancing female representation can start with small steps, for example in commercials, featuring women adjusting thermostats, as it is largely always men. After all, it's not solely men who manage household systems. Additionally, seeing more women in leadership roles would be beneficial, not to imply that the majority of leaders need to be women, but rather to provide diverse representation.

In 5 years, I think we will already begin to see more women in building automation, as well as in all other engineering fields. In my own studies, women make up 40% of the class. I think it shows that change has happened and is happening.

Stepping into a male-dominated field might understandably provoke concerns, yet personally, I have not encountered any difficulties or obstacles in my career due to my gender. Particularly at Ouman, I can confidently say that I have not faced any negative experiences."

"To any woman contemplating a career in building automation, I would encourage you to pursue it if you have a genuine interest. Having a genuine interest is more important than whether you are a man or a woman."