International Women’s Day is a chance to recognise the women shaping industries, driving innovation, and building careers across every field. 

Technology has historically been seen as a male-dominated industry, but that is changing as more women pursue careers in engineering, cybersecurity, data, project delivery, and digital innovation. Their perspectives, leadership, and problem solving are helping shape the future of the sector. 

At Canary IT, we are proud to work alongside talented women across the business who bring curiosity, expertise, and fresh thinking to the technology industry every day. 

To celebrate International Women’s Day, we asked a few members of our team to share their journeys into technology, what they love about the industry, and what excites them about its future. 

Alice Kilavuz-West  | Head of Programs 

What first sparked your interest in technology, and how did that lead you to where you are today? 

“My dad – we used to pull apart old school computers: he would show me componentry and what its role was. Tech and machines always made sense to me -> 1’s and 0’s. You can never argue with logic. When I finished high school, I landed in Telco Engineering. Whilst at Uni, I was selling mobile phones at various stores, and then made my way into a Project Specialist Role at Optus (full admission – I had no idea what a project was at the time). I began absolutely loving working with people, rather than behind a machine. So, I just kept on doing what I loved, and over the last 20 years, have now landed firmly at Canary IT!” 

What do you enjoy most about working in the tech industry? 

“Working with people smarter than me and constantly learning! The industry is always evolving and growing – so you have new and creative ways to help solve your customer’s problems. You get so many different views of how to solve a problem, factoring in the tech side, client side, business side… I find every day is different, and love working with the people in this industry.” 

Is there a project, achievement, or moment in your career that you’re particularly proud of? 
“My first biggest milestone was working with CBA for over 6 months to deliver their first NBN service at a branch in Tasmania! We paved the way on building processes between us, CBA and NBN, on how to deliver a service for an Enterprise customer. Complexity came when we began tackling ATMs, but it was great fun upon reflection!” 

What keeps you excited about the future of technology? 

“It’s evolution and what’s next. We keep making things more efficient, and help our customers get to their outcomes as seamlessly as possible. With tech, comes new capabilities – it keeps me on my toes about what’s next for me!” 

Megha Vaghela | Managed Services Engineer Level 1 

What first sparked your interest in technology, and how did that lead you to where you are today? 

“My interest in technology started with a simple curiosity about how things work behind the scenes, especially in the digital world. That curiosity eventually led me to study Computer Engineering, where I discovered a real passion for cybersecurity and the impact it has on people and organizations. That pushed me to pursue a master’s in cyber security and build a career in IT. Over the past four years, I’ve been able to apply both my technical background and security mindset, and each step has helped shape the professional I am today.” 

What do you enjoy most about working in the tech industry? 

“What I enjoy most about working in tech is how quickly everything evolves. There’s always something new to learn or a challenge to take on, which keeps the work interesting. But the people I work with make it even better – being surrounded by talented, curious, and collaborative colleagues creates an environment where ideas come together naturally and problem-solving feels like a team effort. That mix of innovation and teamwork is what makes the field so rewarding for me.” 

Is there a project, achievement, or moment in your career that you’re particularly proud of? 

“I have worked on many projects while studying and working but I don’t have one standout project that I’d highlight, but I’m genuinely proud of the steady growth I’ve made throughout my career. Every role and challenge has taught me something – whether it’s improving my technical skills, strengthening my problem-solving abilities, or learning how to work effectively with different teams. That consistent progress is something I really value.” 

What keeps you excited about the future of technology? 

“What keeps me excited about the future of technology is how it continues to push boundaries. Every year brings new tools, smarter systems, and better ways to stay secure. It’s inspiring to think about how these advancements will shape the way we live and solve problems moving forward.” 

The technology industry thrives on curiosity, collaboration, and the constant pursuit of better solutions. The stories from Alice and Megha reflect the many different pathways into tech and the shared passion for learning, innovation, and problem solving that drives the industry forward. 

At Canary IT, we are proud to support an environment where people can build meaningful careers, grow their expertise, and contribute to the future of technology. 

This International Women’s Day, we celebrate the women across our team and the wider industry who continue to shape what’s possible.