What is your name, age, location?
My name is Zara Gebru. I am 23 years old and I grew up in Hamburg (Germany).
What's your background?
After high school I needed a bit time to figure out what I wanted to do with my future. I travelled to Ethiopia for three months to discover my second culture and to learn more about my father's heritage. In 2011, I decided to start studying Computer Science and Business Administration.
What inspired you to become an engineer?
These days I worked part time for a 24h IT service company and lost all my “women worries” about the tech-world. If I am honest, it was a random idea of mine and maybe I just wanted just to explore at the age of 20. I was pretty certain that I would discontinue with this subject after one semester. But often in life, the spontaneous ideas are the best and most of the time I feel very comfortable with that what I am doing now. I would argue that I don't really love the whole program but what I do love is to sit down and to create something new. It is the challenge that gives me confidence to be an independent woman.
What are your next steps right now?
I'm currently at an exchange program in South Africa, but I am coming home soon. I am looking forward to my first part time job, where I really can create software on a bigger project.
What is the best advice you ever received?
Someone told me that the future is in IT. Special thanks to that person.
What is the most important thing you’ve learned in the last year?
At my university we have a big focus in pair programming and I feel like I learned a lot over the past year on the advantages and disadvantages of team work.
And what are your plans for the future?
Sometimes I am dreaming about to becoming an entrepreneur someday, maybe in Europe or in Africa. But I don't really know yet. I want to get more work experience and I think it would be a nice start for me to work in a company which already has a developed infrastructure.
If you could do one thing differently, what would it be?
Actually I am really happy with my life because I feel like I have a good work/life balance. But if I could do something differently I am pretty sure I would have looked into tech at a much younger age. That is what I like about the Geekettes! They aim to support girls from a younger age and open the doors to the tech-world so they're less afraid.
Any advice for your local/global Geekettes?
Do what your heart is beating for, do not be afraid to try new things and keep smiling.
