At Santander we defend 100% the value of gender diversity and work to break the gender stereotypes we face, especially in the world of technology.
One of these initiatives is Women in Tech, in which we include ALL the female employees of our technology teams to create real benchmarks, and of which Raquel Rodriguez, Junior developer, and Elisa Teixido, Software Engineer, are part of.
Raquel Rodríguez, Junior Developer
Raquel Rodríguez González is 27 years old and has been working in web development for 7 years. She is a junior developer at Santander T&O of Banco Santander, Santander Global Tech division.
“I consider myself more of an all-rounder developer since in less than a year at Banco Santander I have worked on several completely different technological projects, from web to big data.”
Last September I joined the Bank through the Be Tech! with Santander program, a project that has already incorporated more than 700 technological profiles from various STEM careers.
When you were a child, which people or characters were your motivation to get where you are now? did you have any reference?
My motivation was first the confidence in my possibilities to achieve whatever I set my mind to. Another great motivation was to have my family pushing behind me without hesitation for any reason, let alone gender.
In my childhood environment there was not much technology and I have not had technological references marked, but I have always been very interested in everything related to computer science and here I am, as a Junior Developer!
What advice can you give us to continue advancing in the development of female technological talent?
I think the most important thing is to give visibility to the female talent that we already have right now, to show it, to reflect it as much as possible and to show the equality that already exists in some aspects to show that it can be achieved in others that we still have to achieve.
Do you feel that as a woman you have a very important role as a reference in technology with the women around you?
Yes! Because unfortunately I am at a time when we are very few and we have to let ourselves be seen. Come out! Show that we exist and encourage girls who think this job is for men or give them the pretext to tell their parents “if she has been able to and is where she is, why can’t I?”
What do you think are the biggest obstacles that a woman working in the technology sector faces? And with respect to your professional career, what have been yours?
I think society has created a need to be constantly demonstrating that women are capable of doing the same as men. That is why I think that measures for conciliation are 100% important nowadays and it is something that here (in Santander) I see is taken care of to the maximum ?
Personally, I consider that I have been lucky and have not had very significant obstacles but it is also true that I am a free soul hehe
Elisa Teixido, Software Engineering Specialist
Elisa Teixido, born in Cáceres, Madrid by adoption. From a very young age, she was connected to the technological world thanks to her father who gave her her first computer.
“For 15 years I have been developing my professional career in different clients until I found my place in Banco Santander to develop my professional and personal growth”
Currently, she works in the Receivables department (RPPs) integrating a market tool into the bank’s systems, making his day-to-day work a continuous learning experience.
When you were a child, which people or characters were your motivation to get where you are now? did you have any reference?
Although it sounds a bit cliché, my references were my parents. My father put in my way computers (buying the first SPECTRUM), trains, circuits… and my mother being my example as a working woman like my father, since they share profession.
As an anecdote, I would like to share with you a part of my personal life. My grandfather, who would be 104 years old today, was a man who dedicated his whole life to farming together with my grandmother, who was the one who kept the accounts at home. They had 8 daughters, all women, to whom they gave with a lot of effort, a university career and this for me, was also a great example.
What advice can you give us to continue advancing in the development of female technological talent?
My advice would be that the “ingenious mind” is developed from childhood: in the family, schools….. Toys and society differentiate us and set the limits, we must break them. Children can do it with our help.
Do you feel that as a woman you have a very important role as a reference in technology with the women around you?
Yes, I feel I have a very important role for the future generations around me. Skills are developed and also nurtured. We should not limit the coming generations. We can show them all the necessary information and let them decide for themselves if they want to continue on that path.
I want them to know that they can be anything they want to be.
What do you think are the biggest obstacles that a woman working in the technology sector faces? And with respect to your professional career, what have been yours?
Before entering university, I still remember when my Biology professor told me… why are you going to study a man’s career? This sentence, even more, made me want to study Computer Engineering even more. Years later, I had the opportunity to tell him that I had made it.
Throughout my 15 years of professional experience, the obstacles along the way have been far fewer than the good professional experiences. In my opinion, I believe that we have many powers to destroy the stones and turn them into learning. I have been fortunate to work with great professionals who are references in my life and have helped me in my development, although unfortunately this is not always the case.
What would you say to your past self right now? With the experience you have today
I would tell him that in life you will stumble many times: you will sweat with the first production issue, with the first functional analysis, with the first challenge, with your time management, in your first meeting… but that you will succeed. Don’t set yourself limits, trust yourself more.
Want to meet more of our STEM women? Meet Ángeles
Santander Global Tech is the global technology company, part of Santander’s Technology and Operations (T&O) division. With more than 2,000 employees and based in Madrid, we work to make Santander an open platform for financial services.
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