Simona Risovaite: Breaking barriers - from law to software engineering

Her second education in software engineering required both commitment and financial investment. She was one of two female students in her group. The educational path was so challenging that less than half of the students finished their studies in their final year.

Simona’s family learned about her decision half a year after her education started. They were surprised, as such dramatic changes in profession were less common at that time.

- I think the situation is different now. As a manager, I meet a lot of people coming to IT after reskilling programs. What I really like about them is that they are very mature – they have enough life experience, already know how much effort is required to become a good specialist, and they are ready to take on this challenge, says Simona.

Partway through her studies, she discovered an opportunity in a Tietoevry talent program called "Month with IT" and decided to apply. Despite having little experience in programming, she secured a position as a quality assurance engineer. Following the completion of her studies, she received a job offer, marking the commencement of her career in the software development field.

Over the course of almost four years, Simona progressed from quality assurance to a software developer role and then advanced to a team lead position, leveraging her diverse skill set acquired from legal practice. She emphasizes the practicality of her legal expertise in client contract review and negotiations, which positively contributes to her role as an engineer and manager.

- As a team leader of the Software Engineering unit in Lithuania, Simona has demonstrated professional leadership and strategic vision in the implementation of changes in our unit. Her passion for new technologies keeps the team's competence open for innovation, boosting efficiency of our IT solutions and setting a standard for excellence within the Software Engineering team, states Vitālijs Jakovels, Head of Software Engineering.

Reflecting on her experiences, Simona values Tietoevry's emphasis on skills development and the company's willingness to nurture leadership potential.

- From time to time, I think about coming back to the technical role because I am very much interested in data science, which is skyrocketing now, and I want to learn it. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are evolving so fast! Every day, there are new ideas and new business opportunities in these emerging areas. It means that we need to strengthen our expertise, and every technician should have at least some knowledge about these things, explains Simona.

Simona advocates for improved gender balance in the IT sector. She believes that we should start with families, where girls and boys should be brought up with the knowledge that they can obtain any profession they aspire to. She appreciates international opportunities within IT and advises continuously learning, embracing challenges, and venturing into new roles to remain competitive in this market and constantly add value to oneself, one's clients, and one's company.

- Comfort zone stops your growth! claims Simona.

Outside of work, Simona is interested in the topic of longevity. She searches for scientifically proven information about health improvement, stress management, and increasing productivity. And one of the stress mitigators for Simona is her cat, which appeared in her house during the pandemic.

Overall, Simona's journey from law to software engineering embodies the confluence of skills from diverse fields, reinforcing her belief that every experience positively contributes to professional growth and adaptability in the ever-evolving tech landscape.