What does the award win mean to you?
It’s still not quite settled in I’ve won it, even after a week, but the award means a lot for a variety of reasons. First of all, it’s been a confidence boost for sure! Being acknowledged as one of the leaders for technical innovation in the industry and confirming that I am doing something right is lovely. I know imposter syndrome can kick in a lot for folks in the industry so it’s nice to have some evidence against that on the days where I doubt myself. It’s been a great reward for my efforts of trying to make the industry a more inclusive place for everyone to work in and lift up the next generation… now we just need to carry on!
What was it like attending the Women in Games awards?
It was really nice to represent Third Kind Games, especially against the bigger, more well known names in the UK games industry. It was even better this year to have Vicky Boyce, one of our Lead Designers at Third Kind, shortlisted as a finalist as well for the Creative Impact category. So on the day we had our little gang come down from Leamington for some supportive cheerleading. At the venue itself there was a positive buzz of energy as we caught up with some familiar faces and then met new folks.
What would you like to see more of in the games industry?
We’re still seeing a minority of women and non binary (nb) programmers and there are so many areas that need improvement for that. We should be getting kids excited about it at a younger age, hiring them once they’re ready for their first steps in the industry and maintaining that talent to stay within the industry. Universities should be aiming to find a more diverse pool of people for coming in to do talks. When I was studying, I cannot remember getting a woman programmer in to discuss how they got into the industry. Not to say the information I did learn wasn’t valuable, however seeing yourself up there in someone who has already made that career path can make all the difference.
Companies should also be supporting woman and nb talent and pushing them into more senior roles. I’ve been fortunate here at Third Kind that when I was pushing to move into a lead role, the studio did everything they could to support that and help me get to that stage of my career.
I would like to see some more support for under-represented folks with organisations like Limit Break who help folks find mentors/mentee’s to help them in their career in the games industry. I used this when I was trying to progress up to a lead role, just to gain a bit of a guiding light on things. I did find that it was really nice to be connected with people across the UK during the programme. It helped with the whole “find your tribe” thing where, having those people around you, you'll feel less alone if you are working in a company where you may be the only woman/nb person there.
What would you tell yourself 5 years ago?
I think the main point I would try to get across is to get the support you need and deserve to help you in your career. Whether that’s through your team at work or from outside help – if you feel like you need help – then ask! If that help and support doesn’t happen where you currently are, then go out there and find it. It might be scary to take those leaps of faith but it will pay off in the end if you land somewhere that’s going to support and push you to be your best.
As I mentioned earlier – finding your tribe is important if you’re one of the few women at your workplace. It helps immensely just being able to know there are others out there that will understand what you’re going through and equally, be able to lift you up when you need it!
Finally, ignore the imposter syndrome demons and back yourself more. Don’t let a little doubt hold you back from some great opportunities!
