Get to know Sandra Hanlen, WA Program Manager for CareerTrackers Indigenous Internship program and She Codes Plus program alum. Prior to discovering the She Codes Plus program, Sandra worked in a Government job for 10 years and acquired a degree before realising she wants to pursue work in a company and industry that holds good values, which led her to her job at CareerTrackers.
She first discovered She Codes at an event, where She Codes spokesperson Holly told the CareerTrackers team about the program, wanting to connect their network to this opportunity to upskill.
When asked what excites her about a career in tech, Sandra states that being a part of something new and being a part of what the future looks like is most exciting. She also states that the flexibility within the tech industry, as well as the job security, is an added bonus.
When asked what her perceptions of the tech industry were prior to completing the program, Sandra states her views were very cliché, thinking she’d be unable to learn as fast as others and that only super intelligent kids were learning tech.
Following her completion of the program, these views have changed completely. Now when asked what her perception of the industry is, she states, “myself.” She goes on to explain that she has put in the effort to learn more about coding and tech, and has an appreciation for every role in the industry. She adds that she has found the collaborative nature of the industry the most important.
To conclude, Sandra discusses her future, where she’s still undecided, stating there are so many paths she can now take with this newfound skill, and she is interested in exploring those more broadly where the sky’s the limit.
For Sandra’s full story, watch the full video interview here.