60 Seconds with Aislinn McBride

Tell us about your role and your organisation.
Kainos is a technology organisation and while we do many things, our organisation focus and success is down to carefully balancing three things:
- Being a great employer: investing in and supporting great career journeys
- Delighting customers: solving problems to a high quality 
- Being a growing, profitable and responsible organisation: sustaining the organisation for generations to come

It's my responsibility to ensure we deliver a technology strategy that supports our team as technology thought leaders; proving, adopting and scaling new technology and approaches to deliver better outcomes for our customers. This includes our approach to continuously improve, to look forward through technology exploration, enabling our customers to get value from more progressive technology and building a culture of networks and storytelling.

Give us a brief overview of your career journey so far.
I studied Software Engineering in the University of Ulster and joined Kainos as a placement student in 2001; I never looked back from that experience. I've spent most of my career in Kainos; as a software engineer, technical architect through to principal architect and in more recent years, various technology leadership roles. Because of the variety of work in Kainos, this has meant working with a host of different technologies and engaging customers across sectors (Public, Healthcare, Commercial sector).

But the real journey is one of a balance of constantly challenging roles, and a great support network. At each stage, just as I have increased confidence in my role, Kainos has presented me with another challenge, sending me on another journey of learning and growing. The support network that exists across the Kainos ecosystem has been fundamental to managing the demands that come with this. There have always been people I can pick up the phone to and get advice and support; this is a rock that can't be undersold.

Describe yourself in 3 words.
Curious, learning, introvert.

What is one skill that helps you most in your role?
Determination

What advice do you have for women in your sector/industry/type of role? 
You can achieve much more than you think; change and learning may feel uncomfortable, but going through this, and leaning on your support network, will take you to places that you never expected.

Are there any exciting plans in the year ahead in your organisation that you can share with us? 
Technology is always changing; and the pace of change has just accelerated with recent advancements in AI. We are looking forward to using this to bring more value to our customers and innovating with them to bring even better services to their user base.

Who has been your biggest career inspiration and why?
I honestly can't pick one; there are so many people doing great things that I love to watch and learn from.
If you had to pick your soundtrack song to get you through the working day, what would it be?
I find music too distracting to work, but I enjoy the windows opened when I can hear the sound of the birds.

What's your favourite break-time snack?
Crisps are my downfall, but I'm working on my eating healthier and love a good bowl of cereal.

How can you fellow WIB members keep up to date with you and your organisation?
Connect with Aislinn on LinkedIn