Celebrating Women in IT on International Women’s Day

March 8 is International Women’s Day – we take a look at our female IT colleagues.

Ada Lovelace and Grandma COBOL as female pioneers in computer programming

The first computer program is said to have been designed by the British mathematician Ada Lovelace. In the midst of the 19th century she thought up a method by which a calculating machine could evaluate a certain sequence of numbers and therefore is considered by many to be the very first programmer.

Grace Hopper developed the first compiler (A-0) in 1952, a software that converts programming commands into machine language code. She did essential preliminary work for the development of the COBOL programming language with the FLOW-MATIC programming language and the associated compiler. This is where her nickname Grandma COBOL originated.

Women in tech industry today

Until today it is still a long way to go to reach gender equality in the male dominated tech industry. Yet, Information Technology should be all about forward thinking and reaching new heights, where injustice and inequality should have no room, but where women should feel supported and valued.

Empowerment of the female techies at birkle IT

For our woman developers at birkle IT, working in software development gives them a lot of opportunities to become a tech expert not only about databases and programming, but also as a Project Manager or a Tester. Teamwork with colleagues from different departments is aiming to build a space of inclusion, empowerment and interaction to grow all together and learn from each other. We incorporate and live by our slogan: #thisisyourtime TO BE EXACTLY WHO YOU ARE.

Nicole Wikenheiser  (in the back) , for instance, has been working as associate architect for more than a year at birkle IT. In her current project she implements the frontend for a logistics client. This also includes decisions regarding the frontend architecture and guaranteeing a high code quality. She discovered her passion for computer technology early:

„I like to hands-on solve things. Software development combines many fascinating aspects. As technology is evolving fast, there are always new things to learn“

Nicole Wikenheiser

She always feels welcome and inspired by her colleagues at birkle IT. For women in tech industry in general, though, she wishes that in future women shouldn’t be facing obstacles or prejudices.

Katja Kirchhofer (in the front) is Associate IT Consultant at birkle IT. She developed a mobile app that is efficient, user-friendly, reliable and meets the client’s needs. She was responsible for planning and implementing the app’s business logic as a mobile application. Additionally, she implemented state management and performed API requests and tests to ensure the app’s functionality. Always at her side: Officedog “Champ”.

„“I feel fortunate to be part of a company that is working on meaningful projects, where I can take responsibility and be challenged, while receiving support and developing my skills. I also totally relate to birkle’s slogan, because it empowers me to embrace my unique qualities and pursue my passions without fear of judgement or rejection“

Katja Kirchhofer

Equal rights are a high priority at birkle IT

birkle IT is internationally diverse

The birkle IT AG tech team is also internationally diverse. We spoke to two colleagues from Vilnius, Lithuania and Tallinn, Estonia.

In Vilnius, our Lithuanian nearshoring site, Aiste Petkeviciene works as a Senior IT Business Analyst. In her daily business she analyzes business requirements and provides them to developers in an IT language. If she could, she would debunk myths surrounding women in tech, since she is convinced that men and women are equally important. If she could pick one superpower she would decide for invulnerability, being invulnerable from prejudice and harm.

Anne-Mai Lõpp lso works as a Business Analyst in birkle’s Tallinn office. The Estonian colleague is fascinated about IT:

„The job never ends. The good thing is there will be always work for you. If you decide to go after IT, there are many fields you can chose from. IT is not only about databases and programming, but you can also be Project Manager or a Tester – there are lot of opportunities for women in IT.“

Anne-Mai Löpp

Many other women are important contributors at birkle IT AG – however, women are unfortunately underrepresented at the top management level. We asked board member Thomas Fraenzke how he would like to change this:

“We are addressing this trend, which is by no means intentional, with our internal “Empower Leadership Program” – many women are in middle management at birkle IT or on their way there. Our long-term growth guarantees that we will ensure a balanced ratio right up to the Management Board level. Addressing the issue of women in leadership positions brings enormous benefits, as it ensures a differentiated, professional and strategic perspective that enriches the entire organization”

Thomas Fraenzke – Member of the board at birkle IT AG

We think it’s a promising sign and an exciting statement for International Women’s Day!

Maybe birkle IT is the right fit for you? – Take a look at our current vacancies now or send us an unsolicited application!

We look forward to hearing from you!

About us

birkle IT is an IT consulting and software development company operating mainly in the DACH region, the Nordic countries and the Baltic States. The company employs over 150 specialists who develop innovative solutions for leading companies in the industry. birkle IT specializes in consulting and tailor-made software solutions for companies – with special expertise in the insurance industry. We provide established companies and start-ups with immediately scalable teams of experienced developers so that they can implement their projects faster and with state-of-the-art technology.

birkle IT virtual share option program: Empowering employees and investing in their future

At birkle IT we understand that our employees are our greatest asset, and we want to ensure that they feel valued and appreciated. That’s why we’re thrilled to share that from the start of 2023 we launched a Virtual Share Option Program (VSOP), which provides our people with an opportunity to share in the value and success of our company through virtual shares. We are excited to see the positive impact this program is already having on our team and our organization as a whole.

What are virtual shares?

Virtual shares, also known as phantom stocks, are a type of equity compensation that simulates the value of our company’s shares. Unlike real shares, they cannot be bought or sold on the stock market, and they are distributed free of charge. Instead, they represent a promise to pay employees a bonus equal to the value of their virtual shares at a later date.

How do virtual shares work?

Our VSOP allows our employees to receive virtual shares based on their performance, tenure, and other factors. The more virtual shares an employee has, the greater their potential bonus payout when certain conditions are met.

There are two main ways that virtual shares can become money. The first is through a profit distribution at the end of the financial year, where the company shares its profits with our employees based on their virtual shareholdings. The second is when the company becomes publicly listed or is sold, and the employees receive a bonus payout equal to the value of their virtual shares.

Partnership with Ledgy

As a company, we are committed to providing our employees with the best tools to manage their virtual shares. That’s why we’ve partnered with Ledgy, the leading equity management software platform in Europe. Ledgy makes it easy for employees to view the value of their shares, manage and sign their contracts, and simulate different exit scenarios. Ledgy is a company that shares our values of transparency, fairness, and innovation, and we are delighted with their service. With Ledgy, our employees have the peace of mind of knowing that their virtual shares are being managed securely and transparently, which helps them focus on their work and contribute to our company’s success.

Take away

At birkle IT, we understand that the hard work and dedication of our talented team is the driving force behind our success. We believe in empowering our employees through the Virtual Shares Option Program, which offers potential financial rewards and strengthens their connection to the company and its mission.

Our commitment to investing in the future means that we strive to create opportunities for all our team members, both present and future. If you are ready to take your career to the next level and become a part of our ongoing and long-term success, we invite you to explore our open positions on our careers page or contact us directly.

Join our dynamic team, enjoy the financial benefits, and help shape the future of birkle IT.
We look forward to hearing from you!

About us

birkle IT is a IT consulting and software development company mainly operating in DACH, Nordics, and the Baltics. The company employs over 150 technology enthusiasts who help to deliver innovative solutions for industry leaders.​ We specialize in consultancy and customized enterprise software solutions. We provide immediate scalable teams of expert developers for established companies and start-ups to help them implement their projects faster and with state-of-the-art technology.

birkle ITbirkle IT
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