Early years and where you came from?
When I was 15 years old I had a dream: Working for Vodafone so that I could get into a 4 wheel drive jeep and go through every telecommunication towers all around Portugal. So I decided to start a technical degree in Electrical and Electronics Technology Degree in a secondary school — 1st girl completing this course. In 2004, finishing the 12º degree, I applied to enter the University of Coimbra for a Master in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Telecommunications Expertise, concluded in 2010.
How were you introduced to the world of the Portuguese tech industry?
Every contact that I made it was always related to the telecommunications industry. In the beginning, I contact with supervision network of EDP after in the project, build and control the Vodafone FTTH network, and know as IMS Voice Core Engineer totally evolved with the VoLTE project. It’s an exciting path and different areas.
Walk me through your work and what you are doing now in the tech industry.
My current role is a Support Voice Core Engineer at Vodafone Portugal, where she deploy and support the IMS core network, including the VoLTE launch program (Vodafone is 1st operator with this functionality) making the troubleshooting and procedures to have a resilient network under a virtual infrastructure.
What part of what you do, you love the most?
The constant Learning, every day we learn more, do better and it reflects in our daily work. I’m a very passionate and intense person, enthusiastic and an eternal learner
How do you think that your background and knowledge impact the way you approach your work in the Portuguese tech industry?
My approach is fully compliant with my comprehensive range of cognitive and practical skills acquired before. Always looking for a solution or making part of that.
What advice do you have for young women that want to get into tech and don’t know where to start?
Do what makes you happy, challenge you every day. It’s an interesting thing to make every day special.
Walk me through a day in your life as a Portuguese women in tech.
The day begins with coffee with the team, and a small brief in my mind what I have to do on that day. After, begins usually some conf calls, do some procedures to maintain a resilient network, give instructions to operational teams. Sometimes, make exhaustive tests to live nodes acceptance, under NFV. As I usually talk… Another good day at the office!
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Be myself, follow my instinct and do better always.
What apps/software/tools can’t you live without?
In working days we use many internal tools or our vendor tools. Those tools are related to network monitoring, trace tool…
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