Aimee Smith, Head of CX Learning and Customer Training

What is your career story?

I started out my career in the hair and beauty industry. Working in Salons, Spas, and Cruise Ships overseas. After a shoulder injury, I was unable to work full-time in the hair and beauty industry, which led me back to Arcare where I worked during studying, spending five years across a range of admin roles (receptionist, admin coordinator, roster coordinator) and in my final two years working with the payroll team rolling out the Humanforce application to over 30 sites across Australia.

When I saw that Humanforce was offering a Professional Services Consultant role, I jumped at it, as I thoroughly enjoyed working with the Humanforce (Time Target at the time) product and rolling it out to the Arcare business.

I spent over a year and a half in the Professional Services Consultant role before moving up to a team leader, assisting with guiding and mentoring the other consultants. After a year as a PSC - Team Leader, I move up to being Consulting Team lead, continuing to guide and mentor the team managing direct reports.

After a year as a Consulting Team Lead, I was offered the role of Head of CX Learning and Customer Training, a new role for the business responsible for onboarding and upskilling the CX team, and managing our customer training strategy, which I have enjoyed learning and growing into over the last eight years.

What does International Women's Day mean to you?

International Women's Day is an opportunity to contribute to the global conversation on gender equality and to support efforts to advance women's rights and opportunities.  It is important to recognise the progress that has been made and to continue to work towards a world where all individuals have equal opportunities and can reach their full potential, regardless of gender.  

What is it like working in the technology industry and what are some of the challenges you have experienced?

Working in the technology industry is both exciting and challenging. It can be demanding, with long hours and high-pressure deadlines. Yet the work is fulfilling with many opportunities to work on cutting-edge projects and be at the forefront of new developments in the field. The pace of technological change is often rapid, which means there is always something new to learn and new challenges to tackle.

The technology industry is susceptible to economic downturns and fluctuations and like many industries, struggles with issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. It's typically a male dominated industry.

Overall, working in this industry can be an exciting and rewarding experience, but it is important to be aware of the challenges and to be prepared to navigate them. It is also important to prioritise creating an inclusive and welcoming workplace culture that supports diversity and equity.  

Are there any assumptions about women in the workplace that you want to challenge or change?

One common assumption is that women are not as competent or ambitious as men in their professional pursuits. This assumption is often based on gender stereotypes that suggest women are more emotional and less rational than men. In reality, women are just as capable and ambitious as men, and gender should not be a factor in determining an individual's abilities or potential.

Has anything in your personal life impacted / challenged or changed or working life?

After a shoulder injury, I was unable to continue to work full-time in the hair and beauty industry, which led me to where I am today.