The story of Jana Prchlova: An intecs x Czechitas cooperation

Thanks to the collaboration between intecs and Czechitas, I discovered the power of mentoring, which has had a significant impact on my career and personal life. I never would have thought that I would become one of Czechitas’ mentors and that I would have the chance to help other women advance in their career.

Getting started in IT isn’t easy

When I started college, I decided to pursue the field of Business Intelligence (BI), which I found incredibly interesting. I sort of suspected from the beginning that the field of BI might be right for me.  Nevertheless, as time went on, I felt uncertain and I began to doubt my choice. I wondered if, as a woman, I shouldn’t focus on a more “feminine” direction and leave the field of IT to men.

However, I decided not to give up and in times of total uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, I got an interview at intecs. Although job interviews can often cause the candidates some stress, I enjoyed the interview very much and left with the pleasant and, unfortunately for me, still unusual feeling – of being treated equally.

The right mentor can work wonders

My excellent mentor quickly understood my introverted nature and adapted his approach during onboarding accordingly. No matter how many times I asked the same thing, he was always willing to answer with endless patience and a smile on his face. When things went wrong, he was able to guide me back on the right path and not to remind me of my mistakes.

On the contrary, when I achieved success and everything worked as it should, he praised me for a job well done. That was incredibly motivating and made me feel like I was in the right place. It wasn’t just about feeling part of the team, but I started to believe again that I really belonged in IT.

This life experience has filtered down into my personal life and thanks to my regained confidence I have started to achieve goals on a personal level as well. At Intecs I found what I had been looking for for a long time – a source of professional development, but also an environment that provides invaluable support and space for continuous development.

How I became a mentor for Czechitas

After a while, I heard talks in the office about a collaboration with the NGO Czechitas, that focuses on diversity in the IT industry and supporting women in changing their careers. Intecs, as a co-founder of Digital Academy: Data, provides trainers, coaches and mentors from its ranks for each of their sessions.. 

I acknowledged the impact that Intecs and my great mentor had had on my own IT career, so I decided to get involved and pass on my experience to other women. I wanted to show them that it is possible to advance in IT and provide them with much needed support and motivation for the future, just as Intecs had done for me.

I learned that mentoring isn’t only about sharing knowledge and skills, but more importantly about how to properly interact with people to support them. If you want to be a good mentor, you don’t only have to be an expert in the field, but also a mental support.
After a short while I began to embrace my role as a mentor and coach very intensely. I passed on my knowledge and experience in Power BI, SQL and the basics of data analytics. I supported the participants of the academy, encouraged them and helped them overcome obstacles.

Course participants turn into colleagues

A real cherry on top was reading the participants’ feedback: “Janča really is an expert in Power BI and wants to pass everything on to us, I’m looking forward to the next lesson!” or “Janča’s enthusiasm for Power BI is contagious”.

But the best part of all this is that some of the participants have become my colleagues. I feel great joy and pride when I see that my efforts and dedication produce real results help other women develop their career. To all the women who decide to go in this direction, my fingers are crossed and I wish them to find similar support on their journey as I was lucky enough to have on mine.

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