Tech Talent Spotlight: Amber Shand

Amber Shand I Software Engineer at Skyscanner | Keynote Speaker | Founder of She Bytes Back - the empowering community for Gen Z and millennial women in tech

Amber Shand is a rising star in the tech industry, making moves as both a software engineer and an advocate for women in technology. Currently working as a Software Engineer at Skyscanner, Amber’s journey into tech is as inspiring as unconventional. With a background in economics and accounting, she discovered her passion for coding through free courses and community support, eventually landing her first role as a software engineer. 

Beyond her professional work, Amber is a sought-after keynote speaker, delivering powerful talks on topics ranging from imposter syndrome to personal branding. Her impact extends further as the founder of She Bytes Back, an empowering community for women in tech. This initiative hosts regular in-person events in London, focusing on building connections, breaking down barriers, and creating opportunities for women in the industry.

We are delighted to have interviewed Amber as we explored her journey, her mission to help women in tech build confidence and use their voices and her insights into navigating the dynamism of the tech industry.

1. Can you share the journey that led you to your current career path and brought you to where you are today?

 Yes, of course. A fun fact about me is that I studied economics and accounting at university, so I was on track to pursue a career in finance. It wasn't until I did my internship in Madrid that I realised that perhaps finance wasn't quite the route that I wanted to take. At the time, there was a lot of information about how AI and technology would replace jobs and how traditional jobs would be “wiped out”, which is similar to now. I figured I wanted to be on the side of technology rather than a victim of it. So, I wanted to pivot into something tech-related, high in demand, and skills that would make me future-proof despite tech advancements.

That's when I discovered coding. I originally learned about coding through Code First Girls, where I completed an introductory course in web development alongside a Python course.

All of a sudden, 2020’s COVID-219 pandemic hit, and that’s when I decided to ramp things up. While transitioning into my new role, I also taught other women how to code; this helped solidify my knowledge. Only when I started teaching other women did I notice how my ‘professional perfectionism’ tendency held me back. Coming from an industry where precision is the number one priority,  I went into coding feeling like it had to be exact and I couldn't mess things up. So, it was interesting to develop that growth mindset by learning how to code and then eventually taking a few more courses to land my first role as a software engineer in 2021. 

2. As the founder of She Bytes Back, what inspired you to create a platform specifically for women in technology to build connections and break down barriers? 

Okay, so the truth is that it was frustration that caused me to build She Bytes Back because I kept seeing the same barriers. There was a lack of representation, mentorship, progression opportunities, and visibility.

I then came across a study by Accenture that stated that 50 percent of women leave the tech industry by age 35; I was like, this is a real problem.

At the time, there was a lot of talk about getting more women into tech and all this push, but they weren't highlighting that women were also being driven out of the industry. I noticed that once I landed my first role, I needed to create She Bytes Back because I feel like women in tech deserve better. I see the value in having spaces that uplift us, amplify our voices, and remind us that we actually do belong here.

So often, when we enter the industry, we face these barriers. I have spoken to several women who studied computer science at university, and they felt like they were already outsiders, as there were only one or two women in their course. Even if they felt included, they were outsiders in terms of gender, and therefore, they still knew that there was a visible difference between them and the rest of their cohort.

This is why I built a space for networking, collaborating, and seeing that other women in this industry can relate to our experiences. It was often that I'd go to my friends and talk to them about things I'm experiencing, but they wouldn't quite get it in the same way that people like women in the industry completely understand what I'm talking about.

I just felt like I met so many amazing women who felt like they just didn't fit in. They must leave their best parts behind to survive in the tech space. So I started She Bytes Back to say that you don't have to conform, shrink or quit. You can thrive, and we can do it all together. 

3. How do you think diversity impacts innovation in the tech industry, and what steps can companies take to cultivate inclusivity?

There are studies that show just how much diversity impacts innovation. Especially when there's such a diverse group of people using technology, I truly believe the people building that technology need to reflect its users so they can account for certain things. A great book I recently read is “Invisible Woman” by Caroline Criado Perez, which also highlights this. I'd recommend reading that book to understand how diversity impacts innovation. 

In terms of what steps companies can take, I think they should work with communities that support certain groups in tech. For example, I was hugely involved in Coding Black Females, and that's how I landed two of my tech roles just through their job boards. It highlighted to me which companies are committed to hiring diverse talent. It's one thing to post on LinkedIn, but if I saw that they were active even when I'd go to tech events, they would be at events dedicated to diverse communities within tech, which communicates to me that they’re serious about diversity within tech.

It’s a great way to attract diverse people. Another way is to have an inclusive culture. That comes from building psychological safety so that people from diverse backgrounds can feel valued, safe, and empowered to contribute, question how things are happening, and feel supported.

There's also a lot of talk about having mentorship and sponsorship opportunities. I work for Skyscanner, which has a great reverse mentoring scheme. I was partnered with the director of engineering, and we've had sessions which involved discussing various topics; it's not only beneficial for me, but it's also beneficial for him to grow in his career and understand what people at the company are feeling. It is an excellent opportunity to have a safe conversation, give feedback and work on improving processes. Not only does it feel private and supportive, but it also strengthens the company's inclusive culture as it is essentially saying we want to hear from you because we value your insight, and it will make things better.’

It’s typically said that women are over-mentored and under-sponsored, and I'd like to highlight just how important sponsorship is. When speaking about people, you advocate for them when they're not even in the room. So often, it can be challenging for diverse people to amplify themselves.

Sometimes, it's very helpful for someone else to do that for you. I was so shy when I started working for my business internship. I felt like I didn’t belong in the business world; I was only an intern and felt helpless. However, my manager advocated for me in so many roles to different employees which boosted my confidence and made me feel supported immediately.  

I would never have had that conversation, nor would I have necessarily highlighted what I was doing because sometimes, when you're just doing it and don't feel good enough, you think this is just the basics. When, in fact, it's so nice for someone else to recognise your work. It’s the recognition from a senior who says, ‘Wow, this is something that you've accomplished; let me tell other people about the work you’re doing, for you.’

4. Your background includes transitioning from Economics and Accounting to coding during the pandemic. How has this unique journey influenced your approach to supporting women in tech?

That experience taught me firsthand the power of being willing to start over, especially as someone who spent three years studying economics and accounting.

When i graduated, it was during the pandemic and it just felt like my life was falling apart here. I knew I had to embrace learning in public, being seen, asking for help, and having that supportive community around me. I think I lucked out because it was during the pandemic. While the world was in chaos, from an educational point of view, it was a period in which no one had anything to do.

I was messaging people about mentorship and things like that because so many people were around. Everyone said, “Well, I'm not doing anything else.” It was invaluable to unlearn this idea that I need to do it all alone and can't ask for help. Having so many people who were willing to take time to support me and to advance me in terms of not only learning to code, refining my interview skills, and feeling a sense of belonging that it was possible to break into tech without having a Computer Science degree. 

Therefore, when I support women today, I bring a similar mindset: you don't need a traditional path to be or belong here. When I was applying for roles, the first question I got was, “Well, you don't have a computer science degree.” 

Through the events we do at She Bytes Back, we essentially showcase and remind women to embrace their unique skills, experiences, and perspectives. We should not downplay or apologise for this because all of our skills are transferable at the end of the day. For example, just because you come from a finance role doesn't mean you can't use similar skills from finance in your new tech role. 

The pandemic, especially, was very isolating, and it created a whole new sense of loneliness. Even though I was connecting with people online, I definitely felt lonely. This is another reason why I'm so focused on creating spaces for women to be championed, seen, heard, and connected. I understand the isolation and loneliness that can occur, especially if you feel like the odd one out or work remotely, so you don't get to connect with people in person. I just want to show them what's possible and give them the tools to step boldly into spaces they may have thought weren't for them.

5. You’ve won multiple awards, including the Black Tech Achievement Awards Rising Star 2024. How do you leverage these accolades to inspire and motivate other women in the tech industry?

I think it's a great piece on representation and visibility, especially because many women in tech have asked themselves, "Is this just a male-dominated field here?" What's great about these accolades is that they show women what's possible and encourage them to advocate for themselves and apply for these kinds of awards.

When it comes to awards, remember… you can nominate yourself! So often, we're waiting on someone else. Oh, well, someone's going to recognise that I've been doing all of this, and they're going to nominate me. Reality check: people don't have time. This is why I tell people to nominate themselves to showcase the work that they're doing and take time to celebrate the stuff they're doing.

6. As a software engineer at Skyscanner, how do you balance your technical work with your advocacy for diversity in tech?

One word boundaries.

I have a time block for my advocacy work, and it's great that Skyscanner is so supportive of it both within the company and outside of it. 

I'm part of the women's ERG group. I'm a champion for them, which consists of monthly meetings to support and uplift female employees. Skyscanner is highly supportive of my advocacy efforts; I contribute to internal events supporting D&I, which is excellent because it makes women feel seen and heard and aids my career progression. Their support means that it's not seen as a distraction. It adds to my unique growth. I think that more companies should be doing that. 

Setting many boundaries in terms of time is essential because it can get distracting if you spend too much time on it. Alongside setting boundaries, I have a supportive circle around me, so it doesn’t always feel like ‘just me’. At Skyscanner, we have many members of our DE&I community, including the Head of DE&I, ensuring that all our efforts are running smoothly and nothing is ever forgotten. It is a genuine team effort.

Outside of work, She Bytes Back also requires time boundaries because when I dedicate time to it, I want to ensure I can give 100%. Knowing my limits is crucial as it helps avoid burnout, especially when balancing a full-time role.  

7. Beyond technical skills, what emotional intelligence have you developed that makes you an exceptional engineer?

It’s funny getting this question because when I applied for roles, they said I had the soft skills, which I like to rebrand as core skills, and needed to work on my technical skills. So then, when I was in a role, I forgot all those core skills; clearly, no one cared about them. I only need to focus on my technical skills.

However, I learned quickly that that wasn't the case. For example, when you're an engineer, you need both. You need technical skills but also emotional intelligence. Empathy helps me understand the needs of not only the users for whom we're creating products but also to connect with my teammates on a human level. This makes a massive difference, especially regarding collaboration and building trust.

One thing that I've learned in my role is the power of active listening. Sometimes, I'd passively listen, but actively listening helps me understand the viewpoint that they're coming from and also allows me to ask questions. Again, that comes from a psychologically safe environment. It helps me to build that trust and understand where they're coming from. This is essential when it comes to navigating different cultures and communication styles. There is no greater skill than the ability to read the room. 

8. You’ve spoken about conquering perfectionism and adopting a growth mindset. Can you elaborate on how these concepts apply to women in tech roles? 

For as long as I can remember, I have struggled with perfectionism. It's been very interesting transitioning into a technical role where you are expected to fail a lot. You break things a lot, but in this situation, you have to use the errors as your learning lessons, which is literally what a growth mindset is. 

Early in my career, I felt I had to have all the answers before speaking up, which stifled my growth. I remember that in my first role at Amex, the director would always come in and ask a question. You knew if he was in a meeting, he would ask a question, and it was powerful to see someone leading by example. It is important to create an atmosphere of engagement when a colleague is commanding the room. This recognises you as an active listener and a supportive employee who wants to learn more about others' work.  

I remember thinking, what's a good question? I didn’t want to speak up and ask a question that would make people roll their eyes and think, “Oh, Amber wasn't listening,” or “she doesn't understand,” or something similar. I concluded that I just had to pace myself. So sometimes, I use my keyboard warrior fingers to write a question out to see what it looks like and then wait for what kind of questions other people ask. Write down their questions and store them so you can think about what questions are similar, how you can expand on that topic, and whether there is a follow-up question.  One day, you’ve just got to be brave. When you're growing, there's a reason why it's called growing pains, because it's so uncomfortable. It can feel very exposing, like, “Oh my gosh, I'm in such a position for people to judge me because I'm putting myself out there.” 

You can tackle this problem one of two ways.  Either way, you can feel self-doubt, the rush of ‘Oh, I’m not good enough’, and pure anxiety encapsulating you. However, you will adopt the attitude of learning how to get through this and see the light at the end of the tunnel. Or, you can self-sabotage, which means you ultimately make no progress. You can feel those same things: discomfort and fear.  However, how you choose to move forward with the situation is different. You make those proper steps on your way up, especially when you have mentorship, sponsorship, and a community to lift you when you say, "Oh my gosh, I'm not good enough." Making that distinction between responses has been so helpful for me. Now, when talking to other women struggling with not feeling good enough, I can help guide them to the first response.  

9. Do you have a final piece of advice for a young woman looking to start a tech career? 

I would say not to wait until you feel ready to leap; start now and develop a healthy relationship with rejection. I started before I was ready for job applications and interviews. This helped me understand what questions they were asking, how to frame my answers better, and how to gauge what kind of career I wanted to step into because it can be overwhelming. 

There are software engineers and product managers, and there are all these different roles, and it can be a bit confusing where to start. Job interviews and speaking to people can be so helpful for learning what to expect and what the recruitment processes are like nowadays as everything is being more tailored. 

This is just a reminder that you don't need to know everything. There's been a shift from needing to be a know-it-all to now needing to be a learn-it-all because you cannot keep up with the rapid pace of technology moves, and you don't need to have all the answers.

So when you're applying for roles, if you don't initially feel like you meet 50 percent of the criteria, apply anyway and customise your CV for that role. So many people apply when they meet 60 percent, but as women, we feel like we need to meet 100 percent, or else they will reject us. Remember, there is no pain in just applying and seeing what's said. 

I can vouch for that myself because I've applied for roles that didn't meet 100 per cent of the criteria, and it landed them. Focusing on progress and perfection and leaning into that community makes such a difference. I talk about community so much, but I would never; I never got here just from doing it all alone.

I've had so many mentors and sponsors, just like friends and family, and I've built up this excellent network of women in tech who have championed my growth and reminded me of my worth. I do the same thing for them. Building relationships is key, and those real connections require focusing on what you can get and what you can give.

We want to thank Amber once again for taking the time to share her incredible journey and insights. Her passion for creating supportive communities and driving meaningful change is remarkable. The way she transformed her career path and can now help others do the same is impressive and highly impactful. 

If you would like to hear more from Amber, follow her on LinkedIn