Tasha Rodrigues is a Senior Customer Support Analyst for IT Services

"I studied Psychology at Sussex and was drawn to working with and helping people. I enjoyed the more technical aspects of my degree such as statistical analysis and data handling. This logical mindset and desire to work with people, eventually led me to IT, each with its own challenges and rewards."

"I find fulfilment in helping people and take great pride in being able to support staff and students in their research. On a technical level the satisfaction that comes from troubleshooting and solving IT issues is huge. I love the feeling of integrating information and seeing the pieces come together. I’m thankful that I’m constantly learning-whether it’s through collaborating with my colleagues, researching issues, or engaging with new technology."

"One of my highlights was being promoted to Senior Customer Support Analyst and starting to train colleagues. Watching newer team members grow in confidence and develop their skills is wonderful, and contributing to their development has been a privilege. Professionally, a standout moment was during the pandemic when our team helped implement a completely new way of working. ITS helped staff and students master new technologies in a short space of time, and the flexibility and creativity required to do so continues to shape how Sussex operates today."

"Moving from the charity sector, which was predominantly female to the technology sector, which tends to be male dominated, was an adjustment. However, it’s encouraging to see the tech space gradually becoming more diverse, and I’m proud to be part of that change. In terms of career development, switching to a technical field required a lot of learning. This is especially important in IT, where self-directed research is vital. The ability to problem-solve and work through technical challenges on your own is fundamental to success in our field, and mastering that skill was paramount for me."

"I want to continue developing my technical skills by gaining more expertise in Powershell and Microsoft platforms like Azure, as well as expanding my knowledge of Linux. I’m keen to develop my leadership skills and take on more managerial responsibilities. I feel that being an effective manager in the tech world requires both strong technical competence and excellent interpersonal skills. Building on both of these areas, I aspire to move into a management role in the future. Whether that will be within the Helpdesk team or another part of IT, I’m excited to see where my career will take me."

Sussex alumna Efua Akumanyi co-founded Furnishful, a shopping discovery site for furniture and homeware, and is co-CTO of Coding Black Females.

“I came to Sussex to do a degree in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence in 1998. I am the youngest in my family and my siblings had already chosen sciences and arts. I wanted to find my own path. I had no idea what it was going to involve. Artificial intelligence sounded like the sci fi films I watched. My dad was a journalist and specialised in the tech side of journalism, so it meant that we always had a computer at home, and I used to play games on our Atari.It was a hard degree, especially the maths, but I am stubborn and I like a challenge. It helps to be logical and to be able to hold a few different concepts in your head at the same time. After graduating, I was lucky enough to get an internship in a medical software start-up and stayed working in that field for ten years as a program developer. Although it wasn’t my original ambition, I was able to build enough skills and experience to set up my own online company, Furnishful, which combined my interest in interior design with my love for coding."

"The biggest challenge is always being the only person in the room who looks like me and comes from my background. I didn’t have any role models. If I had an issue, I didn’t know if it was because of the way I looked and because my name is difficult to pronounce, or if it was because I didn’t ask enough questions. Unless you’re in a group that looks like you, you don’t know what is normal. That’s why I became involved in Coding Black Females, which is a mentoring and support network for black women in tech."

"To be honest, it’s not difficult to get women into the industry now. There are plenty of opportunities at entry level. But it’s still difficult to move to the next level. What do women need to be fostered and nurtured? Is it sponsorship, networking, mentoring? There are lots of ways we can help - not just black women but all women. I have been told to be less women centric, but the tech world is still dominated by men and that needs to change. There needs to be more diversity, to have different voices, particularly as AI develops."

"I sold my company last year and I’m now exploring new projects. I can see lots of gaps in the market that require new software. Every business these days needs tech support and women are more than capable of providing that."

"I also believe women are great at starting up businesses. They don’t set out to dominate the world and employ thousands, but they do create businesses that are workable and sustainable. Millions of women are doing this.”

Rebecca McKenna is Senior Customer Support Analyst for IT Services

"I’ve been at Sussex pretty much since I was born. Both of my parents work here and I attended the creche and nursery, and then got my first job here at 16 years old. I worked in a few different departments, including Finance and Admissions, before a role came up on the Service Desk in IT Services. I have a lot of transferable customer service skills and was fortunate to know quite a few Sussex systems already but I’ve really built up my technical knowledge whilst working on the ITS Service Desk."

"In my role I enjoy how it gives a great picture of the whole University. We assist everyone from the Vice Chancellor to new applicants, so we get to see the IT challenges that each individual faces at Sussex. It’s also great to be part of the solution to those problems, knowing that when a customer contacts us with an issue, I can fix it for them."

"One of my highlights is the ever-changing landscape! New technologies always provide an interesting challenge and give me an opportunity to expand my knowledge. I love getting involved in projects being delivered at Sussex, and having input into how we deliver new solutions to the wider University. I also enjoy being able to put my problem-solving skills to good use. Usually when people contact the Service Desk, they’re frustrated with having tried to fix a problem themselves. Being able to listen to a customer, put the clues together to work out what is wrong, and then deliver a solution, is a great feeling."

"One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced on the Service Desk is meeting the demand for technical support, while also ensuring that every issue is addressed thoroughly. We’re a team of seven supporting all students and staff at Sussex, so it’s quite a balancing act ensuring that we can answer all calls and tickets in a timely manner. Working in a traditionally male-dominated field, there have been times when I have felt the need to demonstrate my knowledge and expertise, but this has made me more resilient and determined to prove myself."

"Long term, I’d like to manage Service Operations for an organisation similar to Sussex. While I enjoy working in technology, one of the best bits of the job for me is the people, and having a career in service operations would allow me to keep that as my focus."