Mohau Tshabalala: Woman in Tech

When we decided to open our Women in Tech feature to every female in IT, we couldn’t have imagined that we would receive such a positive response. The women who reached out are incredible women doing exceptional things in the IT space.

Meet Mohau Tshabalala; An agile, creative and multi-skilled professional with a growth mindset.

“I’m an astute learner with an ever-growing body of knowledge in Business Transformation; particularly in Analytics, Insights and Innovation. I have had great exposure to data in the Financial Services Sector, with in-depth experience in Banking. I am passionate about continuous learning and becoming a Thought Leader of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).” – Mohau

Walk us through your career journey and how you got into I.T?

I started in IT Governance Risk & Compliance where I learnt about industry best practices, the standards organisations have to meet to do international business and how to put together IT policy. I then wanted to become more technical because I enjoyed coding in university and thought I had a back for it; So, I started developing Accounting and Tax Analytics solutions using a niche language called Audit Command Language (ACL). I soon discovered that there was a lot more in the Analytics industry than testing for controls and I sought to join a big four consulting firm to gain international exposure and become more aware of my blindspots. Here I was introduced to broad applications of data analytics, from providing assurance, to reporting and giving insight and direction. I then joined another world-class firm, where I spent the bulk of my career. I moved from gaining broad exposure to developing deep expertise in banking. I learnt how the bank works; how it measures, manages and reports on different kinds of risks. I took this opportunity to sharpen my technical and leadership skills. Before joining the bank I work for, I was privileged to learn that you don’t have to stick around if you’re not getting what you want for your career. I’m grateful because this short stint propelled me to articulate what I want, and I soon got the strategic job I had been aspiring for, for many years.

What is your typical day like at work?

I have a personal Kanban board where I prioritise the work I have to do in the short term. I like to start with project work, like creating a new automated process, report or app using Microsoft’s Power Platform. Then I move to answer stakeholders’ data questions by preparing quick interactive dashboards that allow them to ask their questions in different contexts. Most days have tons of meetings during the day and sometimes I get to dress up and meet with colleagues at the office. I usually end my day by learning and preparing for the next awesome day.

What do you know now you wish you knew when you were younger?

You don’t know what you don’t know, so remain humble and curious about the things happening around you.

What is your advice for other girls considering getting into the tech space?

It’s really hard getting your first job, but keep persevering; work on your CV and LinkedIn Profile and grab that employment opportunity when you see it. Once you’re in, then you can start tailoring your own career plan; and figuring out what you’re good at and how you’d like to grow.