As International Women's Day nears, the Hampshire-based tech company Aura Technology, which is based in Totton, says it is bolstering its approach to promoting gender diversity within the sector.

Georgina Hobbs, who serves as a second-line support engineer at Managed Service Provider (MSP), Aura Technology, has provided insights into her daily operations and her desire for more women to join the sector.

Ms Hobbs has held an integral role at the company for more than two years and divides her workweek between the service desk and on-site duties.

She begins her day with essential administrative tasks, responding to emails and handling tickets, along with addressing any necessary escalations. She is also proactive, frequently communicating with clients for updates and dealing with issues behind the scenes.

Ms Hobbs's core day revolves around pending tickets that require attention. Her job also takes her out of the office for about two days every week, working closely with one of Aura's clients.

Her role also involves bringing innovation and efficiency to the table, assisting clients in refining their processes, and ensuring that everything, from devices to firmware, are up-to-date.

In her quieter moments, Ms Hobbs immerses herself in self-improvement by exploring training resources on the software Pluralsight to build on her skills and knowledge. She also contributes to Aura's documentation library and shares her knowledge with her colleagues.

Addressing the misconceptions around IT, she said: "I feel a lot of people think that it's all about being stuck in front of laptops, especially when working on the desk. But other exciting facets exist, like engaging with customers face-to-face."

Ms Hobbs says her favourite part of the job is working with customers. She said: "Building a relationship with the customers is incredibly rewarding. One of my customers even invited me to a Christmas meal. Plus, the constant learning—no two days are the same."

She also admits that she is often met with surprise due to her gender. She said:  "I guess the main reaction, as you can imagine, is the fact that I'm female. There aren't many of us in this industry." 

Aura says it is invested in ensuring more 'talented' women like Georgina find jobs with them.