The ‘impossible’ or ‘I’m possible’ | From professional dance to tech

“In high school, mathematics was my absolute favorite subject. I was also very good at it. After high school, I hadn’t done anything with math anymore, but still this hasn’t stopped me from pursuing a career in the tech industry,” Kim recalls. She started a professional career in modern dance, studied Human Movement Sciences, and later she completed a PhD in Neuroscience. She further explains: “When I couldn’t pursue my dance career due to physical problems, and when I realized that a career in academia wasn’t going to make me happy, I started to look around for jobs in other fields.”

“I got the chance to show the value of my unique background, despite it being not so mathematical, and I’m still very grateful for that.”

Kim continues: “That’s when I found a job opening at ORTEC to become a Data Scientist, which appealed to me because I wanted to use my problem-solving skills to solve real business problems. I gave it a shot and applied. I got a call from the recruiter saying that they were very enthusiastic about my motivation letter, but they couldn’t directly see a good match with my previous experiences. Just like with any applicants, I had to do two different entrance tests: the Competency Assesment System (CAS) - this assessment shows whether a candidate has the right competencies for a specific (future) position - and the VIT test, an intelligence test that measures the professional and intellectual level. After both tests, I was invited to the first ‘Meet & Match Day’: the possibility for young talents to get a contract in just one day. They asked me how I had prepared myself for the tests. It turned out that my results for the VIT test were rather impressive – exceeding the results of everyone else before me. A long story short: ORTEC gave me the chance to show what value my unique background has, despite it not being so mathematical, and I’m still very grateful for that.”

Life at ORTEC

Kim currently works as Business Lead Manufacturing & Retail at ORTEC. She initially started her career at ORTEC as a Data Scientist but gradually transitioned into roles that allowed her to explore the strategic and commercial aspects of the business. "Along the way I found out that I like to take in the whole picture and use that to define a vision, something I picked up choreographing: it only makes sense if all people on stage have a clear goal and are 'moving' towards that goal. Likewise, I also like to get people, and organizations, moving towards a common goal," she explains.

⭐️ “Everyone should be seen, heard, and valued”

Leading a team of >20 people, Kim highly values inclusivity. She’s dedicated to making sure everyone gets heard, not just within her own team, but within the whole organization. This motivated her to set up the global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion workgroup (DE&I) within ORTEC back in 2021. With this group of passionate colleagues, she aims to raise awareness, challenge biases, and create a more inclusive culture within the company. “Every individual should be seen, heard, and valued,” she says.

⭐️ “There’s an untapped potential women bring to tech”

“There’s an untapped potential women bring to the predominantly male-dominated tech industry,” says Kim. She believes that women can contribute diverse skills, such as empathy, collaborative problem-solving, and a focus on common goals. She acknowledges the progress made in promoting gender diversity, but also recognizes the clear need for further inclusion and representation at higher management levels.

When looking ahead, Kim expresses her hope for the future, envisioning a more balanced gender distribution within the tech industry, particularly in leadership positions. She believes that by focusing on attracting and empowering talented women, companies can enhance their success and become not only employers of choice, but will also create more inclusive (software) solutions which will fit a diverse end-user audience.