Nairlin Montero worked at Ericsson for two years in her native Venezuela before transferring to Ericsson, Australia, twelve years ago – making her tenure an impressive fourteen years in total!
“I loved working at Ericsson in my home country and looked to go back to Ericsson when I moved to Australia because I had such a great time. I have definitely chosen the right career path – I wouldn’t change a thing!”
In an industry now comprising of 33.% females and with opportunities opening up at all levels, Nairlin says now is the perfect time for more women to launch their telecoms careers.
“I’d love to let all the new girls out there know that the telecoms industry is not just for boys! We, as women, can also grow in this industry!”
We caught up with Nairlin to find out why she believes Ericsson is the ideal place for your next career move.
How Nairlin is supported to improve the lives of others every day
Ericsson is in the business of connecting people, and they have been at the forefront of changing technology for more than 130 years in Australia. As an international company helping to solve everyday challenges, Nairlin knows her work is making a real-life, positive impact in her role as Build Manager:
“I’m responsible for planning, organizing, directing, and coordinating the delivery of network upgrades in metropolitan and urban areas across Australia. We work with major customers like Optus, TPG, Telstra, and NBN.”
Ericsson wants to create a “future of limitless possibility.”
Learn more about how Ericsson can shape your future potential!
Helping others and working together to overcome complex problems is a big part of what Nairlin enjoys about her role, but most of all, she loves the continued learning and progression.
Nairlin’s current role is very hands-on, and she has advanced through several positions at the company, expanding her skillset and in-the-field experience at every level:
“I am motivated by a desire to learn new skills, and Ericsson has given me the opportunity to learn and develop my career. My technical skills have played an important role in my career development, and I’m proud of myself and what I have achieved so far.”
Career development and supporting staff success are continued priorities for Ericsson. As Nairlin has experienced, employees are given the right tools and opportunities to grow their technical and professional skill sets and thrive within the business.
How embracing change leads to growth
One lesson Nairlin encourages everyone to live by is to welcome change. Being open to new experiences and challenges means we will continue to grow and develop – and it can take your career in new directions.
“Embrace change! Change will give you more options and pathways in your career. Know your purpose and work towards it. I started as an in-the-field technician, then moved to the office as a coordinator, then to quality acceptance manager, and then to a build manager role. All these roles are related to site engineering and have taught me practical skills, leadership, and a greater understanding of the company.”
Always keeping her eyes on the prize, Nairlin’s aspirations don’t stop there. In addition to continuing her own career journey, she would like to help others who want to follow in her footsteps.
“I would like to take on new career challenges and expand my leadership skills. I would also like to be a mentor so that I can share my knowledge and experiences with others.”
Why it’s essential to continue lifting other women
Although most industries are seeing a welcome shift towards more inclusive workplaces, there’s still work to be done.
Ericsson is committed to advancing gender diversity across its global operations. In Australia, women represent 31% of the key management personnel and governing body, 21% of people in management roles, and 23% of the workforce. To bridge the gender gap, Ericsson has set ambitious targets to increase women’s representation to 30% across leadership and the full organization by 2030.
Key strategies to support these goals include transparent pay, promotion, and reward processes and skills-based assessment tasks during recruitment and promotions. Ericsson also ensures salary ranges are published in job advertisements and communicates when salaries are negotiable to minimize the risk of pay gaps developing.
Nairlin knows the importance of lifting other women – and how her own position on the leadership team can help other women who are starting out:
“Gender is not a limitation. Having strong line management support has really helped me overcome challenges, and now it’s my turn to pass on the knowledge I’ve gained to other women. I’ve learned that women need to be connected and help each other, and so I make sure I am always available to answer any questions my colleagues have
If you want to see your career continue to grow as you reach your goals, Nairlin has some final words of encouragement:
“Always believe in yourself. Enjoy the journey of your career progression, and never underestimate your ability to learn new things. Don’t ever give up on your dreams!”
