The Changing Role of Women in Cybersecurity
In 2000, women made up just 9% of the tech industry—a starkly unbalanced figure that has fortunately risen to 35% in 2024. This progress reflects the impact of empowerment initiatives, diversity and inclusion measures, and the dismantling of stigmas around women entering male-dominated fields.
Yet, while this increase is encouraging, it’s no reason to consider the journey complete. Instead, this shift emphasises the determination of women who have worked tirelessly to establish a voice in the tech sector. It also reminds that true gender equality can only be reached by continuing to create a platform for women in the tech industry to discuss their experiences, motivations, and knowledge.
That’s why this Staff Spotlight blog is dedicated to an interview with our esteemed Product Manager Beth Watts, one of OnSecurity’s first full-time female employees and a role model for many within our business.
In this Spotlight, Beth discusses finding her feet in the tech industry, figuring out career aspirations, and navigating a male-dominated industry as a woman, offering advice for any other women curious about positions in tech.
A Bit of Background
Did you go to university?
Beth attended the University of West England. “I never knew what I wanted to do as a career growing up, so I just did something I loved- History,” She details. This revelation is surprising to me- Beth’s experience with OnSecurity and clear aptitude for product management are a far cry from the mediaeval warfare likely studied on her course. She expands to explain that her transition from sixth-form to university was not particularly straightforward, prompting a gap year. “This worked for me, in a way. The gap year allowed me to gain confidence in my decision to go to university, and by the time enrolment came around I was really up for it.”
“I’d say that it's important to realise you don’t have to have it all figured out in school. I navigated my career through different experiences, which helped me define what I did and didn’t like.”
What industry did you start in?
“I started in customer facing work,” Beth says. “My first role was with Enterprise, providing me with a good grounding in customer service. I ended up actually responsible for organising a fleet of cars, which I think assured me of my ability to multi-task and systemise things within deadlines.”. Even before she became a Product Manager, Beth expressed having many of the qualities and skills required of the role. “I then worked in sales and, after that, conference producing. These both involved a lot of customer support.” She summarises that with every role she emerged more confident of her professional passions and career aspirations.
Cybersecurity and working for OnSecurity
Why OnSecurity and cybersecurity in general?
“My previous positions supported me in building the skills I have today as a product manager, but in terms of passion, I was still feeling quite uninspired. I have always had a personal interest in true crime and how organisations tackle criminal activity, and, coupled with an interest in technology, cybersecurity seemed like an ideal industry for me.” I can relate to Beth's motivations—there’s a certain intrigue in defending businesses against malicious hackers and uncovering the darker side of organised cybercrime. Beth expands that she found OnSecurity through a desire to work within a reputable, Bristol-based organisation. “I sent off a speculative application and received a quick response. I was really impressed with the company’s attitude.”
“I began in Customer Success, where I bridged the gap between our customers and the product itself, taking on board client experiences and feedback to support the developers in streamlining the platform. Beyond that I became Product Manager as the company expanded.” Beth pauses thoughtfully, and then says- “It’s been almost three years now and I couldn’t be happier. OnSecurity’s environment complemented both my skill-set and personality.”
What do you think makes OnSecurity unique in its offerings / product?
“The company really cares about its employees, which attracts and retains great people who in turn care about the service and product they create.” She explains. “One of the first things that struck me when I began at OnSecurity was how much our clients liked the platform- we were solving an authentic problem for them by offering real-time reporting. Generally people see the value in it straight away and experiencing this was unique for me.”
I ask if there were many other women at OnSecurity when she joined the team. Beth pauses thoughtfully. “I was one of the first full-time women on the OnSecurity team, actually. I was instantly trusted and provided with opportunities to help continue to grow and develop the platform, which was affirming.”
Navigating the Tech Industry as a Woman
Describe How you Navigated the Tech Industry as a Woman.
Beth’s identity as one of the first full-time female employees at OnSecurity leads perfectly into my next question: How did you navigate the tech industry as a woman? Beth expresses that, in her experience, the distribution of male and female employees wasn’t too offputting. “I’d grown used to working in male-dominated environments.” She says, “But also more mixed ones. It’s important to have good experience communicating with everybody, and so I took my role as one of the only women as more of an opportunity to encourage more women into the team than an obstacle.”
“A big part of why I felt so comfortable was definitely the business itself, though. From day one I was treated with respect, and offered just as much opportunity as my male colleagues.”
“Overall, I’d say the industry has made some serious changes for the better. I mean, we’ve hired some fantastic women as the company has grown, across departments too. It’s important for there to be a female presence high up in a company to keep the wheel of change turning- we all need someone to aspire to. The same can be said for our women of colour- it’s really encouraging to see evidence we are continaully diversifying and challenging harmful preconceptions.”
“I was one of the first women at OnSecurity and now I can be a role model for the newer women there, especially as we grow in female team members.” Beth encourages other women who may be dissuaded from male-dominated positions to consider such a perspective. Obviously, closing the gender gap in the tech industry is still an uphill battle, but it's one that gets easier every day, if we all have the confidence to be the change we want to see.
Closing Comments
I ask for some final words of advice for women out there navigating a career in tech.
Beth says: “Don’t be afraid to ask for opportunities. Don’t be scared of shooting off a few speculative applications, and don’t be dissuaded if it's a male-heavy industry or workplace- you could be the female role model future employees will need and appreciate.”
To understand more about OnSecurity's unique platform offering- powered by our brilliant team- visit our pentesting testing page today.
