Xhensila Kajacka

In April 2020 Xhensila Kajacka joined envelio as a Software Engineer. 

She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science in Tirana, Albania. She decided to study in this field because she has always been fascinated by science. 

In her previous professional experiences, she has worked in different companies and industries, but always in the field of IT, engineering and programming. The field of „renewable energies” was new to her when she started working for envelio. It was a great chance for her to contribute now to the energy transition with the further development of our product, the Intelligent Grid Platform.  

We interviewed Xhensila.

Why are you working in the tech industry?
I have always been curious and fund of technology. At the same time I like being creative. Programming, especially front-end-development, is the perfect mix of these two things.  I chose envelio because of the product and the vision the company has. To work at an awarded cleach tech company which persues the energy transition just makes you feel like you are contributing in a direct way to solve the big issues that come with this topic. It is what the work makes pleasant.

Why are you a benefit to envelio and the tech industry in general?
I think I am a very good fit for envelio and for my role here. I can use my previous experience in the tech field very well in front-end development, as well as my knowledge about the interaction between business goals and technical implementation. It has always been my goal to get to know many different aspects of IT and computer science, which is made possible for me here. It never gets boring. New trends, new languages, new technologies – there is so much change at envelio and this is reflected in our products and in my work. It’s exciting to constantly develop them, as well as myself.

How would you describe the company culture at envelio?
What I particularly like about envelio is that all employees are treated equally. envelio is a multicultural employer where you meet many colleagues from different cultures, countries and with the most diverse work experiences. At lunch, you learn many interesting things from many different perspectives.
In addition, with its product, the Intelligent Grid Platform, envelio is helping to advance the energy transition. It is exciting to work for a company that is so rich in ideas and technology.

Does your knowledge also help you in your everyday life?
Compared to other occupations, programming is an abstract field. This makes my work special. My job has given me a better awareness of security, privacy and the risks that exist in the World Wide Web. In addition, my work has given me a broad understanding of other online topics, which also gives me many benefits in my everyday life. I can highly recommend my profession, especially also to girls who are still the minority in this field. Of course, as in so many other areas, first steps are always the hardest but if you approach the matter with enthusiasm, it is definitely worth the effort.

Is there a project you are particularly proud of? And why?
The companies I worked for in Albania were rather small, with small projects. At envelio, I now work on major projects. I cannot specify just one single project because each one of them is special for me when it comes to the experience I got, and the things I learned through difficulties and success on the way.

How were women represented in your educational background?
The majority of students in these fields are men. And also in my previous work experiences, 85% to 90% were men. It happened very often that I was the only woman in a team.
But I have to say that I have had really good experiences working with men, although in my daily life I usually have more female friends. I have always experienced a very respectful treatment towards the women in the team and I have always felt comfortable. There was always a great willingness to help each other.

What do you think about prejudices like this one: “Women don’t know anything about technology”?
That happens to me sometimes. It’s just a prejudice. Many girls are interested in cars, science and building furniture. These are also things that are tainted with prejudices. People don’t know you and also don’t know about your daily work. The less we judge, the better it would be for everyone. Recently, when it comes to women in tech, people are getting more aware that women can be equally good or sometimes even better than men. Being competent has nothing to do with your gender or your origin. Women in tech are valuable and our society should be aware of that. Desire and passion are what you need to succeed.

What needs to change for more women to succeed in tech?
The idea that men are better at technology should disappear. It should be clear that gender means nothing when it comes to accomplishing something you can learn. Something you have the passion for. Nature doesn’t stop you from doing it. It’s up to the person themselves. The number of women in management should be increased because of their intuition and creativity. There should be a balance of women and men. Parents, schools and kindergartens should convey that everyone can achieve what they want. Little girls should be taught from the beginning that nothing can stop them. The mentality of gender boundaries needs to disappear.