Podcast with Jenine Beekhuyzen
Jenine Beekhuyzen has done everything from washing cars to working the checkout at the supermarket. She decided that she did not want to be ordinary so she educated herself, finished university and got involved in IT work.
She has just released her book Tech girls are chic! (not just geek). It is a not-for-profit book free for Australian schoolgirls, to encourage them into an IT career. It is based on seven years of research, finding role models, and helping others understand the diversity of IT careers.
In order for the book to be distributed and in order for Jenine to have the 16 tech girls heard (and hopefully become role models for younger women) Jenine relied on sponsorship eventually raising over $30,000 and making this dream a possibility.
With this book, Jenine’s aim is to show school girls and women that working with technology can be a fun and rewarding career for women.
So she has found a career that allows her to travel, to work from home - and to make jewellery. She now wants to educate women to help them find the life and work they want.
Jenine works as a researcher, tutor in Business Information Systems, a jewellery designer and a software trainer in research software while studying her PHD in Digital Rights Management and the Online Music Experience.
Click play to listen.
Running time: 18.48
Transcript
NOTE: This transcript has been edited for your readability.
Valerie:
So thanks for joining us today, Jenine.
Jenine:
Thank you.
Valerie:
Now tell us how did you get the idea for this book, Tech Girls are Chic (not just geek!)?
Jenine:
I guess the idea for the book has been around in a number of forms for
a number of years but essentially I wanted to create something that was
long-term, permanent and I guess somewhat timeless as well to encourage
girls into IT.
For the last six years I've been involved in organizing "Technology Takes You Anywhere Days" here in southeast Queensland. And these are really great days for girls to come and learn about technology and get to play with things and meet great role models and things like that. But I really wanted to create something that they could take home with them and that we could also get out to girls that don’t get to come to these events.
So I guess that I'm sort of strongly of the belief that we need lots of different approaches just to encourage females into IT so these will be hands-on play with technology days, ways to give them information about different careers and different roles, access to role models and mentoring and essentially all types of information about different careers and things.
So essentially the book is a physical artefact and it’s got an online website as well. I guess we’ve developed a different approach the problem.
Valerie:
And have you always been interested in tech yourself? Or were you a geek when you were a little kid?
Jenine:
I guess in some sense that I was. I was probably about eight years when
my mum first brought home our first computer and it was this Amstrad
green screen with a tape deck attached to the keyboard and it made
strange noises and things. I guess I was always encouraged to use it
and there were only three females in my household, my mum, my sister
and I, so it was never a thought that it was just for boys.
So my mum was always an early adopter of technology which was really exciting to see the latest thing she would bring home and I guess I would watch her formatting and copying disks and writing command lines and playing games and things and I just loved doing it too. It was kind of like a secret society so it was quite intriguing.
Valerie:
And why do you think that girls aren't really flocking to IT careers
and why do you think that interest is not there compared to even how it
used to be a few years ago?
Jenine:
I think there's a couple of things, one of the main things - they just
don't understand what type of jobs there are and I guess the fact that
the industry and the fact that IT really is in every single industry
out there. So a lack of understanding of the different types of jobs,
and I think that’s definitely one of the things and I guess the other
thing is a lack of positive female role models.
So I don't really know any females that work in technology that they can sort of look up to and aspire to I guess, so again that’s where the book came from based on those two ideas. To try to give them a different side, a different look at the people who work with technology and that there are really just like them, that if we can do it they can too.
Valerie:
And what do you personally find interesting or fascinating about technology?
Jenine:
I think just that every day is different working with technology. I
mean you never know what new technology is going come out next and
because there are so many different jobs working in IT. I’m a student
myself but I do work in four or five different roles as well and I get
to change those each day and work on what I’m most interested in and
work to deadlines and things like that. So its really variety and
diversity which I think is the most exciting part.
Valerie:
But apart from your career does technology pervade other aspects of
your life, like do you go home and spend hours on the computer or do
you have all the latest gadgets and that kind of thing as well?
Jenine:
It’s funny that you say that. It was my birthday just a couple of days
ago and I got a new iPod Touch which I am very, very excited about. But
I did have an original classic from about seven years ago so I have now
moved on to the digital age with that.
But I guess it does, I mean I’m the one who records and sets the DVR and probably plays with the technology around the house rather than my husband so much but yeah, its just fun to do and I guess I’ve always just had a bit of knack with it in a way, I guess.
I love exploring it I think and so it’s not everywhere in my life and I do turn the computer off at the end of the day and try to not work at night and on the weekends and things like that. So I definitely think that you need some balance as well.
Valerie:
So what’s been the most rewarding part about publishing this book?
Jenine:
There’s been a couple of things, becoming good friends with all of the
girls in the book has definitely been a really great thing. And really
getting inspiring thanks messages from schoolgirls saying how the
book’s changed their ideas about technology or how it’s encouraged them
to follow their dreams and things like that. It just brings such a
smile to your face.
But I guess the single moment was on the 22nd of August, just a couple of weeks ago where we had our annual "Technology Takes You Anywhere Day" and we had over 700 girls come on the day and I signed about 500 books. It was just such a fun day.
We had these girls in year five who were high-fiving me and saying how cool it was for having such a great book and told me I was like a rock star. And I was just so inspired. They were really excited to have their own personal signed copy of the book. And I guess a day like that really makes all the hard work worthwhile.
Valerie:
Wonderful, and so tell us how you got the book off the ground, sort of
talk us through the process of after you got the idea obviously of
making it happen.
Jenine:
Okay, so essentially it was contacting sponsors and getting the authors
on board, so they were the two main things. So basically we raised
$30,000 to put the book together, to do all of the designs, to
basically print it and all of those kinds of things. And then we
contacted the sixteen girls to get involved.
So it was a process of both at the same time. Essentially we contacted anyone and everyone for sponsorship that we knew and that we didn’t know and sort of put ourselves out there. Sponsors were really very generous with their money and their faith in us and our ideas. They no doubt helped us to make it happen. Their trust was very encouraging.
But I guess a book like this was and that the book idea was something that they felt was quite innovative. So we are very thankful to them and to our authors.
So essentially everything was done pretty much by email, I actually didn’t meet four of the authors until the book launch face-to-face. So that was pretty exciting. But basically, essentially we did the book with technology.
Valerie:
Fantastic and how have you been distributing and marketing the book?
Jenine:
We’ve been distributing mostly through our days like "Technology Takes
You Anywhere". And we have another one in Victoria at the end of
October where there are two and half thousand girls coming there for
two days. So that’s going to be pretty exciting.
And I’ve been doing a lot of schools, we’re going out and taking books and I guess we have been offering to post them to different states where they are having career events and things like that. So we have sent them to pretty much every state now and territory actually.
So they’re in the hundreds of books. So they’re pretty much all over Australia and we’ve been getting them out there in those kinds of ways.
And the marketing, we have a great website which my mum actually built which is really great. The word has been spreading and it’s gotten some really great teachers who’ve been spreading the word for us and putting our screensaver on the school computers and things like that. So that’s been helping us to get the word out there.
Valerie:
Now there are 16 women who are showcased in this book. How did you choose who these women would be?
Jenine:
Some of them were people that I knew and some were friends who I guess
inspired me in what they are doing in their jobs every day. I know what
they do and just think it’s just amazing that they’ve gone as far as
they have and can do what they are capable of doing.
Others were recommended to us and some were put forward by the actual sponsoring organizations of the book. We gave them the opportunity to actually put someone forward to actually be in the book as well. So that was really fun.
So basically, we also had one girl who contacted us and said, "I love the idea for the book. Can I be in it?" So how could we refuse?
Valerie:
Now you have competitions for your next book. Tell us about the next book.
Jenine:
The next book, I’ve got my fingers crossed that there is going to be
one. At the moment we are actually talking with potential sponsors
about doing another print run of the current book so up to those 20,000
books to get them in every school across Australia. We have our fingers
crossed that’s going to come through.
But essentially we would like to do another book and maybe showcase another round of girls, and we would actually like to get some younger girls involved as well. So we are looking more within our target market which is sort of 12 - 16 year olds, and getting some of those girls to tell their stories and what they’d like to be doing with technology.
Valerie:
But would that still be on tech girls?
Jenine:
Possibly another book in the series for that kind of thing, that’s
definitely something that I would be looking at. I guess outside of
that, I would like to write a children’s book and things like that so
who knows really what would come next, looking for ideas.
Valerie:
You’d like to write a children’s book did you say?
Jenine:
I would actually, yes, that’s something that I have wanted to do for a
very long time. I guess working from home i spend quite a bit of time
with cat who’s a bit of an adventurer and who is the star of my book.
But yes, it’s something that I’ve thought about doing and would really
love to do.
Valerie:
Good inspiration for a book, your cat.
Jenine:
Yes, he is. He just loves going out on these trips where I think that he’s lots of stories to tell.
Valerie:
Now I understand that apart from being involved in this book and also
doing your own work in IT, you also make jewellery.
Jenine:
I do.
Valerie:
How do you juggle everything?
Jenine:
The jewellery is actually a really nice way to relax. Even though I do
sell it and it is a business that I do, making jewellery is just
amazingly relaxing. There is nothing more lovely than sitting with a
bunch of colourful Swarovski crystals surrounding you and trying to
think of what could I make and sort of creating something out of
nothing.
It’s amazingly relaxing. So I guess I do try to turn my computer off at a certain time each day and actually not work outside of work hours too much if I don’t have deadlines. I try to just have some fun and do something creative which is a different sort of creative and fun. It’s really nice when seeing people wear my jewellery and things. It’s really nice.
Valerie:
So tell us what your typical working day looks like.
Jenine:
Well that’s a good question because really everyday is different. It
really depends on deadlines that I have. For instance today and
tomorrow I'm working at home so in my pyjamas for most of the day,
which is very nice.
Doing a bit of web development this morning, I'm uploading videos to our website and luckily at home I have wireless so I can sit on the back deck. It’s a beautiful spring day so I get to do that a couple times a week.
Catching up on my emails and things like, and Wednesday I actually teach at the university and I have lunch with a friend and that kind of thing. And then Thursday and Friday this week I'm actually up to Google in Sydney.
Luckily
enough I’ve been named as a finalist in their 2008 Anita Borg
scholarship, so I actually get to spend two whole days at Google in
Sydney this week so at their offices. So I'm really excited about that.
So everyday is different and I might be in my pyjamas on day, or
getting on a plane another day. So that’s what I like about my job.
Valerie:
So did you know much about the book publishing process before you got
started with this book and how did you then find out about what you
needed to do?
Jenine:
I actually knew very little about the process to be honest. I did a lot
of my own research. I asked lots and lots of questions. Obviously the
Internet is a great resource to find out about as many things as
possible. So I researched different options like "print on demand" and
things like that.
Essentially in the end I found a printer who could do it at a price that was within out budget. And I had a graphic designer and because he actually put the entire book together, he was quite knowledgeable on the subject and gave us some advice on the best way to go about it.
So essentially it’s self-published and it’s kind of put together in "let’s hope this all works" and luckily it did. So yes, it was very much learning on the job.
Valerie:
So a lot of people who are listening would be interested in the
self-publishing journey that you’ve gone on. What have you learned
along the way that you’ve found quite interesting or surprising?
Jenine:
I guess the main thing that I’ve learned is it can be done. I don’t
have any experience in publishing books and such but it was something
that I really wanted to do. So you just make it happen and it is
absolutely possible to publish your own book.
And there are many different ways for you to do that, so whether you go through a publisher, or whether you keep the rights to yourself and publish yourself, or whether you do it through some print on demand. I know that we by no means are locked into the ways that we are publishing at the moment.
We could publish through a publisher in the future and that kind of thing. So I think that keeping your options open and thinking about what your real goal is for the book, setting out forth whatever it is that you are trying to publish.
In trying to publish this kind of book we wanted to get it out to as many people as possible so that’s sort of always foremost in our goals.
Valerie:
What was the most challenging part of it?
Jenine:
Challenging part was probably the time in putting it together and
communicating with 16 different people who then had to get their
stories together and their profiles. And coordinate with the
photographer who I hadn’t actually met with people in Sydney and
Melbourne, again who I hadn’t actually met.
So trying to complete this management of those kinds of processes, but it was great fun and the girls were just fantastic about it. And were really fun and were helpful which was great.
But it certainly was a challenge doing everything electronically, but in a way it was a really great way to do it as well.
Valerie:
And from a financial point of view, is it basically worth your while because of the sponsorship?
Jenine:
Well essentially for me it’s a volunteer project so I'm not getting any
monetary reward out of it. But for the book, so essentially we raised
the money we needed to publish it and print it and actually get it out
to the girls as much as possible.
So for us it’s just about covering our costs and any money we make goes directly back into the book to printing more books and getting it out to lots of girls.
Valerie:
And would you self-publish again?
Jenine:
That’s a good question. I would definitely consider it. It’s been a
really great way for me to do things. I’ve got a lot of control over
the project which is something that was kind of important because I
didn’t really know where it was going to go and where it would end up.
But in the future I guess I’ve learned a lot and could do it in a lot of different ways. But it’s been definitely a good learning experience and I would definitely consider it again.
Valerie:
And have you seen much impact apart from obviously the girls writing to
you and being excited about the book itself? Have you had much feedback
from girls who are actually now seriously considering an IT career?
Jenine:
There has been a little bit. I guess it’s the kind of thing that trying
to measure this sort of encouraging girls into IT is a really tricky
prospect. Something that I’ve been looking at for quite a number of
years is to how to really capture what it is that they’re thinking and
what they’re doing and what they’re motivations and behaviours are.
So it’s certainly challenging because most of them are underage, under 18. Getting access to that kind of information is obviously very, very difficult. I guess we try to do it in the best possible way and we’ve just set up a feedback mechanism on our website and that kind of thing.
So hoping to cut through it as much as possible and also with the competitions that was a way for us to also gauge feedback from the girls, so to try to capture their interest and get them to write a story and for that to come through would be something that would be quite positive.
Valerie:
I'm
also intrigued because you’ve chosen a hard copy book which is kind of
a traditional way of communicating with people to interest people in
technology. I was wondering why you didn’t choose sort of a more
technological read to reach people.
Jenine:
I guess I love books. I’ve always loved books and that was one thing. I
guess the idea was also partly based on the Girls' Night In books.
I'm sure that you are probably aware of those and they’re very
attractive to younger people. And we felt that is something that they
are picking up and they are reading and its in a style that they are
interested in. so if we could do something along those lines, they are
more likely to pick it up and that’s where the story idea came about.
I do understand your point that it is a technology book about technology, but we wanted to keep them interested in traditional mediums as well. Sort of just show them, do something a little different and not what they would necessarily expect. Like I said you would expect it to be online so that’s kind of why we didn’t do online.
But that doesn’t mean that it won’t be in the future. I'm absolutely looking at different ways to get it out there online so that almost anyone can access it.
Valerie:
Wonderful, well on that note, thank you very much for talking to us today, Jenine.
Thanks, Valerie.
If you like the idea of self-publishing your own book, check out our seminar: Self-publishing: How to do it.
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