In the age of digital technology and generative AI, companies' IT needs have never been greater. The resulting job opportunities are open to all kinds of profiles. “Diversity is a strength in our professions,” emphasizes Émilie Poirier, IT manager at Volvo Group. Yet there is still a long way to go: “Engineering schools have only 30% women, and students from underprivileged backgrounds remain a minority,” she observes.
This imbalance is something Émilie has decided to fight – alongside her job and with the support of the Volvo Group. She tells us about her journey and her commitment to attracting more young people into IT.
From Developer to Lead Software Architect
With a Master’s degree in Computer Science, Émilie began her career in an IT services company. Hired straight after her degree as a developer, she quickly stepped up her skills through various assignments.
“That first job brought me a very enriching diversity of experiences. It’s what allowed me to join Volvo Group’s Digital & IT division in 2011 as a software/application architect,” she says.
Her responsibilities expanded over the years as she gained expertise. Six years later, she was promoted to lead architect for the entire commercial perimeter. Her mission?
“To design a consistent IT architecture for all the sales and after-sales software and tools for the Renault Trucks brand.”
A sideways move that taught her a lot…
Her future in the group seemed set… until an unexpected event changed her plans.
“A public-sector company approached me at a time when I was questioning my future and wanted to develop my leadership,” she tells us.
Émilie took the leap and embraced the adventure. For five years, she enjoyed “exploring a completely different business environment.” But she kept an eye on the evolution of her former team: “Digital &IT went through a transformation phase that created new opportunities internally.” One of those caught her attention… and you can guess the rest!
Followed by a triumphant return
“I returned to Volvo Group as leader of the ‘Systems Analysis’ Division.”
It’s a high-responsibility role she still holds today: “I manage the Eastern part of this transversal department – France, India and China. Our goal is to oversee skills development, enabling people to adapt to the transformation of their jobs. I received several management trainings that helped me get started – although nothing beats real practice!” Émilie adds.
Her role includes a managerial dimension: “I supervise six managers who each lead local teams. These teams are made up of product engineers able to develop digital tools, analyze their needs and make them evolve accordingly.”
Good to know
The difference between software architecture and product analysis? “The software architect has a more global view of the solutions, whereas the analyst gets more into the details,” Émilie explains.
The hardest part was overcoming shyness
Émilie had to overcome many challenges to get where she is today. “The hardest part was overcoming my shyness! I worked on it from the very beginning of my career, and that effort opened many doors for me. Being able to speak up is important in a professional context.”
Working in ambiguity
“There is a lot of uncertainty in our professions. You have to accept not being in control of everything! I was lucky to have great managers who helped me navigate this. Most were men, but recently I worked with two women who showed me that things could be done differently – more thoughtfully and collaboratively, leveraging communication.”
Émilie also had to face the “cultural challenge” of managing international teams.
“I had already worked with teams in India and China, but not as a manager! I’m used to giving regular feedback to my teams. But my interlocutors didn’t always understand my comments because of my accent – and vice versa. Concepts like engagement and constraints also vary from country to country. You have to take these differences into account to learn how to work together. After three years, I think we’ve achieved that!” she explains.
Collaboration, she believes, lies at the heart of the group’s work culture: “We’re more than encouraged to grow our network. It’s an intrinsic part of my job.” This, it turns out was a real pleasure for Émilie, who loves meeting a wide variety of people from completely different professions. Collective intelligence brings new ideas to life, she says.
Example
Émilie is also an active member of CampX, a tech and business innovation hub located at the Lyon headquarters of Renault Trucks (a Volvo Group company).
“It allows me to work with start-ups on certain projects.”
These projects integrate the environmental dimension, so important in the transport sector:
“If you want to make things better, this is the place to be!”
The cliché of the lone programmer
Émilie hopes her career path will inspire others to take the plunge into IT – and help break the stereotypes: “The cliché of the programmer alone in front of their PC is still common, even though teamwork is everywhere in our professions!”
As the topic truly matters to her, Émilie has become involved with schools and associations – far beyond INSA Computer Science, one of the Group’s partners.
“We need to act much earlier in the school system to have a real impact on diversity,” she believes. Since last year, the Group has welcomed many middle- and high-school interns, supervised by a dedicated person. “We want the students to really benefit from the immersion. And given the feedback so far, it works!”
The Group plans to go even further, she says: “A new middle school is opening in Vénissieux, right next to our headquarters. We will support their digital track by providing workshops, mentors, company visits, etc.”
You have to dare to jump into IT!
According to Émilie, this is just the beginning: “Children already have biases at primary school, influenced by parents and teachers. Even if she’s good at math, a girl will be less encouraged to go into science than her male classmates.”
The Volvo Group’s answer? A workshop this summer to introduce IT to 3rd and 5th graders.
“We aimed for perfect gender parity to make sure we reached different profiles,” Émilie adds. Volvo Group even developed a game on the Roblox platform, in partnership with INSA, to capture kids’ interest.
All these initiatives carry the same message, Émilie believes: “You can build very diverse careers in digital. I’ve personally explored eight different job domains since the start of my career. Technical skills matter – but soft skills are just as essential in this field. You have to dare to jump in!”