WomenInTech. "IT is a field where it's important not to give up," — inspiring stories of girls from Almaty

Gulzhiyan Titova, Scrum Master and Ambassador of JSC «Bereke Bank», the driving force behind the Women’s Club at JSC «Bereke Bank», LinkedIn, Instagram

About Me

In 2017, I set myself the goal of moving to Almaty. It was then that I truly began to learn how to listen to myself: to tune in to what is important to me, rather than to anyone else. Today, I understand that it was from this step that the most incredible changes in my life began. Not immediately, not easily, but definitely — forever.

At that time, I had a baby in my arms, was on maternity leave, and had just gone through a divorce. At the same time, I was developing a business related to traveling around the world. This was not my first experience building strong teams — even before maternity leave, as a deputy manager, I successfully established efficient processes and achieved high results.

Network marketing gave me a different perspective: flexibility, a creative approach, and the ability to inspire without a rigid hierarchy. It strengthened my leadership qualities and helped me unfold in a new way — as a mentor, a person who knows how to unite and motivate very different people.

This experience became the foundation for my future path in IT — where flexibility, team synergy, and the ability to work in an environment of constant change are highly valued. It is here that my lively character, decisiveness, ability to make quick decisions, and ability to look at challenges with humor became not just personal traits, but professional advantages.

My love for movement — both internal and external — led me to a field where development is endless. Where every new experience is like another page in a book. And where even the most unconventional paths become a strength if you are not afraid to move forward.

How I entered the IT field

My path in IT did not start with code, but with clients. At Bereke Bank, I started as a service manager, where I learned sales, products, and building trust. My team and I regularly ranked in the top in Kazakhstan — this became the foundation for my growth into a leadership role.

When I began overseeing both the retail and corporate segments in 2019, it became clear that technology was increasingly influencing processes and culture. I was interested not just in “keeping up,” but in deeply understanding how IT could improve the customer journey, speed up work, and make services clearer and more accessible.

My interest in Agile and digital transformation grew through real practice. I got involved in automation projects and studied job openings at the head office. An important step on the way to my goal was an interview in 2019, where I received an offer for a position in the corporate sales department in Almaty. Working with large clients taught me strategic thinking, high-level negotiation skills, and the ability to remain flexible in complex tasks. 

The decisive moment came in 2021 with the launch of the Scrum Masters School. It was scary: a new world, evening studies, and a small child at home. But it was then that I took a step into IT.

Together with a strong Agile team, we implemented Scrum and SAFe at Bereke Bank, launched several Demo Days, and the innovation contest “Make Bereke,” which not only became an internal breakthrough but also received recognition — winning the HR Brand of Central Asia award.

Additionally, we launched a series of training programs on Scrum and SAFe, as well as created a Women’s Club and a school for female business analysts to support development and growth in IT for even more participants.

Today, I know for sure: technology is not just about systems, but also about people. Women in IT can not only change careers — they can change the environment. Make it supportive, flexible, and inspiring.

About Stereotypes

1. Women in business and IT are less competent and constantly need to prove their professionalism.

2. Motherhood and career are incompatible — a woman must choose one or the other. 

3. Successful women are perceived as an exception, not the norm.

All these stereotypes are merely obstacles on the path, which I managed not only to overcome but also to use as fuel for my growth. Every doubtful look, every misunderstanding, and every challenge only hardened me and helped me become stronger. I learned to believe in myself more than ever before and to build my career on my own terms — without looking back at others’ expectations.

Overcoming prejudices became not only my personal achievement but also an inspiration for those who face similar barriers. Now I am sure: the main thing is not to let fears and stereotypes define your value and potential. Only in this way can you create your own success story and change the surrounding world for the better.

Obstacles for Women in IT

IT is an incredibly dynamic, intelligent, and promising field. But for many women, it still seems “foreign.” There is still a belief that technology is not a “female” territory. That it is harder to break through here, that you need to conform, prove yourself, and be “strong” according to someone else’s standards.

I personally did not encounter obvious barriers, but I understand how important support and visibility are for those who are just taking their first steps. Female energy, flexible thinking, empathy, and the ability to fine-tune processes are what strengthen teams and make the IT environment richer.

I want more and more girls to enter this field without fear and doubts. Not to wait for “approval,” but to act. Because they have something to bring. And each of us has every right to be here — not as an exception, but as a new norm.

Recommendations for Those Just Starting Their Path

To those who are just starting or standing on the threshold of change, I want to say:

1. Do not be afraid to change fields, even if it seems like you are “too late.” Your energy and experience are valuable at any age. 

2. Keep learning. Education is always growth, even if the results are not immediately visible. 

3. Do not devalue your femininity. It is not a weakness, but a resource. 

Manzura Ayupova, Project Manager, IT Governance Department at JSC «‎Bereke Bank»

About Me

I can be called a “living engine.” I love planning, breaking things down, systematizing, getting to the bottom of things, and finding where “something is wrong” so that it can be done “the right way.” It is important to me not just to complete a task, but to dissect it, convey the meaning, explain how to think and find solutions.

I love learning, developing, and helping others grow. I have a perfectionist syndrome. In my family, I am the kind of person who could confidently wear a T-shirt with the inscription: “I am a mother!” I love driving, cooking for loved ones, and organizing cozy get-togethers.

Aside from my corporate career at Bereke Bank, I am developing as a mentor: I share my experience on the MentorPro platform, and currently participate in the ALUMNI BOOST program — an intensive collaboration between mentors and mentees on real tasks, culminating in a final pitch session.

I am the kind of person who builds their path consciously. Every step is not luck or a jackpot, but a strategic decision, hard work, faith, and perhaps a bit of healthy curiosity.

The IT world changes quickly, but to keep up with its rhythm, you need not only expertise but also inner support. Once, I took Lazarus’s coping test — a tool that helps understand how a person deals with stress. My highest result was positive reappraisal. This means that even in difficult circumstances, I intuitively look not only for challenges but also for opportunities. And perhaps this describes me well: any situation is a chance to grow.

How I entered the IT field

My path in IT began long before the implementation of information systems and IT projects. By my first degree, I am a mathematician; by my second, an economist; currently, I am completing an MBA in “IT Management.”

Professionally, I started in internal bank auditing, where I learned to see the big picture, analyze processes, ask uncomfortable questions, and find root causes.

I remember, when I joined TexakaBank, I set a goal: to become a department director by age 25. And I achieved it — at KazInvestBank, I already headed the internal audit department, responsible not only for control but also for risk assessment, procedure implementation, and compliance.

The next step was a transition to process management and methodologies. At “Sberbank Kazakhstan,” I was involved in implementing the LEAN approach, launching a project office, standardizing and optimizing processes, and evaluating efficiency and economic impact. At the same time, I oversaw the development of the electronic document management system. Perhaps it was then that my first pivot toward IT occurred.

When I think about my path, I realize: transformation happens not only in systems but also within ourselves. IT is not just code or architecture. It is an environment where it is important to know how not to give up, to take hits, to recover, and to move forward. And at the same time — to remain flexible and find meaning even in the most uncertain circumstances.

Today, as I develop within the Bereke Bank team, I increasingly feel that my path in IT is not just about technology. It is also a journey to myself.

About Stereotypes

One of the stereotypes I have had to face is that “women find it hard in technology; they cannot handle it.”

And what about the fact that women simultaneously work, raise children, take care of the home, launch information systems, mentor, and study for an MBA — does that not count?

As for myths about IT, one popular one is “to be in this field, you need to be a genius and know everything.” In reality, it is more important to be able and willing to learn, analyze, and finish what you start. And also — to have the courage to honestly say: “I don’t know, but I will figure it out.”

How do I cope? Probably thanks to inner support based on my own results and external support. I know what I am doing, and I see the effect of my work.

As for support — my family and my team have always been by my side, and now I also have mentors and even mentees.

For me, this has become a whole ecosystem — alive, real, in which I feel both responsibility and support. This helps me maintain focus and confidently move along my path — in IT and beyond.

Obstacles for Women in IT

Probably, like many others, I did not escape the question: “Am I really capable of handling this?” Imposter syndrome did not bypass me either. But I do not allow it to “take root.” Rather, I have learned to coexist with it — as part of the path in IT.
For me, doubts are not about weakness, but about growth. It is an internal checkpoint: am I ready to move forward, grow, and change?

Every new project — even if it resembles the previous one — becomes a challenge. And every challenge, in turn, is a chance to confirm my value not with words, but with actions. This is how stereotypes are broken: “not for women,” “not for me,” “not ready.”

Recommendations for Those Just Starting Their Path

1. Do not wait until you are “ready enough.”
Doubts will always be there — that is normal. The important thing is not to hold yourself back by waiting for the perfect moment. Mistakes do not hinder growth; they initiate it. Start — and figure it out along the way.

2. Develop not only knowledge but also resilience.
IT is not just about hard skills, but also about the ability to maintain focus, preserve inner resources, and cope with change.

3. Do not be afraid to be “different.”
There are no templates in IT. Your uniqueness lies in your thinking, values, and approach. Do not try to “fit in” — on the contrary, be yourself. It is precisely this that is most often valued.