SolarEdge Women in Solar – Part 2
As I was preparing this blog which is the latest installment of our Women in Solar series, I saw that National Women’s Day in South Africa was coming up. National Women’s Day in South Africa marks the achievements of women standing up and making a difference.
At SolarEdge we believe that this is the way to change the world, so we want to acknowledge some of our own amazing women who are changing the world and take the opportunity to introduce our new South African Marketing Manager, Yolandi Traut.
Yolandi Traut - Marketing Manager, South Africa
“I have always been drawn to environments where I can have an impact.”
I have always been drawn to environments where I can have an impact. Previously, I held the role of brand manager in the pharmaceutical industry. However, with the current situation of frequent load shedding in South Africa, my focus has shifted to renewable energy. This is why I am absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to work at SolarEdge. With SolarEdge’s extensive global reach, servicing over 140 countries, it brings a great deal of experience to address our unique challenges in South Africa. It means a lot to me to be part of a company that has the ability to make a difference to our country.
Coming to a new industry is a huge journey of discovery. I need to study our products and how they work, as well as deeply understand what our customers need, in order to be able to provide the best service and support. I find this really interesting, yet challenging, but so far it has been amazing to collaborate with colleagues across the world sharing ideas, gathering insights, and truly finding the best solution that will have a positive impact on the lives of so many South Africans.
Miriam Eshed, Data Scientist - Integration
Using data and leadership to improve quality
My skills are statistics, modeling, and visualizing/presenting data to different teams. As a Data Scientist, I use data to analyze billions of data points in our monitoring system to ensure that we maintain the highest levels of performance in the industry. I love working in SolarEdge; I feel like I found a field that really resonates with me and that makes a very big difference. I actually pivoted to this field of study as a challenge: the Dean of Industrial Engineering at the Technion told me that he wasn’t sure that I was good enough for their Graduate Program in Operations Research. So, of course, I needed to prove them wrong! I have four kids and sometimes feel that I don’t spend enough time with them. It’s impossible to talk about women in STEM without talking about work/life balance.
I started volunteering through SolarEdge and made the effort to fit it into my otherwise very hectic life because I want to encourage young girls to go into Science and Engineering. The girls I teach don’t come from families where everyone is into science, as I did. I want them to know about all the opportunities that are open to them. I think this field can give women a lot of options.
Maayan Davidovich, Project Manager, SW
“I think it’s important for women and for everyone to know that there are many ways to get into high tech."
My job is to manage software deliverables; I plan and monitor our projects and ensure that they align with company priorities. Excellence is a value that drives me.
Every time you do something different, you learn a new thing about yourself. I got into tech in a very unconventional way: I began my career as an athlete, competing and windsurfing competitions in two Olympic games. Tech is similar to sport in that you have to push yourself to do better than you did before. At SolarEdge, I feel like we are a small start-up on steroids, which is in some ways, very similar to being an athlete at the highest level. We’re always working to improve our results and to remain at the top of the field.
I was able to pivot to high tech by studying for a GMBA, in addition to innovation and entrepreneurship. I began as a project manager in a small company where I worked very hard and learned a great deal. I think it’s important for women and for everyone to know that there are many ways to get into high tech and I’m happy to share my experiences as an example of that. Listen, it’s another challenge - and I like challenges!
Moran Samuha, Residential Power Optimizers Group Manager
“I am motivated by doing the hardest thing.”
I was one of the first of about 50 employees in SolarEdge [editor’s note: we’re now a company of over 5000!] When SolarEdge started out, we all worked together on a single floor. I was hired for a 3-week project that turned into nine months. I was eventually offered a full-time job and the opportunity to work on the Power Optimizer project and together with the SolarEdge Chip Engineer, we created the first Power Optimizer. I have since grown my career and managed new products. I’m actually not a good example of balance, unfortunately. I am motivated by doing the hardest thing. I believe in hard work. I also believe in excellence and always want our company to remain at the top of the field.
It's really important for women to move forward in tech – we work differently, as a generalization, of course.. I am happy to volunteer to share my experiences with the women who come to learn from us. I’ll give you an example of why. When I interview prospective candidates, if I give an assignment to a guy or ask a guy a question and he gets it wrong, he’ll either just say, “I don’t know”, or he’ll make excuses, like “I was taught something else” – or something like that. A woman will react differently: she will apologize or feel bad. If I ask a man if he knows something, the answer is always “yes,” while a woman will mostly decide immediately that she doesn’t know enough, or say she needs to think about it. We need to change this. I think they see me as a role model, and I appreciate the importance of that. When I volunteer, I give a session about empowerment and give tips in the field and tell them my story. I strive to encourage people and inspire them.
Michal Noam, Grid Services Product Manager
“In our family, we say yes to every challenge and try to reach the top.”
One of my most memorable childhood memories is building an Intel 486 from scratch with my father. It was my first desktop computer. That’s when I fell in love with the hardware and software world. I was always taught – by my family - to say yes to every challenge and to try to reach the top. The worst thing that could happen is that I’d fail. With this inspiration, I signed up for an electricity lab as an after-school activity while at elementary school. There were only eight women out of 100 students in my BSc Software Engineer program, and it was the first time I understood that there was a gender gap in STEM. I have volunteered in several nonprofit organizations to help expand female participation in the tech industry, including ‘Woman in Energy’ and serving as a mentor in the ‘Give &Tech’ PM101 course. Through SolarEdge I work with the “Shavot” organization, which strengthens girls’ sense of self-worth and provides them with tools to fulfill their professional aspirations. My colleague from Grid Services R&D, Daniel Cohen, and I met 6th grade students in Hadera; we shared our story and answered their many questions. Most of those 12-year-old girls expressed concerns about balancing a household and full-time career commitments and whether men feel intimidated by smart, successful women.
Michal’s plea to other women in solar:
I want to take this opportunity to encourage you to talk with the young woman in your family to make sure they are not giving up on career or educational opportunities. We still have a long way to go, and every conversation counts.
What are the options for women in solar?
These exceptional women provide examples of the types of roles available for women interested in the solar industry. Solar is one of the fastest growing industries in the world and the types of responsibilities and jobs are extraordinarily diverse. If you are interested in seeing if you could be suited to a job in solar – check out the SolarEdge job page and see if there is something that seems interesting for you to pursue.
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