Our Stories • Volume One
Faith Wilson
Talofa Faith.
What do you do?
I am a digital designer for Fibre Fale so I work on a different range of the project content we do, and also dabble in minor administrative work.
We love to see it! How did you get started?
I have always been immersed in the realm of tech, ever since I was younger. I started my experience when I was in primary school through a programme called geek camp. A programme that taught children different aspects of tech through interactive courses, held in the Mangere town centre library. From there I grew my interest in animation, coding and robotics and wanted to develop those skills further into my future, in this case I did. I also was (and still am) a big fan of art and loved the fact that tech could allow me to do a few of my favourite things, have fun and get paid! It was a win-win situation in my opinion. I got my first tech job (which I am still currently working at) through Julia, who I met through a scholarship mentor mentee position in year 12. We built a long relationship of advice and support and honestly I'm really grateful for her and the other opportunities that have supported me thus far!
What inspired you to enter the tech industry?
I think I just really wanted to find a career pathway that fit my definition of success and happiness. I’ve always enjoyed art and creating so it felt like the perfect industry to showcase my skills. I already knew a bit about what parts of the industry I wanted to be a part of and decided to roll with it. I felt like maybe this could be a good route for my future.
What does a day in your life look like?
Well I am still a beginner designer so I tend to do different things each week. However, a usual day in the life for me revolves around planning what task to start the day, brainstorming design ideas, storyboarding/concepting my ideas into a visual outlook, creating draft templates and finalising the designs to be uploaded for feedback. My process is quite long but it works best for me to create my task outcomes.
What is one message you would give to your younger self?
That it's okay to be an unorganised mess and ask for help. You don’t need to know everything and you don’t need to prove anything. Just work on bettering yourself and continue your practice. You can't expect to have it all figured out on the first go.
What is one lesson you’ve learnt in your career so far?
Ooo one lesson I've learnt so far? That you really have to communicate with your team. I am still getting used to working as a design team so communication has been a struggle on my end but the longer I work with the team the more comfortable I am becoming at asking for help and in the long run it's essential to work on your communication skills for better results.
What is one cultural value significant to you that you carry with you in this space?
I would say the value of community is a big one. I’ve always wanted to become more in tune with my culture and community and I feel like through my work I can, in a way, connect others and network further to learn more about not only this space but the cultures and personalities that reside in this pool. I am heavy on the “it takes a village to raise a child” and I want to be a part of that village who encourages/ inspires other young pasefika to join these intimidating spaces.
Do you have any words of advice for others wanting to move into tech?
That's a hard question. Hmmm, honestly I think linkedin is a good way to start, as a way to get insight on parts of the industry you’re interested in, allow you to connect to people and hear about different tech events. I think aim to try and put yourself into those areas even if you’re uncomfortable. Embrace the uncomfortable and keep moving forward you are just as needed in this space as anyone else.