Joanne Cordon is a Principal Advisor at Lemongrass with extensive experience leading solution teams.
An accomplished SAP Solution Architect, she has worked across the full SAP application landscape and Business Technology Platform (BTP) during her time at PwC, Accenture, and other global firms. Joanne brings deep industry expertise spanning Manufacturing, Pharmaceuticals, Food & Beverages, Consumer Goods, and Automotive, with a track record in the planning and execution of complex projects.
When people hear I work as a Principal Advisor in the cloud technology space, they’re often surprised to find out that my degree is in Psychology and not Computer Science.
My path into tech was anything but linear. I started as an Accounts Payable Assistant in the oil and gas industry, before realising that I was deeply inspired by the work SAP consultants were engaging in. That drove me to take action and change the trajectory of my career.
I didn’t just jump into technology consulting overnight. While many break into consulting through junior technology-specific roles, my way in was through training. I discovered that my people skills and confidence in leading a room were a real asset and that gave me the springboard; from there, I progressed across consulting, project management, advisory, and pre-sales – each diversifying my technical and business expertise.
Here are five practical strategies for carving your own path into cloud and tech without a traditional background:
Start learning through accessible resources
You don’t need to wait until you have a formal tech role to start learning. There are various free resources available – from SAP’s Learning Hub to webinars, white papers, and online communities.
I set aside time every week to read, watch and learn. If your company doesn’t promote this, be your own advocate. Log in, explore and follow what sparks your curiosity. Read about business trends, watch product demos, and learn what’s happening in procurement, supply chain, and AI.
The more you read, the more confident you’ll feel meeting new people in the industry and contributing to meetings.
Seek mentorship and build your support system
Mentorship has been a turning point in my career. Early on, a female colleague tapped me on the shoulder and said, “You’d make a great consultant.” We found together an affordable course, trained together, and that single nudge meant a lot.
Mentorship doesn’t have to be formal. It can be as simple as asking a colleague if you can observe and shadow them in a meeting, or requesting 15 minutes of their time discuss their career path. It remains one of the simplest ways companies can retain and empower women. A recent study by Oliver Wyman and WeAreTechWomen found that the gender gap in tech costs the UK economy between £2–3.5 billion a year as women leave the industry due to being underpaid, overlooked, or lacking support.
While building formal mentorship pipelines is largely an organisational responsibility, you can start on a smaller scale by reaching out to people whose work you admire and learn from others’ experience early on.
Network with curiosity
Your network can open doors that job boards never will. Attend industry events, join online forums, and connect with people. Ask for coffee chats or online catch-ups and don’t be shy about saying you’d like to shadow or support on a project.
The graduates and junior colleagues I’ve seen succeed are proactive. They raise their hands, ask questions, and offer to take meeting minutes just to be in the room. Leaders notice that because they want ambitious people who are eager to learn.
And remember networking isn’t about schmoozing; it’s about building real relationships. A quick follow-up message after a chat or sharing a relevant article with someone you met at an event can go a long way.
Leverage what makes you different
One of the biggest misconceptions about tech is that you need to be a coder to succeed. The truth is that tech companies need strategists, communicators and problem-solvers just as much as they need developers.
My Psychology degree taught me how people think and work, and that skill set helps me bridge the gap between technology and business outcomes. When I sit down with a client, I’m not just talking about systems. I’m asking: Where are the bottlenecks? Could automation improve delivery times? What impact would this change have on customer satisfaction?
These are the conversations that win trust. Your background – whether in business, design, education, or finance – can be a superpower if you know how to apply it.
Step up with confidence, even before you feel ready
My advice to young women is to stop comparing yourself to others, identify and invest in your strengths, and don’t wait until you feel 100% ready; people rarely do, and women especially tend to underestimate their own capability.
I’ve seen so many brilliant women holding back because of impostor syndrome. But speaking up in meetings, taking the opportunities offered to you, asking for support, and being open to learning can help you push through your doubt and give you the reps to learn.
Forge your own trajectory
If we want it to truly reflect the world cloud technology serves, we need more diverse voices in the room. According to the Tech Talent Charter, just 21% of senior tech leadership roles in the UK are held by women. But this gap also represents an opportunity.
There’s no single path into tech and that’s what makes it exciting. Some follow traditional routes with their technical skillset, while others don’t; both bring unique perspectives that strengthen our industry. After all, the future of tech isn’t just about the technology we create, but about who gets to create it.
