Yasmine Benelhadj
“Invest your time wisely and never give up.” – That is Data Scientist Yasmine Benelhadj’s golden piece of advice to young women starting out in technology. As a data scientist and artificial intelligence enthusiast, she is interested in all kinds of technologies and loves analysing data to extract hidden patterns and training models. An avid advocate of constant learning, Yasmine believes that technology does wonders for social elevation and people need not be afraid of it.
Get to know Yasmine
Your career at a glance
I was an engineering student, to begin with. I had my first internship in Data Science at Infor. From there, I decided to pursue a career in the industry. I got my first job as an artificial intelligence engineer and then moved on to the position of data scientist at Proximus Ada.
Describe yourself in 3 words
On a scale of 1 to 5, where are you today in life?
On a scale of 1 to 5, where are you today in your career?
On a scale of 1 to 5, how happy are you today with your life?
Your favourite book?
There is no particular book that immediately comes to mind.
Your favourite quote?
“If you want it enough, you can do it” is a quote that has always stuck with me.
Which passion or pastime will you never let go of?
I will never let go of my passion for running.
Your dream of a completely different second career?
I would love to have a career as an attorney.
Cut loose from all strings, what would you like to do with your life?
I would spend a lot more time with my family.
Yasmine 's career
Your work motivations?
I’m constantly motivated by the satisfaction that I get from doing a good job for my clients.
Your family’s contribution to your career?
My family has always been very supportive. This gave me the confidence that I can do anything I put my mind on.
The biggest obstacles to career growth in our industry?
A hyper-competitive market, combined with low individual self-confidence, can be major hindrances to career growth for a lot of people.
Your biggest obstacles facing the technology industry?
The technology industry is a very broad field and I think I needed to gain a lot of skills to attain my present level of expertise.
What have you gotten noticed for throughout your career?
I’ve always been known for my resilience. I think that never giving up is the ultimate key to success.
The major accelerators for success in our field?
Self-learning and smooth communication skills are the twin drivers of success in our field.
What question do you get asked most often in your line of work?
I’m often asked about the reason behind choosing computer science as my field of work.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I love the idea of changing products for the better and bringing novelty to the world of technology.
Your golden piece of advice to young women starting out in technology
I would primarily advise them to invest their time wisely and just never give up.
How do you make decisions?
Facts and figures.
How has being a woman affected your career?
Positively.
Would you recommend a career in technology to young girls?
Absolutely!
“Invest your time wisely and never give up”
Exploring technology and the challenges in the field
Explain the technology that drives your current business.
Artificial Intelligence drives my current business.
What is technology for you?
For me, technology is a tool that is capable of building smart services and products. It enhances the quality of our life and helps us organise it in better ways.
What are your views on future technology trends?
I think there is a lot of potential for growth in AI, Data Engineering and Cloud technology.
In your opinion, what is the greatest technological invention and why?
Undoubtedly, the internet is the greatest technological invention to date. After all, it is the primary technology that has helped us achieve whatever we have right now.
Rate these technologies from highest to least impact on business.
- Social media
- Blockchain
- Human-like robots
- 3D printing
- IoT
- 5G
- 6G
- Chat GPT
- Security
- Smart concepts (cities, buildings, …)
- Edge cloud
- Smartphones
- AI
Can technology do good for society, or would it be better off without it? Explain.
Of course, it can do good for society. Technology is the main reason we have been able to build such a modern society with accessible learning resources, more time for work than ever before, and intelligent AI models to facilitate the search in the future.
How do you keep your technology skills up to date?
I believe in continuous learning to keep myself up-to-date.
Could you explain which online tools facilitate your job and why others should use them too?
ChatGPT and Google.
Your favourite websites?
I love Medium for its technology articles and DWS for Cloud tools.
Your favourite and least favourite technology products?
The internet and the computer are my favourite products. My least favourite one is VR.
The woman behind the technology
What makes each human unique?
Each human’s ability to handle obstacles in their own way makes them unique.
Does success compensate for value or morality?
Not at all.
What is the relationship between the mind and the body?
I believe if the mind is convinced, the body always follows.
This or that?
Read the instruction manual
Just figure it out
Early adopter
Proven enthusiast
Laptop
Desktop
Apple
Windows
Fail at something
Never attempt it
Listen to the mind
Listen to the body
IOS
Android
E-book
Physical book
Flying cars
Personal robots
Bing
Phone call
Brainstorming session
Solo research
Packed lunch
Cafeteria
Work late
Start early
High Heels
Flats
