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THE GLEANER’S FLAIR MAGAZINE • MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2018
37
Rocheda Bartley
Lifestyle Writer
S
OME WOMEN
simply can’t fill
other women’s
shoes. Cinderella’s
glass slipper was
tailored specifical-
ly for her feet, and
so too Cecilia Bar-
rett’s. The local
technology wizard
leaves her powerful
footprints with every step
she makes.
Driven by information
technology, Barrett
enjoys every aspect of
the high-tech field —
from engineering to the
hardware.
She humbly basks
in a well respected
grandeur as one of
the few female tech-
nical engineers in
Jamaica. Her highly
prized
wits dis-
tinguish her
from many, and in
a male-dominated
world, Barrett is
unmatched and
unshaken by
her male
compatri-
ots’
vigour.
“My
zeal to
excel and
ambition to
persevere
also separate
me from other
women,” Barrett
explained. A graduate of the
University of Technology, she holds
a Bachelor of Science degree in
Computing. A major in Informa-
tion Technology and a minor in
Networking, set the tone for her
success. Today, Barrett is an IPTV
Head End Engineer at FLOW,
where she has been employed since
2013.
She has spearheaded several
projects that boosted efficiency and
sophistication in FLOW’s TV serv-
ice and customer experience, and
played an integral role in video
engineering, and in the organisa-
tion’s Video over Copper project in
remote areas of Jamaica.
The daily challenges on the job
motivate and moulded Barrett into
the strong, relentless woman she
has become.
INDIVIDUALITY AND CHARACTER
What usually surprises many
about this powerful woman is her
esteemed individuality and character.
“I’m an introvert by nature.
What surprises people is the fact
that I seem so outgoing, but I truly
am a shy person. But I love car rac-
ing – It’s my passion, but I won’t get
in a race – I just like to watch it,”
Barrett said with a chuckle.
The technology mastermind
adores playtime. Knowing that hard
work and no play will make Cecilia
a dull girl, she relishes the moments
she gets to spend with friends
doing different things, such as
hanging out at the movies.
One of her favourite
pastime activity is
reading. An avid
reader, she likes to
travel and experi-
ence life
through books.
For Barrett,
there is nothing
more rewarding
than learning from
a good read. This
love for reading is one of
the factors why she
considered starting over as a
lawyer.
“If I could start over I wouldn’t
choose IT. Law is so interesting, it’s
very dynamic with several different
aspects to it, and all of that
intrigues me.”
This sophisticated woman wants
to be committed to memory as
more than an ordinary woman. She
wants to be remembered as a
woman of valour who has made a
significant impact on others.
Her advice, “Don’t be afraid to
learn from others, no matter how
small or insignificant you think
they are, because you’ll find knowl-
edge in the most unexpected
places,” she said.
D
istinguished
THE
Science and Technology
Cecilia Barrett
Small person with a big shoe to fill
“My zeal to excel and
ambition to persevere also
separate me from
other women.”