In today’s technological reality, engineering has become a subject of constant demand. There are over 25 million engineers worldwide. And, this number is expected to reach 27.7 million by 2023. However, having an excellent understanding of code and different program languages isn’t the make of a great software engineer. Innovation, talent, and, most importantly, vision are crucial in succeeding in this saturated market. Only 4.8% of recruiters regard applicants’ education as a significant criterion. This is why the story of Lydia Miller, who is currently a Senior Director and leader for digital strategy and growth analytics at Tata Consultancy, North America, is so exceptional; she not only shows outstanding promise, but her journey is also just as remarkable. With a sense of mission and determination, Miller has paved her way to leave her mark in her field of expertise. Having struggled with personal strife and breaking through the traditional gender and familiar conventions of her hometown, Lydia, refused to compromise and has several impressive achievements.

The Journey

As a child growing up in India in the eighties and nineties, she found that she was fond of science, so she majored in science in high school and later decided to study industrial engineering from M.S.Ramaiah College in Bangalore India.

However, she soon realized that although she had chosen industrial engineering as her major, she was passionate about developing solutions and thus worked hard to secure a job at Intel, which she cracked and was among the only two from 10000 students to get into Intel. Her passion for developing solutions came to use here as she was soon promoted from an Analyst position to project manager. After working for several years at Intel, she finally moved to Tata and has since been part of the company.

She had started working at TATA as a project manager in 2008, and she soon found herself working across several industries ranging from banking financial services, retail, manufacturing, CPG, and government. She worked on these projects for about `12 years and is currently a leader for the digital consulting practice at TATA.

Over the years, she has also developed a keen passion for using blockchain technology in various sectors. The talented consultant had been accepted at both MIT and Stanford University for her MBA program. However, she chose to stick to MIT. “The MIT Sloan MBA has been an engineer's dream, helped open doors and allowed me to make connections through alumni and the neighboring Harvard university where one could cross-register for classes,” said Miller, who has also been a judge at MIT and International business Awards, American Business Awards and Women in Business awards.

With such extensive experience and a list of achievements, Lydia, an entrepreneur within an enterprise, has made a name for herself in a male-dominated field. Miller has proven that through personal sacrifices, willpower, and hard work - anything is possible.