With the right kind of attitude and a “can-do” work ethic, it’s completely possible for someone who moved to the U.S. from Japan at the age of 17, who didn’t speak English, and whose degree is in economics to become a success as an engineer at a high tech, Silicon Valley company.

“With an economics degree … from another country, I’ve been at Silicon Valley and have done great. If I can do it, I know anybody else can do it,” said Mayumi Hiramatsu (pictured, right), senior vice president of cloud operations, engineering and security at Infor Inc.

Hiramatsu spoke with Jeff Frick (@JeffFrick, pictured, left), host of theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s mobile livestreaming studio, during the Girls in Tech Catalyst Conference in San Francisco. They discussed giving back to the tech community and how Infor’s diversity programs attract talent. (* Disclosure below.)

Helping others to succeed

As a member of the Girls in Tech board of directors, Hiramatsu likes to give back to the technical community and channels her energy into helping other women grow. She believes that Girls in Tech is an organization that gives women practical advice, as well as many opportunities to use and expand their knowledge. The organization sponsors hackathons for software developers, hosts pitch nights that give entrepreneurs a chance to shine, and extends global classrooms that provide both teaching and learning opportunities.

“For me, giving back to the community and making sure the next generation can successfully come through the technology ranks, or have their own company, is really exciting,” Hiramatsu said.

What initially attracted Hiramatsu to work for Infor were the company’s diversity programs, one of which is the Women Infor Network (WIN). This organization consists of female engineers who prepare and support each other in their careers and in leadership.

Another program is the Education Alliance Program, where Infor works in partnership with more than 80 universities, allowing students access to Infor programs and software. After graduation, newly minted science, technology, engineering and mathematics grads can apply for jobs at Infor or any other tech company; it’s a skill set they can take with them anywhere they go, Hiramatsu concluded.

Watch the complete video interview below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s coverage of the Girls in Tech Catalyst Conference. (* Disclosure: TheCUBE is a paid media partner for the Girls in Tech Catalyst Conference. Neither Girls in Tech, the event sponsor, nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE