Women’s History Month: Meet Gaelle Caballero, VP of Language Services at Testronic

We are a proud Corporate Ambassador of the Women in Games (WIG) organization, and we are happy to have a number of WIG Individual Ambassadors amongst our teams. Here we talk to our VP of Language Services Gaelle Caballero about her work at Testronic, being a Women in Games Ambassador, and her thoughts on how the games industry can better support women working in the sector.

Tell us about your role at Testronic, and what led you to join the team?

I’m the Vice President of Language Services at Testronic for our global operations across all activities related to linguistic assets in games, from translation to localization to quality assurance.

My role is to oversee the strategic direction and growth of these services, ensuring world-class quality is delivered to our clients. In parallel, I lead a team of highly specialized individuals who have skills ranging from translation to project management and service delivery.

I started working at Testronic 13 years ago, quite by chance. My academic studies and earlier professional experiences prepared me for a career as a lawyer. However, when I was looking at career prospects during my move to the UK, I was given an incredible opportunity to join Testronic and the games industry.

I decided to shift my career focus completely as I loved – and still love – being part of the process of making games, and I loved the people I was able to meet and work with. The diversity and creativity, the smartness and richness of culture I saw in this industry made it one I was happy to call ‘home’.

When did you become a Women in Games Ambassador, and why?

I became a WIG Ambassador in August 2021. It was something I was considering for a long time, because I believe that there is strength in women coming together collectively to try to make change. Women are still under-represented in games, and they still face challenges. And as my career progressed, I worked hard to remove some of the obstacles that women were facing, particularly around imposter syndrome, by providing and encouraging mentorship.

I wanted to become part of an organization where I could hear other people sharing their experiences and ideas, whilst providing a platform for women to work together to encourage more change across the industry. Women in Games offers all of this and more. It is not just a community and networking group; through its events it encourages professional development, knowledge sharing, advocacy and inspiration. I believe that this has a very positive impact on the industry at large, and around the world.

What do you think are the challenges facing women working in the games industry?

I would say that one of the key challenges over the years has been the lack of women in leadership positions, providing role models for women joining the industry and progressing their career. This is changing, although there is still some way to go in the wider industry. However, I am proud that at Testronic, we have many brilliant women in the senior leadership team, which – as well as providing inspiration globally to our teams– means that we have truly diverse and inclusive voices helping to shape the company’s strategy and positioning, as well as its values.

What do you think the industry as a whole can do to better support women already working in the sector, and in attracting more to consider a career in games?

The industry as a whole is moving in the right direction when it comes to encouraging and supporting women, but there is still work to be done. One positive impact that Testronic has made in this area has been to transition our localization teams in some locations to a fully remote working model. This type of flexible working has proven to have many benefits and is very supportive of our employees, particularly those with caregiving responsibilities.

What would you say to anyone considering becoming a Women in Games Ambassador?

I’d say “do it”! Gain visibility, grow your network, embrace this opportunity to read, listen, meet with the amazing people in the Women in Games community. Being part of it is a fantastic opportunity to make a meaningful impact, and connect with like-minded, open-minded individuals in the industry.