KINGSTON, Jamaica — As a child, while counting money in her parents’ and grandparents’ shop, Antoinette Heirs discovered a love for mathematics that would shape her future in ways she never imagined.

Now, as the voice core operations manager at Digicel Group, she stands as a beacon of inspiration, proving that determination and a love for learning can lead to success.

At age 44, Heirs recalls growing up in Southside, downtown Kingston, as a “hustle and bustle” experience that made her comfortable with money and numbers. Despite this hands-on exposure, it was her mother and grandmother who strongly encouraged her to pursue an education, ensuring that her future would go beyond the shop.

“So, I think that’s where my love for the subject [mathematics] started. From an early age, I was targeting something in the Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) field. So, I kept that focus and said, ‘I want to go to university,’ because also, one of the goals of somebody growing up in the inner city is to come out. And the only way you can come out is through education or learning a skill. My grandma and my mom, they were adamant that I would make it out,” Heirs said.

She attended Holy Rosary Preparatory School before moving on to the Convent of Mercy Academy Alpha, where she excelled in STEAM subjects.

Describing herself as a “STEAM baby”, she began studying at the University of the West Indies, Mona (The UWI) in 2000, with plans to pursue a degree in mathematics and become a lecturer. However, Heirs faced an unexpected challenge when she failed mathematics in her first year — the first time she had ever encountered failure in the subject.

This setback led her to switch gears and focus on chemistry and physics. In her second year, she focused on chemistry but ultimately decided to specialise in physics. In her third and final year of university, she embraced a double major in physics and electronics.

“Living in the inner city and on a student loan, every mickle made a muckle, and every second counted. So, I didn’t have the luxury to spend an extra year or extra semester… And by the grace of God, I received the Francis Haddon Bowen Award for second-year studies in 2002 and graduated with first-class honours with a double major in physics and electronics in 2003,” Heirs explained.

After completing her studies, she worked as a laboratory technician at the university, helping students to carry out their lab tasks.

In 2004, after applying to Digicel Jamaica and Cable & Wireless (Flow), she took a break to raise her daughter. By 2005, she landed her first official job as a supervisor at EHC Industries, overseeing CCTV installations. It wasn’t until May 2006 that she was hired by Digicel, where she spent 12 consecutive years and earned four promotions.

“I started as a voice core engineer, then moved to senior voice core engineer, followed by voice core manager, and later service delivery manager. Just before I left in December 2017, I was the acting head of technical,” Heirs explained, noting that between 2010 and 2013, she earned a master’s degree in business administration with a focus on information technology (IT) management at The UWI.

After leaving Digicel in 2017, she worked as an IT project manager at prestigious companies such as the National Commercial Bank and GraceKennedy Limited.

Driven by her passion for STEAM and guided by the mentorship of both her spiritual and professional advisors, Heirs, now a devoted Christian, embarked on a new journey as the head of network engineering at Digicel Jamaica in 2020.

“I spent three and a half years leading a team of 16, overseeing the company’s voice, data, internet, and broadband networks. I successfully led the team, achieving numerous goals and earning an excellent Employee Net Promoter Score (ENPS) due to my leadership. I guided them through a period of transformation within the company. While some team members eventually moved on, I transitioned to the group office,” she shared.

Now, as the voice core operations manager at Digicel Group, she oversees 16 engineers, five of whom are women.

“The Lord worked it out that by working for the group, I’m now overseeing 22 markets. So, it’s not just Jamaica. Digicel is operating in 25 markets, and I’m overseeing 22 with my team. We’re responsible for the voice network in Antigua, St Vincent, St Lucia, Barbados, Bermuda, El Salvador, Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad, Jamaica, Cayman, among others,” she said.

Heirs says that once she decides to step away from the corporate world, she plans to start a foundation to mentor young girls and women interested in STEAM — an opportunity she didn’t have as a child. Currently, she carries out mentorship through the Digicel Foundation.

“I’m a part of the Digicel Foundation, sitting on the board of directors, and that is just a means for me to give back because I am big on service. With Digicel Foundation, I’m giving back to communities and giving back to my country. So, when we go out in the schools, we are pushing STEAM through the SIT (Safer Internet Together) Initiative, and we are just advising children to use the internet safely,” Heirs said.

“As a mentor to young ladies, I always tell them, know your why. Know your purpose. Because if your purpose is money, you’re going to be chasing it for life. If your purpose is validation from others, they’re going to come and go. Always try to find your reason. And my why has always been to be in an area where I can empower people,” she added.