Career Tips



UWM IT members collaborating
Embracing IT Opportunities at UWM
By UWM Careers
See how our VP of IT Training, Jillian Mantua, forged her career path by leveraging non-technical skills and experience.

Diving into the field of Information Technology (IT) can appear daunting, especially without a technical background. However, at United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM), it’s not just about what you know- it's about your curiosity, your drive and your willingness to grow. A testament to this is Jillian Mantua, VP of IT Training, who’s thriving in her IT career despite starting from a non-technical background.

Mantua started her professional journey in mortgage retail sales after graduating from Michigan State University. From there, she built her career in the mortgage industry, eventually earning the role as SVP of Retail Lending in 2010. When UWM transitioned to wholesale lending in 2014, Jillian seized the opportunity to transfer into technology as the Team Lead of Application Development and grew into her current role as a VP overseeing our IT training teams. Even without prior IT experience, she thrived by applying a fresh perspective to recognize areas of improvement, becoming a valuable asset.

As Mantua navigated her way through our technology teams, she held many diverse roles, spanning from application development to IT training. Her leadership efforts were instrumental in promoting IT to others with various backgrounds and demonstrating UWM’s commitment to inclusivity and skill development. Her journey shows how at UWM we empower our team members to learn and grow in whichever direction they choose. We’ve turned our in-house X-Development Program that Jillian now leads into a real pathway for those who want to build technology careers. This in-house initiative opens its doors to anyone, regardless of experience, providing an avenue to learn and grow within the tech industry.

At UWM we also understand the purpose and strength of our team’s diversity in tech, which led to the creation of our Employee Resource Group ‘Women in Technology’ (WiT). WiT aims to increase female participation in IT by providing training, mentorship programs and seminars. Mantua, a proud advocate for WiT, exemplifies UWM’s belief that IT can and should be a space for everyone. A successful technology career at UWM is beyond coding or technical knowledge, it’s being willing to learn and adapt, to produce new ideas and solve problems.

Want to Be Part of What We Build Next?

We’re always looking for eager-to-learn professionals who can help us further innovate and lead in the fintech space. Not only will your ideas be heard, but they'll also be implemented. You’ll provide value and make a real impact that you can see not only within the company, but with our clients and borrowers across the nation, as well. Check out our open positions and join our team today!


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