For many years, the traditional path to entry into the technology sector was to obtain a degree in computer science, engineering or another related field and enter the profession as a graduate.
But this is undoubtedly changing now, as less traditional approaches such as apprenticeships T Level Qualification and coding bootcamps are becoming more common. They are also becoming increasingly popular among new hires and employers.
One professional who resolutely followed wavy career The journey ahead of the six-month bootcamp in 2020 is Lucy Ironmonger, technical lead at Fintech Zuto, who 13 years previously studied English and creative writing at the University of Birmingham.
There she found work in a bar and, thanks to her love of music, took advantage of the opportunity to hold a musical evening in the establishment every Tuesday. After leaving, Ironmonger moved to Manchester to pursue her musical dreams, graduating with a degree in Electronic Music Production and Commercial Audio Engineering from the School of Electronic Music (SEM).
After writing her first school blog, SEM subsequently hired her and over the next nine years she rose through the ranks to become Director of Operations. One of her previous jobs was as a course leader, where she discovered a widespread fear of technology, especially among girls.
“Part of my job was to convince them they would love it and nurture them while they were there,” Ironmonger says. “The course has changed lives and I have found that if you nurture people correctly, they often become passionate and excellent at their work.”
As a result, she now takes her role as HR manager very seriously and takes time to prepare before meeting face-to-face with any member of her team.
“It's about coaching people, so you want to maximize time and help guide them to where they want to go,” she says. “People need guidance, and what gives me the most satisfaction in my role is when I see people go from x to y to z.”
Growing need for soft skills
She also believes that all technicians need to develop effective “soft skills” will only continue to grow.
“It's about how you communicate, how you solve problems because technology is constantly changing, and how you learn to learn effectively,” Ironmonger says. “You must have growth mindset “This is one of the secrets of success.”
This is exactly the kind of approach she can demonstrate in abundance. For example, after working for four years at SEM, Ironmonger took a year-long sabbatical to practice as a plumber and electrician with a friend—skills she learned in night school—in order to renovate her newly purchased home.
Although she initially felt uneasy about being the only woman in the room, she quickly got the hang of it. “I've learned that differences don't have to divide you, because other things can bring you together,” she says. “We talked about music and before I knew it, I was part of the team, one of the guys, so it's important not to let things like that hold you back.”
But designing a website for her friend's plumbing company “planted the seed.” So, after her wife had a baby following the first Covid lockdown, when SEM failed to offer the flexible working opportunities she wanted, Ironmonger took friends' advice and began exploring a career in technology.
Secrets of success
This led to her joining the Manchester Codes software development bootcamp. After completing the course, she sent out a “ridiculous” number of job applications for a week – but there was no response. That's when she realized the value of networking, which included building rapport with talent agents and attending events in person.
It was during such an event that she was approached by her first technology employer, Synch.Money. From there she moved to Zuto, where she has been for almost four years, despite a disastrous first interview for which she was 10 minutes late.
“The obstacle of being late might have scared me off, but it was Moment of sliding doors“,” says Ironmonger. “You just have to break through when your back is against the wall – you can't wait for a second opportunity.”
The lesson she learned is that it's impossible to “predict what people will think of you” because it all comes down to whether recruiters think they can work with you or not.
But, Ironmonger says, if she were to do it all again, she would advise people to “learn to learn” by using a system such as note-taking or Feynman technique.
“Also make yourself visible in what you do, for example by creating a 'bragging document' and updating it regularly,” she adds. “Finally, build your confidence by discussing with your manager how to expand opportunities that will help you get out of your comfort zone.”
Learning by trial and error
Another professional who has chosen a non-traditional path in the technology sector is David Parry-Jones, chief revenue officer of artificial intelligence language platform DeepL. After completing a physics degree at Bangor University, Parry-Jones qualified as a mathematics and combined science teacher, which he did for a year.
Finding that teaching was not for him, Parry-Jones began working on oil rigs in the North Sea, where he studied geophysical seismic surveys to figure out “where to point the drill,” adding, “It was a mixture of electrical engineering, computers and geology—none of which I was particularly good at, so I went back to what I wanted out of my career.”
Following early advice that his strengths lay in working with people, Parry-Jones' next step was to take a sales job at a Lexus dealership. Moving into the technology sector a year later, he hasn't looked back, especially since moving into management.
But he learned a number of lessons from “making mistakes when I was young, not knowing what I wanted to do, and learning through trial and error.” First, how important it is to “find what you like and what you're good at. Then, to some extent, your career will take care of itself.”
“That’s what I learned in my first jobs, where I either had one or none of these qualities, and that’s why I kept changing directions until I found them,” he adds.
Find a good cultural fit
The third leg of the stool, meanwhile, is to find a company whose culture matches your personality and valueshe thinks. He learned this after working for almost seven years at Microsoft.
“I found that culture was very much about who was at the top and the traits of those people, and I didn’t share them,” says Parry Jones. “I didn’t like the culture, but it’s important to find an organization that is at least close enough culturally that you can be yourself.”
He found that having to “show off qualities that aren't really me” is hard work because it involves “wearing a mask and pretending to be something you're not.” As a result, his next move was to move to VMWare in an attempt to find an organization that was “culturally closer to how I conducted myself and where I would potentially be more valued.”
Another lesson Parry-Jones has learned along the way is that the tech industry is not a place for those who are uncomfortable with change or lack resilience, especially as life in the sector seems to be constantly speeding up rather than slowing down.
But that doesn't mean careers are built equally quickly, he says: “Some people focus on career advancement before they're even ready to start, but it's important to be patient and learn to thrive in your role. There's no substitute for hard work – if you have the right qualities, you'll succeed.”
Likewise, Parry-Jones advises professionals to never be afraid of failure. “I've managed teams that have and haven't failed together, and as long as they can stay together, those that fail perform significantly better afterward,” he says. “I wouldn’t wish this on anyone, but you can learn a lot and definitely become more resilient.”
