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Training the next generation of technologists

Technology is always changing and there are disciplines and professions being created almost yearly. Even our most experienced developers learn something new every day. And, these days, tech careers feed into almost everything.

That’s why we were proud to support students in discovering the possibilities of technology and help them to become more employable in one swoop – all through our coding workshop.

Getting to grips with the variety in tech

Hosted by our Lead Technical Architect, the workshop brought together students with little to no programming experience. Throughout the session, they got to grips with all sorts of tech, took a real-world project and gained insight into what a technology career looks like at FCDO Services.

And this wasn’t just about coding: there are so many skills that are needed for large systems to succeed. From user researchers and business analysts to content designers and data scientists – the students saw that there are a variety of paths to explore.

Finding a calling rather than a career

The course leader kicked-off the programme by explaining how their tech career started back in the 1980s, when they learnt how to edit cheats into computer games to gain more virtual ‘lives’. It was this initial spark that led them to study A-level Computer Science, before taking on a Computing degree at home with the Open University. 

They put this to the students: “Maybe you’ve tried using code to sidestep a game. Perhaps you wanted to build to try building a game from scratch. Or maybe you’ve used an app and thought about all the ways it could be improved. Whatever sparks your initial interest, if you follow something you love and are truly passionate about, going to work becomes less of a job and more of a calling. Just like it has for me.”

Embracing a forever growing skillset

After this inspiring introduction, the workshop itself was jam-packed and covered a wide range of topics. Everything from creating a user interface to writing backend code. With the digital space constantly evolving, the students learnt about the many approaches to tackling a tech challenge – and saw that a tech career will see their skillset forever grow.

Systems are becoming more intricate, and the possibilities of the digital world are growing exponentially. So, building a successful system requires a diverse set of skills – and having a team made up of people from different backgrounds only benefits this success. Through this teaching, the students saw first-hand how important collaboration is within technology, as they worked together to create innovative solutions to the tasks at hand.

Discovering limitless possibility

A career in technology is rewarding beyond belief – and you can make a long-lasting impact along the way. Whether it’s through something simple, like automating a process that would take hours to taking seconds, or pioneering projects using voice control and machine learning – the variety in technology careers at FCDO Services really is limitless.

The workshop was hugely rewarding for both the students and us as an organisation. Not only were we able to boost the students’ career potential, but our team showed them the impactful work they could take on for government-level customers. Not to mention the real difference they could make in protecting the UK’s assets at home and overseas throughout their career.

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