Supporting women in tech and project management

It’s estimated that people will have 12 jobs during their lives and that people change their careers 5-7 times during their working life. More recently however, approximately 30% of the global workforce change jobs every 12 months. 

Here are some stories from Learning People students who have done just that. 

Coding and software development

Computer programming started with women. From code breaking at Bletchley Park to engineering at NASA, female coders have changed the world. Sadly, programming today is seen as a male-dominated industry, but we’re working towards changing that.

With a formal education in interior design, Naomi came to us in February 2022. Tired of her current industry and the lack of progress it offered, she wanted more from her career. 

“I was working in the design industry and no longer felt happy with the career. It didn’t feel like there was any further progression for me, so I decided to go into tech. I started looking for a course in front-end development and I noticed that Learning People provided courses in the subject that are very much tailored to the career and getting the job…”

Naomi’s transition from interior design to software development took less than a year. During this time she learned JavaScript · React.js · HTML5 · CSS · Bootstrap · Front-End Development · Python · Django · Vue.js · Web Design · and Responsive Web Design. 

Additionally, Naomi broke through her self-doubt barriers by embracing professional networking. 

“I’ve managed to completely change my career in a year, which is beyond all of my expectations. But the one thing that really stands out for me is that I feel really prepared now, more prepared than I’ve ever felt, to navigate a career in general. I’ve learnt lifelong skills that I can now apply throughout my career, particularly with networking, which I very much avoided before.”

IT and Cyber Security

In contrast to popular belief, communication skills (over and above technical knowledge) lay the foundations for IT career success. Being able to effectively explain or share technical ideas and data to a non-technical audience is critical to your organisation’s mission and your success.

A practising solicitor, Yasmin began to wonder if her career of choice was not aligning with her personal values or skill set. 

“The idea of a career change after four years of University, two years of training and a couple of years post qualification experience behind me, was nothing short of daunting.” 

Her interest in defence naturally gravitated towards cyber security certifications, which meant having to learn the fundamentals of IT, followed by computer networking, and then IT security. This resulted in Yasmin being awarded globally recognised certifications from CompTIA. 

“If somebody would have told me last year that I would have left my role as a lawyer and would be working in my dream job in cyberspace, honestly, I would have laughed. I now wake up everyday, looking forward to what the working day is going to bring, fascinated with the tasks set and the varying projects that I’m working on, with a great work life balance. I am happier than ever, in a career which I hope will last a lifetime.”

Project Management and Business 

While organisation, leadership, and communication often come naturally to project managers, projects rarely succeed without methodologies, frameworks and processes underpinning them. Our courses give students the tools and confidence they need to transition into project management with ease.

Having taken a 3 year career break to act as caregiver for her father, Geeta was returning to work and felt that she would have to start from scratch.

“I was very low in terms of confidence due to the career break – you lose your identity a lot when you’re a caregiver. However, I thought to myself, if I can get a qualification; I can go out there and hopefully get an entry level position, and work up from there.” 

Having previous experience of both projects and operations we advised her to aim high from her solid foundations. So she studied towards the PRINCE2 Foundation, PRINCE2 Practitioner, PRINCE2 Agile Practitioner, and Project Management Professional (PMP).

This resulted in her securing the role of Implementation Project Manager for a year, and now a further progression as a bid consultant.

“Doing the courses has been amazing and it feels like such an achievement. If someone told me 2 years ago that I’d now be in this role now, I wouldn’t have believed them.” 

Learning People give everyone the opportunity to realise their potential and change their life by learning new skills. 

We genuinely care about every student’s progress, taking time to understand their unique qualities and ambitions. Then we create a bespoke pathway consisting of high-quality accredited courses, from coding to cyber security, project management, IT and more. We give them the support they need on their journey, and the certification they require to succeed in their chosen field. This is career-ready education. Helping people learn, to transform their lives. 

Learning People operate in NZ, AU, UK, and IRE and have supported more that 40,000 students in finding career success.

In Canterbury – you can call 0800 110 174 for more information and ask for Amy Pringle