DWP employee

DWP Digital – Ryan Westerby, Application Operations Engineer

Application Operations Engineer Ryan Westerby shares how he joined DWP Digital through the Going Forward into Employment (GFiE) scheme.

Joining DWP Digital

DWP employee

I recently joined DWP Digital in the Centralised Application Support Services team as an Associate Application Operations Engineer, specifically working on the Central Payments System (CPS) support team.  This role involves installing, maintaining, and continuously improving applications, including responding to requests and proactively raising incidents.

However, I didn’t come into the department through what you might term a ‘regular’ recruitment process. I believe I’m one of the first people to join DWP Digital through Going Forward into Employment (GFiE), a government wide scheme that provides life chances to people like me. The scheme matches the likes of prison leavers, veterans, care leavers, carers and those who have been homeless to roles within the Civil Service.

Barriers into tech

I’ve always wanted to get into tech however, two barriers stopped me achieving this. I’m a carer for my mum and have been since I started high school. This meant I had extra responsibilities that many of my school friends didn’t have to worry about which affected my education, and I felt I had to grow up fast.

My younger sister also helps with caring for my mum, but she’s now at university, so most of the responsibility sits with me. I always wanted her to have all the opportunities I didn’t, and it’s great to see her doing so well.

As well as my caring responsibilities, I was diagnosed as autistic last year, following a misdiagnosis when I was younger.  It’s UK Disability History Month, 14 November – 20 December, and autism is recognised as a disability, but I don’t personally see myself as disabled. When I was first diagnosed, I thought there was something ‘wrong’ with me. Now I can see that’s not true, there’s nothing wrong with me, I just do things in different ways.

Having this diagnosis confirmed has been a huge relief, but it also brings a sense of frustration and ‘what if?’. There’s a lot of wasted years at school which felt incredibly overwhelming, and where I didn’t get the specific support that could have helped. Instead, I feel I was pushed in a particular direction rather than making my own mind up and found myself leaving education at 16.

Thankfully, it was through my role as a carer that I found out about GFiE. The Young Carer’s Association help people from diverse backgrounds like me into work and supported with my application.

As for reasonable adjustments, I was offered any support I may have needed so that I wasn’t at a disadvantage because of my barriers. The process was made a lot easier by George, my line manager at DWP Digital. He contacted me in advance of the interview to reassure me. He said it won’t be a formal interview, there is no pressure and to think of it as a friendly chat to get to know each other. He helped me recognise that interview was for me to also ask questions about the role and discover whether it would interest me.

I was able to do the interview virtually which made it a lot easier as I was in a comfortable and familiar environment. This relieved the extra pressures of an in-person interview, such as worrying about travel or getting lost, where my nerves may have built up too much. As soon as we started talking during the interview, I felt relaxed.

Worth the wait

My new career has been worth the wait. Since I’ve started at DWP Digital, it’s been overwhelmingly positive, I describe it as a culture shock, but in the best way. I’ve always been passionate about technology so I couldn’t be happier to have been given this opportunity.

I’ve been in the role for seven months and I’m so pleased to have passed my probation. I see every day as a learning day, constantly developing my skills further and I’ve signed up for some courses including SQL knowledge.

DWP Digital encourages flexible working so I’m able to still care for my mum. I’m able to confidently talk about my caring responsibilities, for example if I’m unable to make a meeting I don’t feel like a burden because the culture is so open around flexible working. I’m able to prioritise any appointments I need to take my mum to as I’m trusted to manage my own diary and workload.

I feel very lucky to be here and that I’m getting back on track with my career. Looking ahead, aspirations are only ever as high as you set them, and I can see a clear path in front of me for how I could progress within DWP Digital. I’d love to do what my line manager does eventually helping other people through managing a team. I’d love to be a software engineer, with my background and leaving education at 16 I never thought it was possible. With the support I have at DWP Digital, the path to my dreams seems reachable.

Supportive colleagues

Everyone has been incredibly supportive, particularly my line manager George who reassured me throughout the recruitment process. The team have welcomed me with open arms. I couldn’t ask for a better experience as everyone has been happy to help me learn and understanding to my circumstances.

I go into the office two days a week to spend time with the team, and I feel comfortable that if I get overstimulated with noise I can put headphones in, and they understand why. Apart from that, I don’t have any other adjustments because the role has been a great fit for me.

“The GFiE team have been fantastic, in terms of helping us fill out the correct information and getting everything lined up for Ryan to come into the role.

“Ryan has made such an impact. Since he started, he has fitted in really well and has brought a new outlook and a fresh set of eyes to our world. The team he works with feel as if Ryan’s been with us for years. In fact, recently I caught Ryan showing one of the team a new way of doing something, which not many of us can say they’ve been able to do!

“As an ex-forces veteran myself I’m a big advocate of social mobility, providing opportunities for people from challenging backgrounds to improve their life chances, and adding to the diversity of thinking, skills, backgrounds, and experience into our workforce.”

  • George, Service Operations Lead and Ryan’s line manager

Go for it

My advice for people with similar barriers is to go for it. Don’t let anything hold you back. I had doubts initially, I thought I wasn’t good enough but I’m so glad I was able to overcome this with the support I received. You don’t have to have the highest grades and experience isn’t everything. Employers also look for transferable skills, work ethic, how you approach problems, and your personality.

It’s really changed my life; a happy work environment has changed who I am outside of work too. My family have noticed the difference in me, I’m not slogging around anymore feeling like I haven’t achieved anything. I’m more confident, happy and in a positive mindset to be able to do things I enjoy outside of work too.

I couldn’t recommend the GFIE scheme and DWP Digital as an employer more. I hope my story encourages at least one person with a similar experience to me to go for it.  

D&I 2025

Diversity & Inclusion calendar 2025

You are probably aware of the numerous benefits a diverse and inclusive workplace has on both its employees and the company. Some examples are high employee retention, increased innovation, increased profits and improved employee wellbeing. Despite this, senior roles are 33 times more likely to go to upper-class white men than ethnic minority women. Also, in the United Kingdom, only 25% of tech employees are from ethnic minority groups, with 5% identifying as Black. Therefore, it is essential that we do what we can to increase these numbers.

One way to show your support for diversity and inclusion in the workplace is by celebrating important days. So, we have put together a calendar with noteworthy inclusion dates as well as prominent religious days. However, for an extensive calendar of religious holidays, please see Diversity Resources’ 2025 calendar.

D&I 2025

2024 Diversity and Inclusion dates

January

  • 1st – World Day of Peace
  • 4th – World Braille Day
  • 6th – Epiphany (Christian)
  • 7th – Orthodox Christmas
  • 13th – Lohri Maghi (Sikh)
  • 14th- Mahayana New Year (Buddhist)
  • 17th – International Mentoring Day
  • 19th – World Religion Day
  • 20th – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
  • 27th – Holocaust Memorial Day
  • 29th – Lunar New Year

February

  • LGBT History Month
  • 1st – World Hijab Day
  • 2nd – Imbolc (Pagan and Wiccan)
  • 3rd – 9th – UK Race Equality Week
  • 4th – World Cancer Day
  • 6th – Time to Talk Day
  • 9th – Autism Sunday
  • 11th – International Day of Women and Girls in Science
  • 15th – Nirvana Day (Buddhist)
  • 16th – Vasant Panchami (Hindu)
  • 20th – World Day of Social Justice
  • 26th – Maha Shivratri (Hindu)
  • 27th – Lailat al Miraj (Islam)
  • 28th – Ramandan starts (Islam)
  • 28th – International Stand up to Bullying Day

March

  • 1st – International Wheelchair Day
  • 1st – Zero Discrimination Day
  • 3rd – World Hearing Day
  • 4th – Shrove Tuesday (Christian)
  • 5th – Ash Wednesday & Lent Starts (Christian)
  • 8th – International Women’s Day
  • 13th – 14th – Purim (Judaism)
  • 14th- Nanakshani – New Year (Sikh)
  • 15th – 18th – Hola Mohalla (Sikh)
  • 17th – 23th – Neurodiversity Celebration Week
  • 18th – 24th – British Sign Language Week
  • 20th – International Day of Happiness
  • 21st – World Downs Syndrome Day
  • 21st – International Day for the Elimination of Racism
  • 24th – World Tuberculosis (TB) Day
  • 30th – World Bipolar Day
  • 30th – Eid al-Fitr (Islam)
  • 31st – International Transgender Day of Visibility

April

  • National Autism Awareness Month
  • Stress Awareness Month
  • 2nd – 8th – World Autism Acceptance Week
  • 2nd – World Autism Awareness Day
  • 6th – International Asexuality Day
  • 6th – Laylat al-Qadr (Islam)
  • 7th – World Health Day
  • 12th – The Memorial of Jesus’ Death (Jehovah’s Witness)
  • 12nd – 20th – Passover (Judaism)
  • 18th – Good Friday (Christian)
  • 19th – Vaisakhi (Hindu, Sikh)
  • 20th – Easter Sunday (Christian)
  • 21st – Easter Monday (Christian)
  • 22nd – Earth Day
  • 24th – International Girls in ICT Day
  • 26th – Lesbian Visibility Day

May

  • Mental Health Awareness Month
  • 4th – International Family Equality Day
  • 5th – 11th – Deaf Awareness Week
  • 14th – National Staff Networks Day
  • 15th – Global Accessibility Awareness Day
  • 17th – International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia
  • 21st – Cultural Diversity Day
  • 24th – Pansexual Visibility Day

June

  • Pride Month
  • Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Awareness Month
  • Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month
  • 1st – Global Day of Parents
  • 1st – 3rd – Shavuot (Judaism)
  • 2nd – 8th – Volunteers Week
  • 6th – 10th – Eid Al-Adha (Islam)
  • 8th – Race Unity Day
  • 9th – 15th – Carers Week
  • 14th – Eid Al-Ghadir (Islam)
  • 15th – World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
  • 16th – Neurodiversity Pride Day
  • 16th – Guru Arjan Martyrdom (Sikh)
  • 16th – 22nd – Refugee Week
  • 18th – Autistic Pride Day
  • 18th – UN: International Day of Countering Hate Speech
  • 23rd – Women in Engineering Day

July

  • Disability Pride Month
  • 14th – International Non-Binary Persons Day
  • 15th – World Youth Skills Day
  • 17th July – 18th August – South Asian Heritage Month
  • 18th – Nelson Mandela Day
  • 24th – Pioneer Day (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
  • 27th – Muharram – New Year (Islam)

August

  • 1st – 7th – World Breastfeeding Week
  • 9th – International Day of the World’s Indigenous People
  • 19th – World Humanitarian Day
  • 23rd – International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition
  • 26th – US: Women’s Equality Day

September

  • East and South East Asian Heritage Month
  • World Alzheimer’s Month
  • 5th – International Day of Charity
  • 5th – Mawlid al-Nabi (Islam)
  • 6th – 10th – International Week of Happiness at Work
  • 10th – World Suicide Prevention Day
  • 18th – International Equal Pay Day
  • 19th – Youth Mental Health Day
  • 21st – UN International Day of Peace
  • 21st – World Alzheimer’s Day
  • 22nd – 24th – Rosh Hashanah (Judaism)
  • 23rd – International Day of Sign Languages
  • 23rd – Bi Visibility Day
  • 29th – 5th September – National Inclusion Week

October

  • Black History Month
  • Down Syndrome Awareness Month
  • World Blindness Awareness Month
  • World Menopause Month
  • Global Diversity Awareness Month
  • ADHD Awareness Month
  • 1st – International Day of Older Persons
  • 1st – Yom Kippur (Judaism)
  • 2nd – Dusherra (Hindu)
  • 9th – World Sight Day
  • 9th – 15th – Baby Loss Awareness Week
  • 10th – World Mental Health Day
  • 11th – Coming Out Day
  • 15th – International Pronouns Day
  • 18th – World Menopause Day
  • 20th – Diwali (Hindu, Sikh and Jain)
  • 26th – Intersex Awareness Day

November

  • Movember / Men’s Health Awareness Month
  • Islamophobia Awareness Month
  • 5th – National Stress Awareness Day
  • 9th – Remembrance Sunday
  • 12th – 18th – Transgender Awareness Week
  • 13th – World Kindness Day
  • 14th – World Diabetes Day
  • 16th – International Day for Tolerance
  • 17th- Anti-Bullying Week
  • 19th – International Men’s Day
  • 20th – Transgender Day of Remembrance
  • 25th – International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

December

  • 1st – World AIDS Day
  • 2nd – International Day for the Abolishment of Slavery
  • 3rd – International Day of Persons with Disabilities
  • 8th – Bodhi Da (Buddhist)
  • 10th – Human Rights Day
  • 14th – 22nd Jan – Hannukah (Judaism)
  • 22nd – Yule (Pagan and Wiccan)
  • 25th – Christmas Day (Christian)
  • 26th – Boxing Day (Christian)

Download the full 2024 calendar for free here.

Skills

What is the digital skills gap?

Despite digital skills becoming increasingly in demand, there is a digital skills gap in many countries, including the UK. A lack of trained graduates, young people going into STEM subjects, and companies upskilling employees are just a few reasons for this and it results in companies not being able to access enough skilled professionals. This can negatively impact the growth, productivity, and profitability of businesses and, ultimately, the economy. If things don’t change, this gap is likely to get bigger as three in five employers (60%) expect their reliance on advanced digital skills to increase in the next five years.

Skills

The importance of closing the digital skills gap

Enhancing digital skills will be crucial to many businesses, even those that aren’t IT or tech-related, such as building and using systems in the NHS, for example, appointment or treatment systems. In fact, over nine in ten (92%) businesses say that having a basic level of digital skills is important for employees at their organisation, and four in five (82%) job vacancies ask for digital skills. Learning and Work Institute’s employer survey also found that the proportion of employers who saw basic digital skills as important for employees was particularly high in some sectors outside of IT, including media, marketing, advertising, and PR (100%), and finance and accounting (97%). However, alongside the near-universal demand for basic digital skills, there is also a high demand for advanced digital skills with one in four (27%) employers saying they require skills at a higher than basic level.

If we don’t make the effort to tackle the digital skills gap it will mean that tech progress will start to slow down because there won’t be enough skilled people to carry out updates or changes and pass on their knowledge to others. However, it is not just the tech industry that will be affected; research has shown that 32% of skilled workers across multiple occupations in the UK are struggling with carrying out their day-to-day jobs due to a lack of digital knowledge. The Next Generation of Hiring report has shown that 18.3% of HR managers feel the skills gap is their biggest obstacle when recruiting new staff, so this must change as 78% of HR managers also believe that recruitment is important to meet their goals for growth over the next 5 years.
 

How employers can help close this gap

One key way employers can help close the digital skills gap is by upskilling their current employees through training, whether that’s using eLearning, instructor-led training, workshops, or webinars. Research has found that a blend of eLearning and instructor-led learning is the most beneficial way of learning for most people. Employers that fail to do this are likely to fall behind the companies that do, and increase the gap further as there is limited talent that already has the advanced digital skills they require. This may seem like a big task and potentially costly, however, the benefits will outweigh this in both productivity, innovation, and profit. Investing in your employee’s development will also build loyalty between you and increase staff retention.  Despite this being an effective method, almost three in five workers say their employer has never provided them with training to improve their digital skills.

Mentorships are also an effective way of upskilling employees, with 84% of CEOs saying that mentors helped them to avoid costly mistakes and 86% crediting mentors as crucial to their career accomplishments. Not only does it help upskill employees, but it also helps build a rapport between colleagues and opens communication that allows the mentee to feel comfortable asking questions which will further help them to progress. However, this does rely on the mentor having enough in-depth knowledge about digital skills, so the company would need to ensure that this is sufficient before the mentoring starts, otherwise it won’t be an effective use of time.

Being a diverse and inclusive company will also help close the digital gap within your company as it will create a bigger talent pool with a range of skills and experience. It will also help in making all your employees feel valued and able to fulfil their potential and, in turn, help staff retention. When employees feel appreciated, they are also more likely to want to learn new skills and help the company grow. Focusing on individual growth and development through training and mentorship is an example of being inclusive. Diversity also enables quicker problem-solving as different people will have different ideas, increasing productivity. With the tech industry being made up of 73% of jobs being held by men and 62% of jobs held by white employees it is even more important to be a diverse and inclusive company, so we can make a change to those stats.

Another way of upskilling employees is by fostering a continuous learning culture. This works best when the company celebrates and rewards successes because it encourages those who are doing well to continue to learn and pushes those who haven’t done as much to do more. Research by AND Digital and McKinsey showed that 76% of organisations think that transforming culture and ways of working is a crucial challenge, 42% lack leadership and talent for agile transformation, and 28% lack sufficient resources.

 

Gaining digital skills as a candidate

Not only do employers benefit from individuals gaining advanced digital skills, but it also can lead to a great career with lots of opportunities. It is also likely you will not be out of a job any time soon and you’ll be a part of reducing the digital skills gap. Whilst all digital skills are useful, some are projected to be most in demand over the next year, including programming languages (mostly Python and JavaScript), SEO optimisation, data analytics, software engineering, software development, UX, AI, and cybersecurity. You can read more about what skills you will need to learn for each section here.

Updating your digital skills can increase your earnings by between 3% and 10%. If this appeals to you but you’re not sure how to learn these skills, the National Careers site offers lots of advice and apprenticeships are also another great way to break into a digital role.

 

Find out about current tech opportunities here.

5 in demand tech skills for 2024

As the tech industry is growing, the demand for skilled candidates is also increasing. Currently, the UK tech sector employs over 1.7 million people and adds over £150bn to the UK economy every year, which could grow to a further £41.5 billion and create 678,000 additional jobs by 2025.

So, what are some of the most in-demand tech skills for 2024?

 

  1. Data Analytics

Data analytics is the collection, transformation, and organization of data to draw conclusions and make predictions which allows companies to make more strategically guided decisions. This includes looking at what happened, why it happened, what is going to happen, or what should be done next. One increasingly popular type of data analytics is cloud analytics which involves deploying scalable cloud computing with powerful analytic software to identify patterns in data and new insights. In cloud analytics systems, all generated data is collected and securely stored in the cloud, where it can be accessed from any internet-connected device. The system then cleans, processes, and analyses the data, then displays the insights for the user.

Skills required in data analytics roles:

 

  1. Software Engineering

Software engineering involves creating, designing, improving, maintaining, and debugging programmes, applications and software. Good software engineers will be able to easily identify the best programming language and platform to deliver on for each client and generally work collaboratively with other engineers and developers. Their role is to execute the full software development life cycle and analyse user requirements.

Skills required in software engineering roles:

 

  1. Software Development

Software development is often thought of as the same as software engineering, however they are slightly different. Software developers use their programming and coding skills to create new software and improve existing software applications. However, it also usually involves more debugging and coding than software engineering and they constantly looking at ways to improve systems. Developers tend to work on a smaller scale than engineers and focus on designing application software or specific systems. There are lots of different paths to go down in software development, such as front-end, back-end, full-stack, or mobile development.

Skills required in software development roles:

 

  1. Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence is the science and engineering of making intelligent machines and computer programmes that simulate human intelligence processes. AI systems work by ingesting large amounts of data and analysing this data to create patterns and correlations to make future predictions. One example is live chat bots that interact with people and understands the questions you are asking and can reply with the most common answers to those questions. Chat GPT is another example of where AI is used. It is beneficial to businesses as it can automate tasks done by humans, such as customer service and quality control with relatively few errors.

Skills required in AI roles:

 

  1. Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is becoming increasingly more important as cybersecurity attacks are on the rise and can include identity theft, extortion, the loss of or stealing of data, phishing, or malware. A successful cybersecurity approach has multiple layers of protection spread across the computers, networks, programs, or data that one intends to keep safe.

Skills required in cybersecurity roles:

 

How diverse candidates can help to solve the technology gap

Unfortunately, whilst there is an increasing demand for tech skills, there is still a lack of diversity in the industry with 73% of jobs being held by men and 62% of jobs held by white employees. This means companies are missing out on all the benefits a diverse and inclusive workplace offers. Having different perspectives, viewpoints and ideas allows for increased innovation and faster problem-solving. A variety of skilled workers will also increase productivity as they can upskill each other, increasing employees knowledge and ability to solve problems. Forbes have even stated that companies with above-average diversity had a 19% innovation-related advantage over companies with below-average diversity. Having a diverse team also allows you to connect with your customers better and successfully target a larger customer base, which can increase the company’s profitability and give your business a competitive advantage over rivals.

However, it isn’t just the company that benefits from a diverse team, the employees also benefit. This is important in the technology industry as they experience one of the highest turnover rates. Working in an inclusive environment allows everyone to feel valued, included, and appreciated, which in turn, will encourage staff to continue to work within the company and create a sense of trust and belonging. It also allows employees to create a wider network which can help them to develop and progress in their careers and gain more opportunities.

 

The demand for technology skills doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon. So, whether you want to start a career in tech, change to a new tech role, or simply add to your current knowledge, there are many great skills to choose from going into 2024!

Sogeti

Sogeti UK – Twinkle Mishra, Principal Consultant

We interviewed Twinkle Mishra, Principal Consultant at Sogeti UK on her experience and thoughts on diversity in tech.

Sogeti

  1. What does your job role involve?

My role as a Principal Consultant involves helping the clients ensure that their applications are performing at optimum levels in terms of availability, resource utilization, scalability and reliability.

 

  1. What made you choose a career in technology?

As far as I remember, Computer Science has always fascinated me. I was thrilled at how we can achieve so much with just a few pieces of code. My fascination towards computers amplified with time and it became an obvious career option for me.

 

  1. Did you study an IT or technology related subject at A-Level or University?

Yes, I hold a master’s degree in computer applications. I also have a bachelor’s degree in computer applications.

 

  1. Do you think there is a lack of diversity in the IT and tech sector?

No, I don’t think there is lack of diversity in IT and tech sector. Throughout my career, I had the opportunity to connect with people from various parts of the world with different culture, colour and sex.

 

  1. What do you think the main issue is with the lack of diversity?

Well, the short answer is that I do not feel that there is a lack of diversity in IT sector.

 

  1. Did you experience any barriers getting into technology?

Not any major barriers but as a woman, sometimes it becomes difficult to have a good work life balance especially when you are a mother.

 

  1. What does diversity and inclusion mean to you?

Diversity and inclusion for me means that you should always be treated equally and fairly no matter where you are coming from or what colour you are or what your gender is.

 

  1. Have you ever experienced discrimination in the workplace? If so, how did it make you feel?

No, fortunately I have never faced any discrimination in my workplace. I have always been treated equally, all thanks to the wonderful organizations that I have worked with.

Sogeti

Sogeti UK – Nithya Vimalanathan, Principal Consultant

We interviewed Nithya Vimalanathan, Principal Consultant at Sogeti UK on her experience and thoughts on diversity in tech.

Sogeti

  1. What does your job role involve?

My role as a Delivery Manager is multi-faceted. Daily, I engage with multiple stakeholders, which involves a palette of skills like leadership, analysing and defining the risks, dependencies and involve in techno-functional and mentoring discussions.

My day in the life starts with daily stand-up meetings after which I wear my technical hat. I am responsible for the stabilization of the IT infrastructure environment. I liaise with the key stakeholders to prioritize the requirements for the subsequent code releases. Meanwhile, I switch to my leadership hat to manage my team members (BA’s, Developers, QA’s, Product Owner) allocating tasks, clarifying information, and helping to clear blockers.

Since my project is agile, I am involved from the business requirement gathering phase, collaborating with the Product Owner and developers. I create frameworks for processes that improve the quality of the product and responsible for the overall delivery of a quality product.

 

  1. What made you choose a career in technology?

I was curious about computers right from my childhood as I wondered how computer games, UI and software were designed and how they work behind the scenes. People scared me, telling me that technology is a mere academic subject, and it is not for girls to pursue as a career. I felt I should choose a career based on my interest therefore I can constantly learn and adapt as technology evolves.

 

  1. Did you study an IT or technology related subject at A-Level or University?

I pursued an undergraduate degree in Computer Applications and MBA specializing in Systems and technology. This laid the strong foundation for my career.

 

  1. Do you think there is a lack of diversity in the IT and tech sector?

Yes indeed, as I can visibly see the lack of female representation in the IT industry either be it a female leader or technologist. Although we are on track to meet the target of 40% Women in Leadership by end 2025, we lack in diversity in the IT and tech sector. In my opinion, I feel this is due to gender inequality.

 

  1. What do you think the main issue is with the lack of diversity?

The main issue with the lack of diversity is hiring for the role but not for the talent. There is a pre-conceived notion that certain roles should be performed only by a certain group of people and not for all, resulting in misalignment of roles.

 

  1. Did you experience any barriers getting into technology?

Of course, Yes. I didn’t pursue an engineer degree; A decade back, IT jobs was always classified only for Engineers. I must prove every step in my career to get into technology sector.

 

  1. What does diversity and inclusion mean to you?

Diversity and Inclusion means creating an environment for everyone from different backgrounds, experiences, age, gender and beliefs. It’s embracing those differences, being respectful and kind to each other, making sure everyone feels valued. It requires a conscious effort to appreciate the experiences of others and what different perspective they can bring to the table. This will create a safe & confident environment.

 

  1. Have you ever experienced discrimination in the workplace? If so, how did it make you feel?

Yes, I have faced discrimination in my career. It did break my confidence and it didn’t create a safe & conducive environment. After my experience, I started to advocate for Diversity & Inclusion in workplace. My current workplace has given me a safer and more confident environment where I can thrive and not just survive.

Sogeti

Sogeti – Abhishek Kumar, Managing Consultant

We interviewed Abhishek Kumar, Managing Consultant at Sogeti on his experience and thoughts on diversity in tech.

Sogeti

  1. What does your job role involve?

My current role is Programme Test Manager, and I am responsible for Test Strategy Development, Test Planning, Test Management, Quality Assurance, Risk Management, implement Continuous Improvement. My role involves managing stake holders and their expectations, ensure the compliance and standards are in place. My role demands a combination of technical knowledge, leadership skills, and effective communication. They play a crucial role in ensuring that the software being developed is of high quality and meets the intended requirements, which is essential for the success of any software project.

 

  1. What made you choose a career in technology?

I did not start my career in IT, When I first started job in 2003, I worked as a Research and Development Engineer for LG Electronics in South Korea. It was an interesting place, where I would understand how circuits work, and how we can use innovative technologies in Electronics. I did like the work, However my heart was set in IT, as I was always fascinated by how technological advances in IT are shaping the world and changing the way we live. I wanted to be part of this change and hence chose IT as career.  I joined Infosys which at that time was India’s leading Software service provider. Its been a great journey since then.

 

  1. Did you study an IT or technology related subject at A-Level or University?

We did have IT as subject in our University Course, However I majored in Electronics & Electrical engineering, I knew programming from my school and was proficient in C, Basic, Fortan, Pascal & Java.

 

  1. Do you think there is a lack of diversity in the IT and tech sector?

The Tech industry has historically struggled with areas such as Underrepresentation, Gender Gaps, Lack of inclusion, Stereotyping and Bias, Educational disparities, Unconscious Bias & Pay disparities.  Luckily, in our organization, there has been a lot of push and effort put in to improve diversity and inclusion and to encourage people to participate in diversity and inclusion training and setting diversity goals and targets. Our organization have also committed to publishing diversity reports and taking concrete steps to improve representation.

 

  1. What do you think the main issue is with the lack of diversity?

There are several reasons, I recently did a Pod Cast interview with a colleague of mine and she talked about How challenging it was for her to come from a south Asian background and convince her parents to accept that she wants to make a career in Tech. These social stigmas exist everywhere. Underrepresentation of various demographic groups, including women, racial and ethnic minorities, and individuals with disabilities, can create an imbalance in the workforce. This lack of representation means that the tech industry may not benefit from a full range of perspectives and experiences, which can stifle innovation and problem-solving.  The lack of diversity often leads to inequalities in hiring, promotion, and pay, with underrepresented groups facing barriers to advancement in their careers. This inequality can be detrimental to individuals and create a sense of exclusion.

 

  1. Did you experience any barriers getting into technology?

Many newcomers to the tech industry, regardless of their background, may experience impostor syndrome, which can hinder their confidence and advancement. I had a similar experience, where I did not have prior technology experience and had doubts, whether I will be able to succeed in this career.

 

  1. What does diversity and inclusion mean to you?

Diversity recognizes and values the differences among individuals and acknowledges that people come from various backgrounds and have unique characteristics and attributes. Inclusion involves fostering a culture where diverse perspectives and contributions are not only accepted but also sought out and integrated into decision-making processes and activities.

In my opinion efforts to promote diversity and inclusion can include implementing policies and practices that support these values, this will help in creating environments which are conducive for individuals to excel in their career.

 

  1. Have you ever experienced discrimination in the workplace? If so, how did it make you feel?

I personally never faced it; however, I have been vocal when ever I see such behaviour or malpractice in my social setting. Its important that individuals understand their rights. Always reach out for support from HR and your colleagues who can guide you in dealing with the situation.

Sogeti

Sogeti – Avraaj Matharu, Automation Architect

We interviewed Avraaj Matharu, Automation Architect at Sogeti on his experience and thoughts on diversity in tech.

Sogeti

  1. What does your job role involve?

I work as an Automation Architect and my job role involves the following:

 

  1. What made you choose a career in technology?

I chose a career in tech due to a combination of factors, including a passion for problem-solving, a strong interest in innovation, the desire to make a meaningful impact, job security, financial rewards, and the opportunity to express creativity. Exposure to technology, role models, and mentors also played a role, along with personal interest and my educational background, ultimately shaping my path toward a technology-focused career.

 

  1. Did you study an IT or technology related subject at A-Level or University?

Yes, I studied BSc IT and MSc IT

 

  1. Do you think there is a lack of diversity in the IT and tech sector?

No, I do not think there is a lack of diversity. There used to be a lack of diversity earlier but with active inclusion programs and a progressive mindset this has been well addressed.

 

  1. Did you experience any barriers getting into technology?

I personally never experienced any barriers in getting into technology.

 

  1. What does diversity and inclusion mean to you?

Diversity and inclusion mean fostering an environment where individuals of all backgrounds, including but not limited to race, gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, and abilities, are not only welcomed but valued and empowered. It involves recognising and embracing the unique perspectives and experiences that people from diverse backgrounds bring to the table. Inclusion goes beyond representation; it’s about creating a culture where all voices are heard, and everyone has equal opportunities to thrive and contribute to their fullest potential. It’s a commitment to fairness, respect, and equity for all individuals, irrespective of their differences.

 

  1. Have you ever experienced discrimination in the workplace? If so, how did it make you feel?

No, I feel very included and never faced and discrimination in the workplace.

5 ways to be an ally

Wouldn’t you want to feel included in the workplace? To have a well-rounded and inclusive tech industry, we must aim to increase diversity and one way to do this is to promote allyship in the workplace. An ally is someone who is not part of a marginalized group but wants to support, help, and promote those who are in one, helping to create a workplace where everyone feels appreciated and valued. In tech, women make up just 26% of the industry and BAME groups make up just 15.2%, therefore allyship is imperative to help these individuals feel heard and encouraged to join the field.

Allyship

Creating a diverse team has many benefits, not only for the individuals but for the company as well. Research has shown that organisations that have above-average levels of diversity outperform those with lower levels between 46-58%. In addition, a study by McKinsey & Company showed that 39% of all respondents say they’ve turned down or decided not to pursue a job because of a perceived lack of inclusion at an organisation. Furthermore, diversity has a great impact on employees’ mental health and well-being and makes them 20% more likely to stick around. Driving allyship in your workplace is an essential step in creating an inclusive environment. In this article, we cover 5 ways you can be an ally and drive inclusion at work.

 

  1. Educate yourself

Don’t rely on, or expect others to educate you, take it upon yourself to learn about allyship and how you can be a good ally. A good place to start might be learning about privilege and how this might apply to you. This is defined as the unearned advantage someone has due to factors such as their race, gender, age, or sexual orientation. For example, this might be being a white male in a white male-dominated tech industry. However, this isn’t saying that those in the majority groups haven’t ever had disadvantages, but it does mean these factors haven’t added to their disadvantages. By being able to better understand the struggles that others face and actively trying to make a change, you are making those steps to become an effective ally.

Learning about other cultures, disabilities and beliefs will also help you to understand under-represented groups on a deeper level and what things might be considered appropriate and inappropriate to them. Therefore, it will help you to recognise when you need to stand up for or against something on their behalf. Investing your time into learning will also show how committed you are to becoming a good ally and give you more confidence in standing up for other people.

It is also important to be aware of the unconscious biases we all hold. This is a type of bias where we are not usually aware that our behaviours are being influenced by it, so learning how to identify them in ourselves will help us learn to avoid acting on them. One way to achieve this might be for employers to hold training sessions which can be beneficial as it will help educate on what unconscious biases are and how to try to avoid them influencing our actions. However, it is ultimately up to the individual to make the effort to want to learn and make a difference.

 

  1. Listen

Are you a good listener? Another important step is to listen. Don’t assume you know how someone feels because they are in an under-represented group because not every minority community, or individual, feels oppressed or unfairly treated. Instead, listen to individuals to find out what they need from you as an ally. If you are unsure of anything that you are hearing, pause to clarify, otherwise this could lead to miscommunication further down the line. There may also be times of silence when people are sharing their stories and experiences. Instead of feeling awkward, try to use the silence to your advantage as it provides time for both sides to reflect and consider what to say next. It will also show attentiveness, allowing stronger bonds to form.

 

  1. Speak up

Whilst it is important you listen to those in the underrepresented groups it isn’t enough to just listen. You also need to use your privilege call out behaviours that you think are or discriminatory, when the time is right. Being discriminated against in the workplace can have a huge impact on someone’s wellbeing, and mental state and can lead to many people quitting their jobs due to feeling lonely, sad, and isolated. Some of the types of discrimination to look out for are ageism, racism, ableism, and sexism. One way you might be able to help is to speak up if those with disabilities in the workplace aren’t given any additional help or work equipment they might need to do an effective job or if you hear someone mispronounce someone’s name (even if it was an honest accident) correct them, so the person feels respected and valued. Don’t be afraid to go against the grain because you are only trying to make the workplace a better place for all.

In addition, having these conversations with family and friends to educate them on being an effective ally and what they can do to help can have huge benefits to those in under-represented groups. The more people we can get on board with this way of thinking, the more we can do to amplify their voices and make a change.

 

  1. Model inclusive behaviours

Once you understand the fundamentals of allyship and how you can make a difference, aim to model these inclusive behaviours every day. Below is a list of some actions you can take as an ally:

You can find out more about the importance of inclusive language here.

 

  1. Learn from your mistakes

It might not seem like this should be the case, but sometimes those that are willing to make mistakes end up being the best allies because they aren’t afraid to be corrected. It also shows you are constantly willing to learn and adapt, setting good grounds for being a good ally. For example, we may intend to speak out for someone who we think is being treated unfairly, and then later realise they found it offensive that we didn’t let them speak for themselves. If you’re choosing to not speak out through fear of getting it wrong, are you really being an ally? The answer is probably no. However, if you are worried about potentially offending someone and so are holding back, don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Starting your journey to becoming an effective ally might seem uncomfortable to times, but that’s ok. Commit yourself to learning more every day and putting thoughts into action to help those that haven’t been as privileged as you. Capco is a great example of a company that is embracing allyship in the workplace, which you can read more about here.

Inclusion

National Inclusion Week: Improving the experience for everyone in DWP

To celebrate National Inclusion Week 2023, we spoke to Alli Mood at DWP Digital about how they have followed the theme of ‘Take Action Make Impact’ by implementing some changes to D&I work there.

I’m a Deputy Director in Citizen Information, which sits in DWP Digital’s Core Digital Services Function. Across Citizen Information we’re maintaining and protecting the personal information of around 20 million customers, delivering innovative solutions to maximise the re-use of that data within DWP, wider Government and public sector bodies. To deliver better, more efficient services for our diverse range of customers.

Inclusion

As it’s National Inclusion Week, I wanted to share what I’ve been doing recently, as the theme for this year is ‘take action make an impact’. I’ve volunteered to help take forward some Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work. Over the last few months, the team have been conducting some detailed user research with disabled colleagues from DWP Digital. This has provided the building blocks for solutions to improve the experiences of disabled people across the department.

It’s important to me

I have several invisible disabilities including epilepsy, migraines, insomnia, glaucoma, and underactive thyroid. Reading the personal stories in the user research we conducted, I was able to relate these to my own experiences. Working in DWP Digital has been positive, but throughout my career I have also known how bad it feels when you aren’t supported. Or, how difficult your job becomes when a basic ask, that would help you short term, leaves you feeling like you’ve just asked someone to carry you up Mount Everest instead. I’m therefore keen to help with this kind of work so we are constantly improving the experience for everyone in DWP Digital, and they can get support when they need it.

Two years ago, I was diagnosed with Glaucoma. I often lose my vision with migraines and after a bad episode when my vision didn’t return, I foolishly thought I needed to accept I was getting older and needed glasses. Off to Specsavers I marched. In the space of a few days, I was diagnosed. I was an outpatient, having holes lasered into my eyes to relieve pressure and prescribed a witch’s wardrobe of potions to put in my eyes several times a day. Initially I thought this was going to be easy to deal with. The fantastic support from the leadership team and my wider team made it as manageable as it could possibly be at work – even helping me get to work – as I was terrified of being in crowded spaces where I couldn’t see properly. This is because my optic nerve in the right eye is so badly damaged, I have no peripheral vision down my right side, or vision in the top half of my right eye. I no longer see colour correctly and to top it off, my depth perception has simply deserted me. Moving on, those holes closed, so another round was done. At that point damage to the optic nerve was deteriorating fast, so an operation like you would have if you had cataracts was proposed. Post operation, I lost more vision and I’m still adjusting to that. My eyes get tired easily because my left is doing all the work. I have no light tolerance and that has worsened my migraines when they decide to join the party. Despite this, I am the eternal optimist, I am much better at planning my working day and taking breaks. I’m also a lot more vocal when encountering accessibility issues, as I have a much greater understanding of what is problematic for those with visual issues like mine. I’m also trialling some glasses, which if I remember not to attempt to walk while wearing them, I’m sure they’ll be great.

 

Creating a culture to help people with disabilities in DWP Digital

My team have been truly incredible, as has my manager Jack Hanson, in supporting me with what is an ongoing period of adjustment. There wasn’t any giggling when I wore my sunglasses in the office, nor have they laughed as I’ve been like a human pin ball bouncing off the metal posts on the floorplates. Although I do have an element of gallows humour in how I deal with this, the one thing I always aim to do is be honest with those around me about my health. If I seize due to my epilepsy or fall over, I may need help and the best way I can enable that is to be open and help the people understand why these things are happening. I also hope that by being as honest as I can be, it helps create the right culture and that others feel more confident in sharing.

Making an impact in the inclusion space

Following our user research, some positives have emerged, such as having supportive and understanding line managers or supportive colleagues generally. Our next steps are finalising an action plan, which we will be taking to our Executive Team. We have ideas for a number of recommendations to help improve the experiences of disabled people across the department that I’m looking forward to putting into action.

 

Find out more about a career at DWP Digital.