The TechUP initiative was therefore developed to focus on retraining minority groups including women from BAME and underrepresented communities, providing an intensive programme to transform or kick start careers. The TechUP team work closely with industry partners and sponsors to create a programme that meets industry needs.

The main content of the programme takes place online, using a carefully curated selection of pre-existing online resources and bespoke in house materials, all built into a tailored programme designed to meet the needs of our industry partners. As the programme progresses participants are able to specialise in a career pathway, the choices of pathway available will be based on feedback from industry on where their needs and vacancies lie ensuring programme participants are equipped with the right skills to fill those industry needs and vacancies.

All participants will also come together for up to four weekends either in person or online over the duration of the programme, these weekends offer an opportunity for participants to network with each other and our industry partners, the weekend events will also include careers fairs, workshops, panel sessions and industry and motivational speakers. Support is provided throughout the programme through an online portal, regular online catch up sessions and weekly one-to-one meetings with an industry mentor.

The programme includes one to one mentoring for all participants, mentors are drawn from our industry partners and volunteers from the tech community.  Mentoring is important in helping people recognise the talent they have within and to help them find the confidence both to engage on the course and to put their newly acquired skills into practice both at home and in progressing their career and continuing the journey of making their dreams a reality.