At Makers, we are creating a new generation of tech talent, who is skilled and ready for the changing world of work. There is an alarming digital skills gap in the UK, and computer science graduates are unequipped to make an immediate impact on this – institutions like Makers are a much more efficient, practical and inclusive route into the technology industry.
We need more companies who walk the talk when it comes to recruiting inclusively in tech. Diversity is important, but it’s not the right conversation: the real conversation is about inclusivity. Diversity is the outcome of what you get when you have a very inclusive environment – unless C-suite management is bought into this idea, nothing much changes.
We have a strong focus on both attracting under-represented talent and also educating companies on how to tackle the diversity issue in practice. We work both with grassroots organisations and also C-suite management to create systemic change. We design and deliver specific practices on breaking down barriers for underrepresented talent to thrive.
We’ve turned over 1500 people into software developers, introducing them to over 300 of London’s top technology companies looking to hire. From our first year we offered a discount to female applicants to make the course more accessible and to send a signal that women, being underrepresented in tech for no good reason, are particularly welcome to apply. We celebrated when we achieved a 51% female cohort (without ever introducing quotas or changing entry criteria) and have a long-standing 35% female ratio. We have targeted scholarships and loans to help underrepresented minorities to become software developers, and have recently launched apprenticeships as a way to broaden accessibility.
Written for The Fintech Times by Evgeny Shadchnev (CEO of Makers)
Like most industries, fintech suffers from a lack of diversity. To read more about steps being taken to make it fairer and more inclusive, follow this link…
