New Career Pathways Programme Offers Gateway to Cornwall’s Tech Industry

A New Path for Career Changers

Tech Cornwall has launched an upskilling programme designed to help individuals seeking to pivot their career trajectory. The Career Pathways Programme, funded by the Shared Prosperity Fund, offers flexibility and support to those currently employed, unemployed, or underemployed. It officially began in September 2024 and aims to equip participants with skills that align with the region’s main industries: web development, embedded systems, data science and AI, and DevOps.

Flexible Learning for Diverse Needs

One of the standout aspects of the Career Pathways Programme is its flexibility. Course lead Toni Coppen emphasised the programme’s adaptability to various life commitments: “The programme is designed to be completely flexible with your current commitments, whether that’s work, care obligations, health management or something else.” The course is self-directed and offers participants access to a range of resources through the Tech Learning Community platform. To further enhance the learning experience, practical workshops and coaching sessions are held online and in the evenings, making them accessible to all.

Promoting ED&I in Tech

Tech Cornwall has positioned equity, diversity, and inclusion (ED&I) as a core pillar of this programme. The first cohort reflects a balanced representation, featuring a 50/50 male-to-female ratio and participants ranging from 20 to over 60 years old. Experience levels and employment situations vary, but as the team highlights, the key is a growth mindset. Toni and her team value motivation and adaptability, recognising that many participants bring significant transferable skills to the table. “We’re looking for a willingness to learn, an enthusiasm, a drive,” says Toni. “Some people start having never seen a line of code, but if they have the motivation to learn and level up, then they could go far.”

Encouraging Social Mobility

Cornwall’s growing tech cluster, with more than 100 active business members, provides fertile ground for fostering local talent. Events like tech jams and the Festival of Tech offer vital opportunities for networking and industry connection. The programme goes beyond technical training by including career coaching sessions, online training, and career management workshops.

Toni’s team also focuses on engaging local businesses to reconsider traditional hiring practices. “Whilst you do need a certain amount of talent/motivation/natural ability to take on and complete the learning, you don’t need to be the finished article. The course is here to help you get to that point!” The emphasis is on showing that local candidates, even those without the typical 3-5 years of experience, possess the drive and aptitude to thrive in the tech sector if given a chance.

A Call to Cornwall’s Tech Community

Tech Cornwall encourages businesses in the region to get involved and tap into this new pool of talent. “Because who better to fill the skill gaps for certain programming and technical roles than someone who has actively made a decision to enter or switch to the tech industry?” Toni asks.

Businesses interested in partnering with the Career Pathways programme are invited to reach out and connect with motivated candidates ready to make an impact. For more information, contact the team at careerpathways@techcornwall.co.uk.

This innovative approach to training not only strengthens the local tech workforce but aims to elevate the entire sector’s potential by focusing on inclusive growth and real opportunities for all.