CodeYourFuture and Capgemini UK

Successful partnership award

Unemployed adults and those in low paid work have gained better paid jobs in the fast-growing digital sector in the West Midlands thanks to an exciting partnership from CodeYourFuture and Capgemini UK. The training provider and employer have teamed up to train residents in software development, as well as providing support with one-to-one mentoring, career insight days and homework clubs.

The flexible and inclusive programme has been designed around learners’ other commitments to allow them to continue working around their study – tuition is free, and childcare and travel costs are covered too.

CodeYourFuture and Capgemini have a really innovative approach to learning. They work together closely to understand both the challenges facing students and the needs of employers, so they can offer a truly end-to-end solution.

The training programme is exceptional because it’s opened up access to meaningful employment and a stable income for unemployed and underemployed socially excluded adults in the West Midlands. It’s also established a new way of recruiting employees to the tech sector – one of the fastest growing industries in the region.

The year-long training programme is remarkable for supporting adults of any age who would struggle to access traditional ways of learning, by structuring free training around other work responsibilities, and providing people with laptops, childcare and travel costs. This approach is replicable by other initiatives.

Since 2020, over 150 learners have been helped by the programme with 72% of graduates getting jobs in the technology industry with international organisations like Capgemini.

The programme has been designed to improve the diversity of people working in the technology sector and help people increase their earning potential. More than four in 10 learners so far are female and over half are from ethnic minority backgrounds.

One of the learners said: "I thought I'd never get a chance to break into the tech industry because of where I come from. But CodeYourFuture opened a door for me and changed the course of my life."

Another learner added: "CodeYourFuture have been instrumental in helping me get started at Capgemini. They really care about supporting people from underprivileged and minority backgrounds, and it's made a huge difference for me."