ControlPlane Outreach: Exposing At-Risk Students to Careers in Tech

Throughout July, ControlPlane partnered with Spark!, a London-based employability charity for young people, to host three workshops with a group of sixth-form students considered at risk of dropping out of education. The programme brought employees from all departments at ControlPlane together to expose the students to the world of work, highlight different opportunities in the tech industry, and encourage them to dream big about their futures.

Developing a “Hacker’s Mindset”

The first session, led by some of ControlPlane’s Security team, delved into the concept of adopting a “hacker’s mindset” and the associated benefits, emphasising the key skills of curiosity, problem-solving, and critical thinking. It explored how these can be developed outside of traditional education paths and drew on real-life examples from the ControlPlaners’ career journeys.

For example, one of the security engineers, Yannis, talked about the challenges he faced while migrating to the UK. Even though he possessed a degree in Computer Engineering and a Master’s degree in Advanced Security, he found it difficult to break into the IT industry. He highlighted that he had to embrace the continuous development of his skills and knowledge and be persistent—success often comes not only from formal education but from a consistent effort to adapt, grow, and refine your skills, even in the face of obstacles.

The workshop’s subsequent focus on continuous learning highlighted that in the fast-evolving field of IT consulting, staying static is not an option. Continuous learning can be achieved through formal education, like certifications or degrees, but just as importantly, it can be pursued through self-driven exploration and staying curious about emerging technologies and trends.

Breaking Down Career Barriers

Expanding the programme further, the second session, led by the ControlPlane Agile team, focused on career development. Through various interactive activities, the students:

• Reflected on what jobs they were taught were possible when they were younger and what they’ve learnt about themselves and the world since.
• Reframed the societal focus on job titles to what problem they want to help solve and what kind of environments they’d like to be part of.
• Built the skill of creating visions and story-telling through blue-sky thinking.

By the end of the session, each student had mapped out possibilities for their futures and received input, encouragement, and advice on how they might start the journey toward their goals. After doing a retrospective, the group shared that their key takeaway from the session was that they now thought that “any career is possible” and that they found the session “motivating,” “fun,” and “inclusive.”

Networking with the CEO (and many others!)

The final session saw the students meeting everyone, from ControlPlane’s CEO to our operations and sales teams. Through bursts of speed networking, students were invited to question the ControlPlaners about their career stories and work lives, showcasing the diverse range of roles and career paths possible within the world of work. Spark! Charity noted how the students became increasingly confident to engage with ControlPlaners throughout the programme, building on everything they had learnt and culminating in meaningful and enriching conversations.

A Successful Partnership

On wrapping up the programme, ControlPlaners expressed how rewarding they had found the experience and affirmed the importance of reaching out to students who may not ordinarily consider a future in technology. Using this as a springboard, ControlPlane aims to continue to be actively engaged in the wider community, with a future focus on underrepresented groups interested in technology. If you’re a charity that would like to partner with us on that endeavour, please do get in touch.