Empowering the tech talent of tomorrow
Makers is opening doors for future digital leaders
“Diversity is at the heart of Makers, and its focus on applicants’ potential makes it a truly purpose-led organisation. It shows people how technology projects work while giving them the skills required to deliver them.”
Piumi Mitchell, head of Social Impact partnerships
Inspiring new careers in underrepresented communities
Only a quarter of tech employees are from ethnic minorities, fewer than a third are women or non-binary and just 9% are from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
Tech talent provider Makers is on a mission to change the face of the industry.
Committed to increasing diversity, Makers offers valuable training to people from a range of communities. This includes those from social mobility cold spots who may have been overlooked by the traditional education system and lacked access to relatable role models working in technology.
It gives them the software development, data and AI skills needed to embrace a new future. And the impacts speak for themselves – 96% of alumni say it transformed their lives.
Deloitte has worked with Makers for more than ten years, helping to create opportunities for over 150 software engineers. To support the Government Digital Service’s (GDS) ambition in growing regional tech talent capability for the GOV.UK One Login programme, Deloitte partnered with Makers through our Social Value commitments.
Better access and opportunity
The GOV.UK One Login programme aims to build a single, ubiquitous and simple way for citizens to login and prove their identity, enabling them to access government services securely. GDS contracted Deloitte in early 2022 to support delivery across the programme.
Through the GOV.UK Social Value model, which ensures public contracts offer wider benefits for people and the planet, we teamed up with Makers to create training and employment opportunities at GDS. Together, we developed an innovative resourcing approach to provide talent for the initiative while boosting jobs and skills in Bristol and Manchester, focus regions for GDS.
Local candidates were selected for a free 16-week software engineering bootcamp. Once they had completed it, the individuals were embedded into the Deloitte GDS project team, gaining on-the-job training while contributing to the delivery of GOV.UK One Login.
“We were honoured to be recognised by the firm as a Social Value supplier for key GDS engagements,” says Lauralei Chapman-Ludgate, chief commercial officer at Makers. “Our work is a fantastic example of how we’re able to uncover and develop in-demand talent from underrepresented groups.”
From fragmented systems to unified access
Over 80 services have been onboarded to date, and more than 8.5 million users have created GOV.UK One Login accounts.
This collaboration has shown how big business can join forces with the third and public sector to empower individuals to achieve their full potential.
Software engineers from Makers were successfully deployed through the programme and are laying the foundation for a GDS tech hub in the South West. For nine people from the cohort, the experience led to permanent roles with GDS in Bristol and Manchester.
Importantly, this has helped to increase equality across government tech teams. Of Makers bootcamp graduates, 40% are women and 40% are from ethnically diverse backgrounds.
“Collaborating with Makers, we are able to engage diverse tech talent and strengthen Deloitte’s commitment to Social Value,” explains Olivia Parkinson, associate director in Deloitte Digital. “By providing the chance for Makers engineers to be deployed on GDS engagements, we could demonstrate our commitment to equal opportunity and economic equality.”
Together, Makers and Deloitte are joining forces to train leaders who are building the future tech landscape – one that’s fairer for everyone.
