Donna (centre) doing a great job presenting as part of a team in a CYF demo.
Donna found herself juggling single parenthood with a series of minimum wage jobs—working as a librarian, barista, teaching assistant, and parcel sorter. None of these roles offered her what she needed most: a path forward.
“I was unable to progress in any of those roles to a ‘career’ which would give me both opportunity, security, growth, and fulfilment,” Donna explains. “Being in those roles does not afford the opportunity to remove dependency on UC and other benefits.”
Taking the First Step
Donna started googling. First, retraining opportunities. Then tech. She tried online courses first to see if coding might be something she could do. When she searched for bootcamps, CodeYourFuture came up.
“CYF were super responsive, welcoming, and there was a lot of info on the syllabus so I could see what was involved,” she says.
Her goal was simple: to get a good job in tech. “It didn’t seem possible, and it seemed like this is what happens to others. I really wanted to see what was possible.”
The Reality of Studying at CYF
Donna’s typical week was relentless. Full-time work at a school from 7:50am to 4pm. Children from 4pm to 8:30pm bedtime—dinner, chores, the whole routine. Then CYF homework from 8:30pm onwards. Sundays meant shopping, more chores, and more homework.
The challenges were real and specific. JavaScript proved particularly tough technically. It was stressful at times, but Donna didn’t suffer in silence—she shared her challenges with the community and worked late when needed. Having a mentor made a crucial difference, especially when she struggled with confidence about her next steps.
The doubts crept in, too. “A lot of the language of tech seemed alien to me,” she admits. The selection process to progress to the next stage added pressure. She constantly worried about balancing her existing work commitments, caring for her children, and keeping up with the course. “I wondered if I was not technical enough. Too old.”
Finding Support And Guidance
But CYF wasn’t just about the technical curriculum. The people there helped with both practical knowledge and, equally important, they cheered her on. Through the course, Donna refreshed key skills in presenting, collaboration, and communication. More than that, her confidence grew.
The support from CodeYourFuture continued after graduation, with help in looking for roles and navigating the job market.
The Moment Everything Changed
Then came the offer from Capgemini.
“I felt FREE of the current burden of being on Universal Credit. I felt FREE of limitations to develop my own potential in the limiting roles I had recently experienced. I am still amazed tbh.”
Donna went into CYF thinking she’d become a developer. She came out as a Scrum Master. And that’s exactly how it should be.
Looking back, she wishes she’d known more from the start about the breadth of tech roles beyond development. “Plenty of space for BAs, Scrum Masters, Architects, as well as lots of room for low code. A lot of public bodies use power platforms—so not a bad thing to learn, as you can get decent roles in this area.”
Her Advice to You
“Take the opportunity. Hold onto it with all your might. If it doesn’t quite fit, work out why and shape it so it suits you. There are many who will help with this. I went in to be a Dev but exited as a Scrum Master. This is me. It might be you, too.”
Donna had doubts before joining—the technical language felt alien, she worried about the workload, about being too old, not technical enough. She had existing commitments to work and children.
She did it anyway.
“I think my mindset is the same except I have confirmed that it pays to have a growth mindset, to voice your challenges, and to work with others.”
If you’re thinking about applying to CodeYourFuture, wondering if it’s possible for someone like you, Donna’s answer is clear: “It seems, with CYF, anything is.”
Ready to start your journey? Learn more and register for Intro to Digital, the first step in a pathway to a career in tech.