The Roke Academy is a centre of excellence for learning and development. The Ignite Development Pathway (IDP), a part of The Roke Academy, focuses on non-traditional areas of recruitment to embrace undiscovered talent to enter the tech field.
The Roke Academy IDP has been up and running since April 2022. Each cohort is made up of 25 individuals from all walks of life and a huge variety of backgrounds.
We met with two cohort members, Paige and Mark, to hear about their experiences with The Roke Academy and what benefits it has brought to them.
How did you hear about The Roke Academy, and what attracted you to apply?
Paige: I stumbled upon the application for The Roke Academy via Indeed, the recruitment website. After reading all that entailed, I realised a few things. Firstly, this opportunity seemed too good to be true! So much so that I did a deep dive on Roke and Hatch (the company who helped Roke to run The Roke Academy) to ensure this was not a scam!
Secondly, they were offering paid training for those with little to no experience in software development. They were more interested in employing those with a passion for coding, as well as a drive to take on the training they provided with fervour. To me, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Mark: I’d made the decision to leave my current industry and embark on a career change. Given that I have no real experience (other than hobby-coding) or relevant qualifications, I’d started to look for adult apprenticeships and entry-level roles. I saw this role being advertised on Indeed, and it immediately caught my eye. In fact, to begin with, I thought it sounded too good to be true!
The job advertisement made it clear that no specific qualifications or experience were necessary. There was no reliance on a CV, full-time training would be provided for six months, and you would get paid a competitive salary throughout this period. This sounded amazing, and all that was required to start the recruitment process was a short coding test.
What did you know about Roke and Chemring already?
Paige: My deep dive into Roke gave me some insight into who they are and what exactly they do. It was clear that they do amazing work in the business areas they are in, all of which I wanted to be a part of. Their website showcased some of the products they have created and included any news related to Roke, which elevated my interest.
Sadly, in the beginning, I knew less about Chemring. It wasn’t until the induction day that I gained insight into their ownership of Roke.
Mark: To be honest, I’d never heard of Roke or Chemring before the recruitment process. After getting through the coding test stage, I was told the company I’d be working for, if successful, would be Roke. After looking at their website, I thought the work Roke was involved in sounded very interesting and being able to play a small part in protecting people and the UK as a whole was very rewarding. I also liked the fact that Chemring worked in multiple sectors in different countries, which was a bonus.
What job were you in when you applied for The Roke Academy?
Paige: I worked as a sewing machinist for a saddlery company (Albion, England). The job was tough at times, but I thoroughly enjoyed every second. I firmly believe that venturing out of my comfort zone and applying for that role helped give me the confidence to apply for The Roke Academy.
Mark: I’d been working in the Financial Services industry for 22 years, mostly in and around arranging mortgages. I’d been working for a high street building society for almost 20 years and, latterly, helped a friend set up a mortgage brokerage. During the 22 years, I carried out several roles including Mortgage Adviser, Branch Manager, Area Mortgage Manager, and Development Coach.
What career ambitions do you have?
Paige: I am interested in growing as a software engineer, delving into different areas of the business. Being able to partake in different projects is something I thoroughly look forward to!
Mark: For as long as I can remember, I’ve had an interest in computers and technology. I still remember getting my first go on my school's BBC Acorn computer (showing my age!), and I was instantly hooked. However, after finishing my education, I felt that a career in the tech-industry was out of reach and was only ever a pipe dream. However, now my children have grown up and left university, I thought that now was the time to try and achieve my dream, take a gamble, and give it a go. Thanks to Roke and their training, I’m now working towards roles in cyber security or cloud computing.
What are you enjoying about The Roke Academy?
Paige: Working closely with 24 other people was a blessing, and the friendships I have gained from The Roke Academy will always be treasured. The support I received (and still receive) was immeasurable. There was always someone I could speak to for every scenario imaginable.
Mark: The thing I enjoyed the most about The Roke Academy was the people, both the other 24 trainees and the mentors who both guided and supported us through the training. Because there were people from different backgrounds and ages and with different ages and experiences, we quickly gelled into a fantastically supportive friendship group, and we all helped each other. There was a good balance of working remotely with an excellent trainer and learning about coding concepts and practices. The breadth of technology we covered during the training was amazing. We also got the opportunity to work onsite for a few months of additional training to put everything we’d learned into practice on real-world projects.
Are there any challenges, and how are you managing them?
Paige: There has always been a challenge to face, from something as small as spelling mistakes in your code to something others may find a bit more difficult, such as maintaining motivation and having that belief in yourself.
With any challenge, I try to break it down into smaller, more manageable tasks. Not only that, but the support from fellow cohort members makes the challenge easier to handle.
Mark: The only challenge is believing in yourself. You have a lot to learn, and the pace is fast, so you must be organised and open to asking for help when needed. But given the other people in the group are always around, and you have a dedicated trainer, help is always at hand.
To begin with, I thought that I wouldn’t be able to keep up and retain all the new knowledge, but that was just my mindset. Everything I needed was provided, including soft-skills and mindfulness sessions where you are helped to ‘be kind to yourself’.
Would you recommend The Roke Academy to others?
Paige: If the opportunity presents itself to you, don’t think twice. If you have an interest, even if it is small, The Roke Academy is for you! It will be a transformative journey, one where you will look back and be amazed at all the things you have achieved.
Mark: Absolutely. If anyone was looking to get into this industry and unsure whether to take the leap, I’d tell them to go for it. I wish I’d have found this role and Roke years ago.