WHEN lockdown hit the UK in March 2020, Sumaya Hassan, 30, already had plenty on her plate.
A single mum to her four-year-old son and her sister’s full-time carer, she worked as a freelance graphic designer in her spare time.
But despite juggling so many responsibilities, Sumaya had another burning ambition: to learn how to code.
“I’d built a website using instructions I found online, and couldn’t believe I could create something out of nothing just like that,” says Sumaya, who lives in Birmingham.
“I wanted to learn more, but I didn’t think it was possible for me – I didn’t have the money, and it felt too late to learn something new.”
But when Covid-19 hit, Sumaya realised she needed to find a more sustainable career path.
“I discovered there were short courses at the University of Birmingham,” she explains. “So, I applied to join one of their coding bootcamps.”
With lessons conducted online in the evenings and at weekends, Sumaya had the flexibility to continue caring for her sister and son while she learnt.
“It was challenging, but so much fun,” she says. “I was juggling a lot, but I received a lot of practical and emotional support from the university.
“My favourite project was when a group of us used the programming languages we’d learnt to build a mindfulness and journalling app. It came out beautifully, and seeing what we had achieved made me realise a career in coding was definitely for me.”
During her final project, Sumaya was approached by the clothing brand Gymshark and was offered a job as a front-end website developer.
“I was so proud of what I’d achieved during the bootcamp, and now I have a new career, which I never dreamt would happen,” she says.
“If you want to learn a new skill, regardless of your age or background, I’d say go for it because your life could change for the better.”
Let’s get digital
Professor Nicola Wilkin, Director of Education at the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Birmingham.
“People join our Skills Bootcamps for many reasons – to change careers, gain a promotion, or to simply learn something new.
“Students can study flexibly, with the chance to learn online and in-person, which means lots of them can continue to work.
“There’s lots of support available, including experienced tutors, dedicated student success managers, and our wellbeing resource, UBHeard – which has 24-hour online support.
“Students also have access to our Careers Network teams, which help to prepare them to compete for jobs. A few of our graduates now work for international tech companies – Sumaya is one of our many success stories.”
Chase your dreams
From Skills Bootcamps to apprenticeships, the Skills for Life programme offers courses and qualifications suitable for all adult learners
FREE COURSES FOR JOBS
Whether you’re looking to progress in your career or try something new, you can gain the skills employers value with a free Level 3 qualification. Get on the path to a better job in sectors such as accounting, health and social care, and education.
APPRENTICESHIPS
Whether you want to progress in your current industry or try something different, an apprenticeship is your chance to learn and gain experience while getting paid, in a wide range of job roles.
ESSENTIAL SKILLS
These courses will help you gain the literacy, numeracy, and digital skills you need and are recognised by employers. If you are aged 19 or over and do not have a GCSE in English or maths at grade C/4 or above (or equivalent), or have low digital skills (below Level 1), you can take Essential Skills courses for free.
SKILLS BOOTCAMPS
These free, flexible courses can help you gain skills employers are looking for in 16 weeks or less. You’ll then be fast-tracked to a job interview. Most adults aged 19 or over may apply.
HIGHER TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS
HTQs are specialist technical qualifications that will help you to gain the in-demand skills you need to get a higher-technical job or prepare you for further study.
Developed with employers and delivered by industry experts, an HTQ is typically cheaper than a degree and will lead you to achieve a Level 4 or 5 qualification.
MULTIPLY
If you’re aged 19 and over and don’t have maths GCSE at grade C (or equivalent), you can access free numeracy courses through Multiply to build your confidence with numbers and gain a qualification.
Want to know more? Visit the Skills for Life website at skillsforlife.campaign.gov.uk, or call the National Careers Service
on 0800 100 900
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