Four women hired into technology roles. One already progressing into leadership. More than 40 women supported through training opportunities.

Those are just some of the results delivered through SecuriGroup's partnership with Code First Girls, which is helping create new pathways into technology careers while strengthening our growing technology team. 

Scotland's technology sector is booming, yet women still hold fewer than one in five technical roles. Recognising both the challenge and the opportunity, we partnered with Code First Girls to help open the door to more women pursuing careers in technology. 

 
Partnership Impact 

• 4 women hired into technical roles 
• 100% career changers from non-technical backgrounds 
• 100% would recommend Code First Girls technical coaching 
• 1 hire progressed into a leadership role 
• 40+ women supported through funded technology training opportunities 

 
The success of the partnership was recently celebrated during a visit from Code First Girls CEO, Anna Brailsford MBE, to our Glasgow Central Support Office, where the team reflected on the impact of the programme and explored how the partnership can continue creating opportunities for women in technology. 

As our technology function continued to grow, we knew we needed more than technical skills alone. We wanted people with different perspectives, real-world experience, and the ability to challenge conventional thinking. 

Traditional recruitment routes often produced the same candidate profiles. Through Code First Girls, we were able to connect with talented women looking to transition into technology from entirely different industries. 

The four women recruited through the programme joined us from backgrounds spanning hospitality, finance, insurance and the charity sector. None had followed a traditional computer science route into the industry, but all brought transferable skills, determination and a strong desire to learn. 

Today, they support the technology that underpins operations for more than 4,500 operatives across the UK, contributing across software development, data engineering and business intelligence functions. 

George Dunlop, Director of Technology at SecuriGroup, said: 

"Before working with Code First Girls, we primarily recruited through platforms such as Indeed or via recruitment agencies. Candidate quality could be inconsistent, both in terms of skills and experience, as well as how easily individuals adapted to our culture and ways of working. 

Code First Girls helped address these challenges by providing motivated, capable candidates who demonstrated both humility and a willingness to learn." 

The impact was felt quickly. 

Within their first six months, one of the hires contributed to a key technology development that was subsequently deployed as part of our support for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games operation. 

Collectively, the four recruits now contribute to systems and technology that support major client operations across the UK. 

Jordan Coyle, Lead Frontend Software Developer at SecuriGroup, said: 

"The Code First Girls hires I manage are hungry for knowledge. It's been great to see how their experience from non-tech roles filters into SecuriGroup and brings different perspectives to the team. 

We've worked with other talent firms before and the experience has been mixed. The aftercare and ongoing development provided by Code First Girls has been very important." 

Beyond recruitment, ongoing coaching has played a key role in helping new team members develop confidence, strengthen technical skills, and accelerate their progression. 

Each hire was enrolled in the Code First Girls technical coaching programme, receiving personalised support from experienced coaches aligned to their role and development goals. 

That additional support was estimated to save between three and five hours per week per person while helping them become effective contributors more quickly. 

George added: 

"The technical coaching provided by the Code First Girls teams delivers real strategic value for our organisation. It gave the hires a strong foundation, enabling them to contribute more quickly while continuing to develop towards a more independent and impactful way of working." 

For the women who joined SecuriGroup through the programme, the opportunity provided a route into an industry they may never previously have considered. 

Rebecca Stewart, Data Engineer at SecuriGroup, said:

"I was looking for a career change and moving into data felt like a natural next step. My role at SecuriGroup has been a steep learning curve, but I've learned a lot very quickly. The team is really friendly and approachable, which has made settling in much easier. 



I'm excited to apply what I've learned to building a data warehouse and creating more reliable, impactful data solutions." 

The long-term value of the partnership is already clear. One of our earliest hires through the programme has progressed into a leadership position within the Business Intelligence team, helping shape our data strategy and supporting continued business growth. 

Building and developing that talent is important not only for our technology team, but for the thousands of frontline colleagues who rely on our systems every day. 

Our in-house developers, data engineers and business intelligence specialists continually enhance SecuriGo, our proprietary workforce management platform, alongside the wider technology solutions that support service delivery across the UK. 

From improving operational visibility and communication to providing officers and managers with real-time information, a strong technology function helps us use innovation to empower our people, improve client outcomes and support continued growth across the business. 

The results have reinforced something we've long believed: great technology talent can come from many different backgrounds when people are given the opportunity, support and encouragement to succeed. 

As the partnership continues to evolve, we're excited to build on the success achieved so far, creating more opportunities for women to enter technology careers while continuing to strengthen the diverse skills and perspectives within our team.