How the TechStart digital programme kickstarts young people into a career in tech. David Mensah interview.

Inspiring the next generation: How the TechStart digital programme kickstarts young people into a career in tech

Young people are finding it increasingly difficult to get their foot in the door of the tech industry and the digital age has created an unprecedented demand for tech professionals.

With so many experienced professionals vying for the same jobs, it can be hard to make a name for yourself. Unfortunately, this demand fails to be met by an equally large influx of new talent with the skills required by the industry.

In 2021, WebFX UK created a Digital Programme to help bridge the gap between young people and the industry. The pilot ran for six months in Hammersmith with ten participants from local schools and colleges. After the participants gained the relevant certification, they were offered placements with West London based tech companies and offered mentorship with business leaders.

One of the stands out projects was with QPR FC, leveraging the existing relationship between WebFX business and the club, the programme secured a project to build the stadium match day management software and the participants operated the system on match days. With increasing confidence and the introduction to local businesses, future career opportunities quickly opened up for the participants.

David Afrifa Mensah was part of the pilot, of the participants that started, nine were offered full-time employment after the six-month programme. For WebFX this was a success and we hope to run more programmes like this with new partners. After gaining valuable experience working at WebFX and helping build Networking.London, David has gone on to join the team at Linxdot as an IT Support Technician. David spoke with me about what he learnt at WebFX that has helped him start a career in IT support and how the programme has launched his career in tech.

What was your ideal job before joining the WebFX team?

D: My ideal job was to work with an IT or tech company. When Sam Liu employed me, I was hoping to gain experience in IT. Through teaching me the basics of IT, software, computers, laptops, growing technology, and how we rely on it day to day.

How did you get the job at WebFX?

D: I was attending the job centre to claim Universal Credit and my work coach was helping me find a job. I told them that I wanted to work in tech then after six months of looking for a job I got an interview. Lots of people who were meant to come for an interview didn’t turn up so the interviewer appreciated my attitude of taking my job search seriously. I then progressed to a second interview where I met Sam Liu.

What was your experience like working with WebFX?

D: I enjoyed my experience – it was great to work in a business environment at WeWork and Sam appreciated the fact that I wore a suit and looked professional. He gave me a laptop and I started completing the Google IT Support course, for which I now have a professional certificate. When I met the other members of the cohort they welcomed me as part of the team and made me feel at home.

At the start of my time with WebFX, I helped Jonathan Jacobs with the tech aspect of his funding business which introduced me to some useful tech skills. This included keeping up to date with customer details and doing various data entry tasks.

The first Networking.London event I went to was at 245 Hammersmith Road. Sam introduced me to some young people there who were starting their businesses. It was inspiring to see an environment where people were helping one other in a friendly business setting.

How has your experience at Webfx helped you in your new role?

D: The tech skills and data entry skills I gained whilst working alongside Jonathan were useful as do similar things in my new role. Sam taught me to always have a good work ethic: to come to work on time and give 100% of my efforts each day is good for both businesses as well as yourself.

A highlight was visiting the QPR stadium on Wednesdays, Tuesdays, and weekends. QPR sponsor Networking.London so I helped with data collection regarding the staff who worked there and even got to watch the football afterwards!

Tell me a bit about your role and what your company does…

D: Linxdot sells hotspots, a device which mines cryptocurrency such as HNT currency and we also sell different antennas. We are currently creating a lite hotspot which will be smaller than the ones we have now.

My role at Linxdot in Gerrards Cross feels quieter than at WebFX in Hammersmith but I’m enjoying it a lot. My role includes helping customers with technical issues, refunds, or any questions they might have regarding setting up their devices. I like helping people, so it feels very rewarding. The thing I like most about the job is that there’s a whole community of people who shop with us, so it’s interesting to hear customers’ opinions.

The programme includes a short course accredited by Google and the Open University, during which participants will learn about coding, web development, and digital marketing. They will also have the opportunity to complete a work placement with one of our partner companies. We are confident that this programme will give participants the best possible chance of starting a career in tech.

The skills and experience David has gained are a testament to why supporting initiatives like ours are essential to helping the career growth of young people. At our organisation, we strongly believe that everyone should have an equal opportunity to start a career in tech. That’s why we created our Digital Programme, which provides young people with the skills and experience they need to break into the tech industry.