Empowering the Next Generation: Sopra Steria’s ‘Get into Tech’ Initiative with The King’s Trust

Miira Jeganathan, 26, from London, is one of those to advance through the Sopra Steria Digital Academy most recently, having joined via the ‘Get into Tech’ programme with The King’s Trust.

Born in Germany, Miira has grown up with caring responsibilities for her parents who are Deaf. Originally from Sri Lanka, her parents settled in Essen in western Germany before moving to the UK with Miira when she was 11.

She explained: “A lot of my dad’s side of the family were in London so my parents wanted to move here so I could be closer to my cousins. I didn’t speak any English at all, so I was lucky they were around to socialise with and help me learn a new language.”

Despite the challenge of navigating a new country and language, whilst also juggling education with her responsibilities at home, Miira worked hard at school, went to university, and graduated with an accounting degree in 2022.

However, following the death of a close relative and being made redundant, Miira soon realised that accounting wasn’t the right career choice.

She added: “I was going through a difficult period and feeling a bit lost. The King’s Trust helped to build my confidence and a range of new skills. I was always interested in tech – from doing Code First Girls workshops to computer science at GCSE – so my Youth Development Lead encouraged me to apply for the ‘Get into Tech’ programme at Sopra Steria.

“The programme introduced us to the wider technology industry, and the exciting role tech plays across so many different sectors. We also got support with our CVs and interview prep.”

Miira successfully graduated to Sopra Steria’s Digital Academy and is now a Junior Support Analyst in Sopra Steria’s Cloud Practice, helping clients to adopt Microsoft Copilot. She also now supports other young people as an ambassador for The King’s Trust. 

Miira said: “I’ve really enjoyed my journey so far. There’s a lot of support around learning at Sopra Steria and I’ve been able to gain new qualifications. I love the environment, the people and the flexibility. 

“I’ve never been in a work environment that’s so supportive and understanding of my caring responsibilities. I’m also part of the carers’ community where colleagues share experiences and advice, which has helped me a lot.”

Sharifa Tucker's story:

Londoner Sharifa Tucker, 29, joined Sopra Steria’s Digital Academy through the ‘Get into Tech’ initiative. An ambassador for The King’s Trust – and face of the charity’s new ‘Change a Girl’s Life’ campaign – Sharifa is grateful for the opportunity to pursue a career in an industry she loves.

Having worked as a PE teacher in a secondary school for four years, Sharifa realised it wasn’t the role for her in the long term. Unsure of where to turn for support, she heard about The King’s Trust and how the charity might be able to help her fulfil her tech ambitions.   

Sharifa explained: “I had some good times teaching and I was successful at it. But it was a struggle, in part because it coincided with the pandemic, and I realised I just wasn’t happy. I felt I needed to prioritise my mental health and that meant looking to change careers completely.  

“Technology had always been a passion when I was growing up. The King’s Trust really supported me by giving me access to training courses and helped me learn new skills, like coding and app development. However, just as things were starting to look up, I found out I was being evicted, which came completely out of the blue and was a bit of a bombshell.”

Despite the setback in her personal life, Sharifa was eager to join the ‘Get into Tech’ programme at Sopra Steria. Her skills and enthusiasm led to her being offered a place in Sopra Steria’s Digital Academy – and she hasn’t looked back since.

Sharifa said: “My role at Sopra Steria is in our ServiceNow practice, supporting clients and constantly learning at the same time. I’m able to thrive professionally but also have a great work-life balance.

“I’m very passionate about volunteering and giving back to The King’s Trust. My ambassador role means I can play my part in supporting the next generation of young people who, just like me, are simply asking for an opportunity to prove themselves.”

Adrian Fieldhouse, Managing Director of Strategic Digital Solutions at Sopra Steria, said:

“We’re proud to partner with The King’s Trust and share its belief that a person’s background, or the challenges they face, shouldn’t prevent them from having an opportunity to succeed.

“Our co-designed ‘Get into Tech’ programme has been a real success and has meant we’ve been able to attract talented individuals, like Miira and Sharifa, which has helped us respond to the ever-increasing competition for talent in the technology sector."

“Widening access to our Digital Academy via The King’s Trust has meant we can attract, develop and retain more of the best available talent, whilst meeting our commitment to support people from a diverse range of backgrounds to launch or change their career.”

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