DWP Digital

DWP Digital are driving forward digital transformation for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

DWP are the UK’s biggest public service department, responsible for making a positive difference to the lives of around 22 million people. DWP is committed to the Civil Service ambition to become the UK’s most inclusive employer and has a department-wide commitment to gender parity.

DWP Digital build and maintain the digital services that enable millions of people to access the help, advice and financial support they need. We’re transforming the way we work and our services through technology and innovation to improve our customer’s experience.

Whether our users need to claim benefits, get help finding a job, or understand their State Pension, we’re the team designing, developing and delivering the world-class digital services they need. We develop and deliver world-class digital services that benefit society today and will improve the lives of future generations. And we use data, technology, and innovation to drive that vision.

We have millions of users, and their needs are at the heart of everything we do. With more than 5,000 people working in multidisciplinary teams across the UK, we’re a strong team.

We’re on an exciting journey that needs talented, enthusiastic people to keep us moving forward. Everyone on our team plays a part in transforming, improving and adapting important services that millions of people count on.

We’re a real team here. The wide range of work we do requires a diverse mix of cultures, perspectives, experience, skills and ideas. We want everyone to feel valued and trusted because it helps bring out the best in colleagues. And if we want to succeed, we need everyone to be at their best.

We are Digital With Purpose. That’s digital with people, passion and progress at our heart.

Cajigo

Cajigo is a multi-award winning learning and development programme and app that is building the careers and confidence of women in tech. Since 2018, Cajigo has supported career changers returners, grads, jobseekers, and women of any age learn how to navigate their route into a wide variety of tech careers and upskill women so they are ready to climb the career ladder to the top. With over 150 mentors and 7 partners (that include BT, Astra Zeneca, Marks and Spencer, Moonpig, EPAM Systems, and GKN Aerospace) Cajigo provides an innovation solution to demystify what it means to be a woman in tech and empowers more women to join in. The solution removes barriers for women in tech by providing free resources and education (though masterclasses and a series of virtual events) Once a year, Cajigo also runs a 16-week accelerator programme that supports 100 women to get hired and ahead in technology, whilst connecting a community of women to support, uplift and empower each other to new heights. Cajigo is used in 15 countries supporting women with their tech development, career growth and access to new opportunities in tech.

Malaika Naseer | Co-Founder | Hirf-al-Nisa

I am Malaika Naseer, a 17-year-old student currently doing my A-levels in Lahore, Pakistan. I completed my O-levels in 2022 with a focus on STEM subjects, and I have continued to pursue STEM subjects in my A-levels as well.

At present, I am working as an intern in the Chemistry Department at Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) https://lums.edu.pk/ , specifically focusing on Biomass Valorization. Additionally, I have been selected as a member of an advanced program in the health sector, where I will have the opportunity to work under a professional mentor on a project during the late summer.

I am proud to have been awarded full financial aid ($2600) for the Individual Research Program at Lumiere Education. I have been assigned to work under a mentor from Johns Hopkins University on a paper that addresses the effects of climate change in Pakistan, titled “A Call to Action.”

I am also working on a project to create Pakistan’s first cleat designed specifically for female footballers. This cleat aims to improve ergonomics, reduce ACL injuries, enhance comfort levels, and maintain affordability and sustainability. The project has been approved by the only Biomechanics Lab at LUMS and is expected to enter its developmental stage by August 2023.

Furthermore, I am actively involved in my NGO called Hirf-Al-Nisa. Through this organization, I have set up street schools to provide education to children in villages, empowering them with the belief that they too can become scholars like Malala Yousafzai. Understanding the link between the education of these children and the financial security of their families, I have initiated vocational training workshops in sewing and handicraft-making for divorced or widowed women who have been isolated by their communities. By providing markets for their products and connecting them with lawyers and psychologists, I aim to improve their legal and mental health status.

I strongly believe that in a failing system where women face numerous obstacles, empowering their voices and nurturing their ideas is crucial to breaking the vicious cycle perpetuated by cultural taboos.

My journey into the world of technology began in grade 8 when my computer science teacher introduced me to Scratch. Since then, I have been captivated by the field of technology, although I often felt limited by the lack of resources. Nonetheless, I took the initiative to teach myself basic programming languages by watching YouTube tutorials, eventually leading me to establish my school’s first coding club – this journey has been incredibly rewarding.

For my NGO, I am currently developing a professional website. However, I have already created a functional website using Wix that serves its purpose for now. Additionally, I have designed an app prototype for Hirf-Al-Nisa, which serves as a platform for people to locate the various branches of our NGO: find the nearest funded educational centers, discover markets to sell handicrafts, and access links to lawyers and psychologists. I am also learning Python during the summers and developing websites for friends and NGOs.

Darren Griffin | Senior Manager | PwC

Darren is a lead Enterprise Architect working in PwC’s Government and Health Industries Business, with more than 24 years experience in leading, shaping and delivering complex tech enabled transformation programmes. He plays a central role in assessing tech opportunities, bringing the best of digital, cyber, cloud and automation to client opportunities.

He’s deeply invested in the development of others, and is the northern lead for PwC’s award winning Tech Foundation programme. He strives to ensure that opportunities are equal for individuals from all backgrounds, and takes a particular interest in mentoring and supporting women in technology roles.

Darren’s married with two sons at university, and likes to spend his spare time fiddling with an old BMW motorbike, riding bikes and swiming outdoors.

Vanessa Sanyauke | Founder & CEO, Girls Talk Corporation

Vanessa is the Founder of The Hill app an AI powered platform that enables global businesses to hire female talent whilst saving on costs and time. Our aim is to connect 1 million women from 140 countries to jobs and opportunities.

Vanessa is also the Founder & CEO of Girls Talk Corporation connecting 56,000 women across 37 countries to global businesses such as events, programmes and digital content.

Vanessa has worked with companies such as Apple, Amazon, Beats by Dre, Meta, HSBC UK, Goldman Sachs, Snap Inc, Virgin Media O2, Zalando, BT and Vodafone + many more to connect them with diverse talent across all levels within their businesses.

Vanessa has 16 years of experience in Diversity & Inclusion & ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) + working in the financial services, technology and government and has been recognised as a leader in her field listed as #15 in the Financial Times, Yahoo Finance and EMpower top ethnic minority future leaders in Europe, U.S and Canada.

Professor Sue Black OBE | Professor of Computer Science & Technology Evangelist

Sue Black is a leading academic, campaigner, and advisor to the UK Government.

Black is a Professor of Computer Science and Technology Evangelist at Durham University with more than 40 publications behind her as well as a PhD in software engineering.

Her academic career has seen her hold leadership posts at London South Bank University, University of Westminster and University College London.

A champion for women in computing, Black founded BCSWomen, the UK’s first online network for women in tech, and #techmums, a social enterprise which empowers mums and their families through technology. The activist is also widely known for her successful campaign to save Bletchley Park, the wartime campus where more than 5,000 women served as codebreakers.

A figurehead on numerous boards, Black is a Comic Relief Trustee and a mentor at Google Campus for Mums. She has previously been a L’Oréal UNESCO prize judge, an expert evaluator for the European Commission and a Nesta Crucible fellow.

Bukola Popoola | Technical Business Analyst | PwC

Bukola is a highly motivated and multi-certified technology professional with years of experience in Business Analysis, Consulting and Project Management. She has supported the delivery of several technology-enabled transformation and digital programmes across different sectors including Oil & Gas, Utilities, Energy, Government and Public Sector. Throughout her career, she consistently sought opportunities to expand her knowledge and skills in the ever-evolving field of technology.

Her journey in Technology began after her bachelor’s degree and she joined SystemSpecs, one of Nigeria’s leading software companies. She relocated to the United Kingdom in 2009 for her Masters degree and graduated with an MSc degree in Business Analysis and Consulting from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. During her Masters, she interned with Scottish Water where she did a Data Analytics study on the effects of temperature on Pipe burst rates in the Scottish regions. She was also selected for an internship with SIMUL8 for her MSc dissertation where she evaluated and recommended optimisations for the logistics feature of the SIMUL8 software. Her dissertation was awarded a distinction.

After completing her MSC degree, she joined CGI (formerly Logica) as a graduate Business Analyst, where she had the opportunity to work on diverse projects across different industries. Over her 10.5 years career with CGI, she supported and led multiple business analysis engagements on technology-enabled transformation and digital programmes across different sectors.

Bukola joined PwC in September 2021 as a Technical Business Analyst. In the past few years at PwC, she has been involved in a vast breadth of programmes including those that are delivering new technology-enabled services, ERP/EPM Implementation, Skills Matrix design / implementation, Data Catalogue, Data Lineage, Project Management Tool implementation and Business Process Improvement programmes. She enjoys Business process mapping where she is able to do a gap analysis of her client’s ‘As Is’ and ‘To Be’ business processes and make recommendations for improvements involving People Organisation Process Information and Technology (POPIT). She actively seeks opportunities to stay updated with the latest advancements in technology, attending conferences, participating in workshops, and pursuing certifications.

Alongside her full-time job, Bukola is passionate about innovation, collaboration, making a difference and showing care to those around her. She launched two initiatives within a few months of joining PwC:

1.Engage – Onboarding Programme for PwC Operate Digital to improve the onboarding experience of the Operate Digital new joiners and support them from the point of receiving their offer letter to 6 months after joining the team. The Engage team helped to cultivate a warm and inclusive onboarding experience that engages new hires and acclimates them to Operate Digital’s core values and purpose.

2.Celebrating Life Events in PwC Operate Digital as one of our ways of showing ‘Care’ to each other. This created a culture of celebrating Birthdays, Work Anniversaries, Marriages, New babies as well as reaching out to colleagues that have been unwell for a while and those that unfortunately lost loved ones. This has helped to foster a sense of belonging and togetherness amongst the teams.