Career transitions are accelerating, and there has never been a better time to make a change. Six in ten U.S. job seekers have already switched careers at least once. 69% say they are open to moving into a new industry in 2026. The pattern is similar in the U.K., where 39% of professionals plan to search for new roles in the year ahead.
Technology continues to outpace other sectors in growth. In the U.S. alone, more than 300,000 new technology openings are expected next year. Globally, over half of all specialists will require reskilling by 2027. Artificial intelligence reshapes roles and demands new capabilities. Why not choose this moment to pivot into tech?
Through the City of London Corporation’s #TurnToTech initiative, I’ve met five women who embody this shift. I serve on this task force, helping businesses support women pivot into digital careers. I wanted to celebrate each of these women and their journey. Each has forged a successful path into technology. They debunk the myths around “traditional” routes and needing “technical” backgrounds.
With the right combination of courage, support, and opportunity, you can build a rewarding career in tech.
Joanna Hawro – From Global Finance to SaaS Implementation Leader
Joanna spent over a decade in investment banking and hedge funds. She moved from back office to client-facing, project-heavy roles where technology was in the background for her. She realized it wasn’t a side interest as it became the thing she loved. She left corporate finance, moved countries and joined a fintech scale-up. She is now a SaaS Implementation Manager leading complex client projects, growing teams and managing relationships with external partners. She says her new role is a perfect blend of her finance, technology, and stakeholder skills. Joanna says, “You are not starting from scratch. Your previous experience is your superpower.”
Joanna is a big advocate for learning and “upskilling with intention.” She took a Python course to build confidence after “auditing her skills” to identify her gaps. She encourages others to do the same, saying, “If you have the idea to pivot, don’t overthink. Prepare and just do it.” Talking about convincing the technology employers, she said you have to sell your “non-tech” background as an asset, not a weakness. She urges, “Once you do it, embrace the change. It can teach you more about yourself than you think.” Career shifts are not easy, but they bring a wider perspective on business, relationships and self-value.
Katrina Young – Designing a Tech Career on Her Own Terms
Katrina describes her early career as “adjacent to tech.” She was in digital marketing and project management and began lecturing in higher education. She needed software built, couldn’t find the right solution, and decided to experiment herself. Low-code tools led to Python, hackathons, and eventually leadership roles. She has now worked as a CTO, Chief Digital Officer, innovation consultant and AI strategist.
She says she didn’t fit the stereotype of what a “coder” is supposed to look like. That became part of her mission, saying, “We need everyday coders, everyday people in tech.” Katrina’s journey shows that “there is no single ‘traditional’ pathway. The right route is the one that fits your life.”
Technology needs diverse thinkers who can blend technical skills with communication. She espouses creativity, commercial instinct and real-world understanding. Her curiosity, experimentation, and community opened doors that a rigid career map never could. She wants to encourage more people to build their own path.
Alicia Osinibi – From Classroom to Cybersecurity
After 14 years as a math teacher, Alicia pivoted into cybersecurity following her third maternity leave. She was drawn to problem-solving and logic, but what unlocked the move was the stories of women who had done it before her. That visibility helped her see her own transferable skills.
She is now an Identity Services Control Officer in cybersecurity. She is protecting systems, managing digital identities, and shaping security awareness. The biggest shift for her was that she “realized (she) didn’t need a computer science degree to start.” Alicia said that her non-tech skills are very relevant to her job today.
“Teaching gave me the skills I use every day.” She needs “to break down complex ideas with clear communication” in her daily stakeholder management. Her journey is a reminder that most professions are rich in skills that map into technology roles. She said that the key to her success was to “Start small, learn continuously, and surround yourself with a supportive community.”
Laura Wilson – Rebooting a Career in Tech After a Break
Laura began in a large consultancy, stepped away, then returned to work after three years out and a shift in family priorities. She joined her firm as Technology Project Manager despite, as she puts it, not knowing “what a network switch was” at the start.
What made the difference was structured support. She had a returners’ program, peer community, new skills training, and a strong mentor who backed and stretched her. “Those programs proved I could still learn hard things.” That confidence carried her into the new role. Like the other examples, Laura said “Needing help and structure is normal. It doesn’t diminish your capability.” She said asking for the support you need will be essential to your success. With the right scaffolding, returning talent can accelerate in digital roles.
Tasmia Niazi – From Night Shifts to Engineering Leadership
Tasmia left school at 16 and worked nights in a supermarket, stuck in what she calls a “vicious circle.” She doubted herself, questioning whether she had the “caliber or memory” for further education. So she took her first step into an Access to IT course. She did another and then a diploma. Then an accelerated program. She studied by day and worked nights to make ends meet. She hit the top grades.
That momentum took her to King’s College London, then into an apprenticeship with Lloyds Banking Group. She started as a software engineer and is now an Engineering Lead in Site Reliability Engineering. She’s also completed a master’s apprenticeship along the way. She did this all while raising two young children. She said, “I didn’t know what was possible. My grades and my mentors pushed me to see it.”
Her support structures came from free resources such as Coursera and watching YouTube. She said this “You can build projects, test ideas, and learn in your own time.” Her story is a powerful counter to the myth that you need the “perfect” background, uninterrupted career, or elite network to break into technology. She said, “Upskilling alongside the right support and flexibility changes lives. I’m proof you don’t have to start from privilege to succeed in tech.”
Transferable skills are the new superpower. Communication, problem-solving, empathy, analytics, and resilience are the backbone of modern technology teams. No one is starting from zero because every experience is a foundation to build from. Upskilling and support structures make the difference. Short courses, bootcamps, online learning, mentoring, and returner programs offer many pathways into technology. Community and allyship matter too; behind every successful pivot is someone who said, “You can do this.”
For employers, this moment is both a responsibility and an opportunity. Structured returner schemes, internal mobility, and open-minded hiring transform individual careers and drive innovation and performance. Technology belongs to problem solvers, carers, communicators, analysts, teachers, creatives, and parents. It belongs to people like Joanna, Katrina, Alicia, Laura, and Tasmia, and to everyone ready to #TurnToTech.