My route into STEM: 'I feel like technology is a limitless industry'

Desire started her career as a primary school teacher but was always curious about coding. As technology and artificial intelligence (AI) continued to grow, she realised she could combine her passion for education with her interest in tech by making the move into educational technology.

Not having a computer science degree, she built experience in other ways, through projects, bootcamps, internships and courses, eventually landing her dream tech job a little over two years later.

To mark National STEM Day 2026, Bitesize Careers caught up with Desire to find out more about what inspired her transition into tech and how she made her dream a reality.

SITS stands for Strategic Information Technology Services. It’s the name of the student records system that’s used by staff and students at University College London. So, as a SITS developer, I’m responsible for maintaining and improving that system to make it as good as possible for users. This can include things like creating new web pages on the student website, developing enhancements for the website, or testing data changes. It’s a great opportunity to have an effect on real-time applications and real-time student queries, really seeing the impact of your work.

When I was a teacher, I made a promise to myself to help the life of students. As a developer, I’ve realised that I can still help the life cycle of a student, in a different but lovely way!

I’ve really enjoyed, and felt very proud of, seeing features I’ve worked on going from the development stage to being in the live environment that everyone can see. I realised when that first happened that I was no longer just learning; I was actually contributing tangible changes. It’s a really, really good feeling.

At UCL, we also have hackathons, which have been a big highlight for me. They take place in working hours and we’re encouraged to collaborate with students as well as staff and suggest programmes and projects that UCL could actually take forward. I’ve had a running streak because I’ve won Best Presentation for the last two hackathons!

Initially, I began studying Accounting and Finance at the University of Birmingham. Whilst I was there, I volunteered in a secondary school and supported coding sessions, which planted a seed of curiosity about coding in me.

I ended up deciding to change paths and do a teacher training course at the University of Brighton because I was keen to help the next generation. When I started working in schools, I could see how much AI was expanding. A colleague introduced me to Stemettes and it opened up the idea to me that there were agencies that would advocate for people to get a foothold in tech. When I started researching the tech industry, I realised that working in tech wasn't an exclusive club reserved for one type of person and that there were many possible routes into the field. It began to feel like I could carve out my own path in tech.

I often encouraged the children I taught to follow their dreams… until I realised I needed to take my own advice.

I was keen to work in educational technology because it felt like a natural next step, as I could blend my love for teaching and my skills and knowledge from the education system with this new path in tech.

I didn’t make the career switch overnight – it took two years and two months before I secured my dream role at UCL. I did multiple courses, like a Python coding course with Stemettes, an Introduction to Web Development course with PA Women in Tech, and a government-funded skills boot camp in frontend web development. I worked as a supply teacher whilst I was building up my experience, so I could continue to earn income.

I got my first chance to code for a real company via Virtual Internships, who partnered me with a business in South Africa, helping them to build a fantasy rugby league platform. It gave me the evidence I needed for interviews to demonstrate that I had real-life experience.

The biggest turning point was when I found La Fosse Academy. I completed a nine-week course with them, and it was amazing because they covered the cost of the course and also lined me up with a job afterwards. It was exactly what I needed to bridge the gap between studying technology via courses and working professionally in the industry. They partnered me with UCL and that’s where I’m working now!

I used LinkedIn as my best friend to discover opportunities and connect with people in industry. I would reach out to people already working in roles I aspired to and ask if they could share some advice about their career journeys.

I love helping people enter the tech industry because I had people that really did help with every single step I’ve taken, and I genuinely want to be that same light to others.

I’m an ambassador for SkillStruct, which is a technology and career development organisation. In that role, I mainly help students with opportunities that support their personal and professional growth. It includes things like partnering on hackathons, being a mentor, running workshops and attending outreach events at universities. I also volunteer with Stemettes, who I did a lot of courses with. It’s lovely to give back to organisations that have inspired and supported me.

I think technology is ever-changing. It always evolves. There's always an opportunity to do something different or learn something new. So, I feel like technology is a limitless industry.

It’s also genuinely an industry that has something for everyone and for every way of thinking. I believe there are a wide range of careers as well – you can be in software development, cyber security, data analysis or data science, UX (User Experience), UI (User Interface), project management… there are so many different avenues you can go down.

I encourage anyone and everyone to look into technology, even if that’s not what they decide to pursue in the end. Knowing different types of technology and how it all works together is useful for anyone in this day and age, regardless of their job!

• Adaptability: Things will always be changing. Code can always change, break, or fail. So, you need to be quick on your feet, think fast, problem solve and be a forever learner.
• Communication: Not just communication in words, but communication in code. Writing comments on your code so the next person who sees it knows exactly what’s been done and why is really valuable. Communication is also key for translating the tech side of things into layman's terms for people who aren’t familiar with that world.
• Organisation: Being able to organise your work, prioritising what’s most pressing depending on deadlines.
• Patience: Sometimes you’re going to be looking at code and not know what the problem is or why it isn’t working. You need patience to get to the bottom of it, sometimes recognising that you need to take a break and come back to it with a fresh mind.

• Be audacious: You don’t get to decide something is impossible for yourself unless you try! Give it your best shot. I realised that I don’t have to have everything figured out; I just have to be curious, ask questions and take a leap of faith.
• Recognise your transferable skills: Think of what you can already bring to the table. You have so many valuable skills you can add to any environment, like communication, organisation, problem solving, resilience, and teamwork.
• Be visible: Make your ambition visible. I used LinkedIn as my best friend in my career change! When I took a course, I would publicise it. When I attended events, I would publicise it. I was pleasantly surprised at the reception I got back. I realised that my voice matters, but only if it’s out there in the first place.

If Desire's story has piqued your interest in STEM careers, there are lots of organisations where you can learn more and get involved! Here are a few to get you started:

• SkillStruct
• Stemettes
• Women in Tech
• TeenTech
• In2scienceUK

To find out more about specific roles in tech, search the Get careers information and advice: Explore careers tool for relevant roles such as software developer.