A Chat with Jenny Briant, Academy Operations Officer at Ten10

Tell us about Ten10

 

Ten10 addresses modern tech skill shortages through a unique blend of expert consultancy and an innovative Recruit-Train-Deploy model via our Tech Academy. We provide organisations with tailored strategies to overcome their most pressing talent challenges while actively promoting diversity in tech.

By creating opportunities for individuals from all backgrounds, we’re not just filling positions but revolutionising the industry, fostering a more inclusive and dynamic future for the tech sector.

 

 

What do you think makes Ten10 unique compared to other tech academies in the UK?

 

What sets us apart from other tech academies in the UK is our deep expertise as technologists ourselves, which enables us to understand and fulfil businesses’ tech skill needs accurately. The Ten10 Academy was developed to specifically support our tech consultancy needs, which means our approach is tailored to real-world demands and expectations. The Academy delivers top-tier, diverse technology professionals, carefully selected and trained to offer the best blend of aptitude, relevance, and cultural alignment. This empowers our clients to meet their immediate and future tech talent requirements.

Our people-centric approach is also a huge part of what drives our success. Unlike many of our competitors who rely on impersonal wellbeing apps, we have a dedicated team of people focused on our team’s wellbeing. Our Academy Wellbeing Team supports our trainees, ensuring they are confident, comfortable, and aware of their value in the workplace. We also offer a unique advantage with free housing options for our trainees, eliminating financial barriers to participation in our programs.

Our training also stands out because it is delivered by practitioners who are actively engaged in the tech industry, and our trainees don’t just learn in peer groups, instead they work alongside experienced colleagues who provide mentorship and support. This ensures that our teaching is consistently informed by current trends and real-world applications, providing an exciting and practical learning experience that goes beyond traditional classroom settings.

 

 

How has the company evolved over the last couple of years?

 

Although we started as a software testing consultancy, over the years, our services have naturally expanded in response to feedback from our consultants and clients. This organic growth reflects the industry’s evolving demands and positions us to continue leading in the tech consultancy space. After recognising a growing demand in the industry for T-shaped roles, which require individuals to have both depth in specific areas and breadth across multiple disciplines, we realised that we have a unique capability to meet this need through our distinctive blend of training delivered by practitioners and our complementary consultancy services.

Our evolution also goes beyond technical proficiency in areas like programming. We now integrate support from our wellbeing and operations teams to help individuals develop crucial cognitive skills such as emotional intelligence and creativity. This holistic approach ensures that we don’t just cultivate specialists in narrow fields but also nurture well-rounded consultants, making them integral to our success. It also enables us to develop professionals who are not only proficient in specific skills like software development but also possess a comprehensive understanding of broader aspects such as testing and business analysis.

 

What can we hope to see from Ten10 in the future?

 

Looking ahead, Ten10 has exciting plans for continued growth and innovation. Our key focus is the expansion of our Tech Academy, which is central to our growth strategy. We are also breaking new ground by expanding into the USA, where we have recently hired our first American employees. These new team members will soon work with exciting clients, marking a significant milestone for our company.

We are also heavily focused on addressing the challenges and opportunities presented by generative AI. As the demand for our T-shaped talent grows, businesses seek to leverage AI effectively. However, generative AI often lacks creativity and pragmatism, which presents a unique opportunity for us. By optimising our processes and developing T-shaped talent, we can add substantial value to businesses and reduce costs for our clients.
Our commitment to diversity and inclusion is unwavering. We are dedicated to expanding our partnerships with organisations, educational institutions, and social enterprises that focus on creating opportunities for underrepresented groups in the tech industry. This includes people from ethnic minority backgrounds, low socioeconomic statuses, and non-traditional academic paths.