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CRACKING THE CODE: THE JOURNEY TO INCLUSIVE SKILLS-BASED HIRING
Skills-based hiring is reshaping the tech talent landscape. According to LinkedIn, this meritocratic approach can expand the talent pool for a role by 6.1 times and support inclusion of underrepresented groups.
dunnhumby, a global data science company serving clients including Tesco, L’Oreal, McDonald’s and Coca-Cola, knew that traditional tech hiring approaches weren’t enough in building a truly diverse workforce. Partnering with Code First Girls, they set out to hire talented women at entry and mid-level, focusing not just on coding but on broader skills like problem-solving, communication, and collaboration.
The results speak for themselves: 30 women have joined dunnhumby through the partnership.
Scroll 👇 to view the case study.
30
Women hired by dunnhumby through CFG programmes
90%+
Candidates without a computer science background
270
Total learning opportunities delivered
The Challenge
BREAKING THE MOULD OF CONVENTIONAL HIRING
dunnhumby wanted to hire more inclusively at both entry-level and mid-level, but they faced a common challenge: traditional hiring practices focus heavily on technical checklists. As a result, equally important qualities – including communication, industry insight, passion and willingness to learn – had the potential to be overlooked.
The Solution
1. BUILDING A HIGH-POTENTIAL, INCLUSIVE PIPELINE
The first step was to offer technical training to women eager to enter tech, including those without formal computer science degrees. Code First Girls delivered practical, hands-on “Coding Kickstarter” classes, giving participants foundational coding and data skills. Nearly half of the participants were first-generation university students (46%), and 68% had no prior technical experience. This included ‘career switchers’ ranging from a doctor to a head of department in a school.
Selected candidates from the Coding Kickstarter classes then moved into the CFGdegree programme, a comprehensive training pathway for entry-level technologists, with some candidates going on to pursue specialised topics in the Code First Girls +Masters courses.
2. UNBIASED APPROACH TO TECH RECRUITMENT
dunnhumby’s hiring approach puts skills at the centre. Technical assessments were completed to ensure candidates could perform the job, but equal weight was placed on T-shaped skills: problem-solving, collaboration, and communication.
👉 Shabnam Nawa speaking on the Code First Girls podcast
3. SET UP FOR SUCCESS: THE ONBOARDING EXPERIENCE
Mentorship plays a crucial role in long-term career progression, and 51% of the CFG community cite it as a key factor in staying and growing in a role. To support this, dunnhumby paired each new joiner with experienced mentors and sponsors who offered guidance, advocacy, and ongoing coaching. Joining the organisation alongside fellow CFG learners also created an immediate support network.
4. DRIVING IMPACT AND A CULTURE OF CONTINUAL LEARNING
dunnhumby gives its employees broad exposure from day one, with opportunities to work across teams, projects and even continents. Candidates have contributed to major product functionality, delivering real business impact while accelerating both their technical skills and personal development.
The secret behind the programme’s success is simple: dunnhumby gives people the space to learn. Curiosity is encouraged, questions are welcomed, and growth is part of the job.
The Results
We spoke with Mark Carney, Talent Acquisition Lead at dunnhumby, to hear more about the results of hiring women with CFG:
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO WORK WITH CODE FIRST GIRLS?
Early-stage investment in diverse talent pipelines with partners like Code First Girls is helping us to build our workforce and save on talent acquisition costs. We’ve educated and hired women coders from diverse backgrounds, including career switchers, into multiple locations across the UK including London, Edinburgh, Manchester, and Bristol.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON YOUR TECHNICAL TEAMS SINCE WORKING WITH CODE FIRST GIRLS?
I have really seen the positive impact that Code First Girls has had over the past few years in multiple ways. From the focus of what the course brings to the tech community, to the impact and growth we are already seeing from our existing cohorts, this proves to be an excellent way of integrating more Women into Tech. Whether that is directly with dunnhumby, or into the wider Tech Community.
dunnhumby’s Engineering team also shared some positive feedback:
AS PART OF THE ENGINEERING TEAM AT DUNNHUMBY, WHAT HAS YOUR EXPERIENCE BEEN WITH CODE FIRST GIRLS?
As one of the organisers of the scheme for the dunnhumby Manchester office, I think the experience with our CFG intake has been very positive. Each candidate has been extremely motivated, keen to learn and integrate with the culture here. On culture, I think they have gone beyond just “integrating” and have improved things in a lot of ways. Every person on the scheme has moved across different teams and departments and the feedback on performance has been universally positive.
Why Choose Code First Girls
Companies around the world trust Code First Girls to provide:
Practical, high-impact training – We give women the coding and data skills they need to hit the ground running and make an immediate impact.
Access to diverse talent – We connect companies with candidates from non-traditional backgrounds, bringing fresh ideas and new ways of thinking to your teams.
A supportive community – Our network of peers, mentors, and alumni gives women ongoing encouragement, advice, and connections to thrive in tech.
Programmes built for business outcomes – We align training with your goals, creating inclusive, resilient teams that drive innovation and results.
Why not find out for yourself? Speak to our experts here. 👇
