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FLIPPING THE NARRATIVE: HOW STARLING AND CODE FIRST GIRLS BUILD TECH CAREERS THAT LAST
Fifty percent. That’s the number of women who leave the tech industry by the age of 35. Driven out by unsupportive cultures, slow career progression, or imposter syndrome, brilliant talent is slipping through the cracks.
Starling is flipping that narrative. Partnering with Code First Girls (CFG), they aren’t just training and hiring female tech talent – they are investing in their long-term success. To date, Starling has welcomed 16 CFG alumni into its ranks, with more set to join this year.
“The tech sector is facing challenges around retention,” says Jake Pedlingham, Senior Talent Partner at Starling. “Attracting brilliant women is important, but it shouldn’t stop there. Creating a truly inclusive environment by supporting them to thrive in their roles for the long haul is what technology companies should be aiming for. We don’t just want to retain female talent – we want to give them the foundation and pathways to become our next generation of leaders. It’s amazing to have seen so many women we have hired through the CFG programme over the past four years do exactly that; gain promotions and further build their careers within Starling.”
Code First Girls has provided learning opportunities for over 300,000 women. But what happens when these women land the role? Here’s how three CFG graduates are building lasting careers at Starling.
Nabina, CFG graduate 2025
Nabina spent eight years in corporate finance. A self-confessed “finance girlie,” her curiosity was piqued while working alongside software engineers on system integrations. “I’ve always been curious about how things work and what goes on behind a computer or application” she says. “I realised I wanted to build and create tech.”
After completing a free online CFG Python Kickstarter course, Nabina set her sights on the CFGdegree, the advanced programme for entry-level roles, choosing Starling for its genuine commitment to diversity. Eight months ago, she joined Engine by Starling – the bank’s SaaS business that’s selling the cloud-native platform powering Starling to visionary banks around the world.
Transitioning into tech can be overwhelming, but Nabina felt supported. “We have a dedicated CFG alumni group. We have weekly catch-ups…it’s a safe space to talk. My manager is also very supportive, ” Nabina explains.
That support has helped her grow quickly. Nabina recently took full ownership of building a major, client-facing feature from scratch. “Seeing it come to life was amazing. My manager told me I should be really proud of it.”
Helen, CFG graduate 2024
Helen spent eight years as a teacher, including four as a Head of Year. When she had a baby, she decided to seek a new career path that better aligned with her personal family life. Although she had always enjoyed maths and problem-solving, she never considered a career in technology. She isn’t alone: research shows only 5% of girls list ‘tech’ as their first career choice.
Helen discovered Code First Girls through an Instagram ad and enrolled on the CFGdegree programme. Today, she’s a software engineer at Starling, developing personalised savings and budgeting tools for customers.
“Everyone I speak to says Starling is the best place they’ve ever worked,” Helen says. “The culture is incredibly supportive around childcare commitments, and there is a genuine zero-blame culture. If you make a mistake, you fix it together.”
She also credits the bank’s female leadership, alongside communities including Women in Tech and Women in Data, with creating an environment where women can thrive.
For Helen, an extrovert, the collaborative nature of software engineering was one of the biggest surprises. “It’s a much more collaborative job than people give it credit for. It’s definitely not just guys in T-shirts.”
Victoria, CFG graduate 2024
Victoria used to recruit tech executives. Inspired by the passionate career-switchers she interviewed, she decided to make the leap herself. After graduating from the CFGdegree, she joined Starling’s Developer Experience division.
“It was a steep learning curve,” Victoria admits, “but I’m so glad I did it and my team was incredibly supportive from the outset.”
Starling backed her ambition with a dedicated personal learning budget and she was lucky to be paired with the CEO of Engine through their internal mentoring scheme. “I don’t think I would have progressed as much as an engineer without all his advice and support”, she says.
That investment has translated into significant business impact. Victoria recently led a major project to overhaul Starling’s runbook estate (incident response handbooks). Through building automations and developing a new way of creating runbooks, her project has helped Starling to minimise downtime during incidents.
Now, Victoria is paying it forward as a committee member for Starling’s Women in Technology group. Externally, she recently spoke at an East London all-girls school to encourage students to pick STEM subjects for their GCSEs.
For Victoria, the blueprint for keeping women in the industry is clear. “Employers need to support women at every stage of their careers, providing meaningful opportunities for growth and development,” she says. “Sponsoring companies like Code First Girls is the best way to support them.”
Want to learn how Code First Girls can help you recruit exceptional entry and mid-level female tech talent? Get in touch with the Code First Girls team today.
