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HOW SMBC IS BUILDING AND INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION OF WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY
For decades, banking recruitment has followed a similar pattern: target the top universities and filter by grades and experience. But in a fast-moving digital economy where skills matter more than a First Class degree and 25% of juniors are leaving financial services, a new approach is needed. One that puts culture, retention, and ongoing career development at the heart of its growth strategy.
For SMBC, one of Japan’s megabanks, the ambition was clear: support exceptional tech talent to grow while addressing the gender gap in banking technology. They saw Code First Girls not just as a recruitment partner, but as a long-term investment in future female talent in the sector.
Launched in London last year, the programme has since expanded to Dublin, hiring across Cloud Engineering, Cyber Security, DevOps and Business Analyst roles. Sixteen women have already joined the firm, with a further nine set to begin on 1st October 2026.
The key differentiator? SMBC isn’t just offering jobs. It’s building careers. Through a strong “pay-it-forward” mentoring culture and clearly mapped progression pathways, entry-level roles have become launchpads for leadership. In fact, one Code First Girls candidate has already been promoted within her first year.
16
Permanent hires into the business
94%
Women trained with no previous tech background
250
Learning opportunities delivered
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The Challenge
Rethinking early-career tech recruitment in Financial Services
SMBC wanted to invest in the future of tech. However, Financial Services was changing, and early-career talent was leaving the sector in droves. Many felt other industries offered better chances to progress and provided stronger support for mental health and wellbeing. SMBC recognised it was time to flip the switch on hiring and retention.
Partnering with Code First Girls was the first step. As the leading tech education provider with a community of over 300k skilled technologists, it provided SMBC with access to diverse talent and a ready-made network of women supporting one another. But it wasn’t just about hiring. SMBC wanted to set up their technologists for long-term success through clear career pathways, peer mentoring, and a thriving tech community of their own.
The Solution
1. Investing in 250 women across the UK and Ireland
To build a strong talent pipeline, SMBC sponsored tech training for 250 women across London and Dublin. Participants completed courses in SQL and Python, establishing a solid technical foundation.
Diversity of thought and background was central to the programme. Training was open to all aspiring female technologists – including career switchers from education, healthcare, and traditional banking sectors – bringing fresh perspectives into tech roles.
Successful applicants then progressed to a four-month foundational programme, with most going on to specialise in Cloud, Cyber Security, or DevOps to gain the job-ready skills for their future role.
2. Creating a SMBC tech community that sustains success
Career transitions can be daunting. SMBC addressed this head-on.
For this year’s cohort, employees who had completed the Code First Girls programme supported new applicants during the interview process. This gave them the opportunity to pay it forward by sharing their experiences and providing peer support. Once onboarded, every new hire was paired with a buddy and mentor to help navigate company culture and expectations.
3. Strengthening Dublin’s tech ecosystem
With the Code First Girls programme successfully established in London, SMBC has now expanded the partnership to Dublin – becoming the first financial services organisation in Ireland to do so.
But this expansion isn’t just geographic. It’s strategic. With Ireland’s financial services sector projected to grow by 26% over the next two years, SMBC is building a long-term talent engine to strengthen tech capability in a rapidly growing financial hub.
The Results
SMBC didn’t just hire women into their tech team. They laid the foundations to support women in their careers and help retain early-career talent in the Financial Services sector. We spoke with Robert Hooper, EMEA Chief Information Officer at SMBC, to hear more about the results of hiring women with CFG.
How did Code First Girls help you attract diverse talent?
One of my priorities as CIO is to fundamentally shift how we build our talent pipeline, and that starts with diversity. Code First Girls has been instrumental in helping us access a broader, more diverse pool of candidates, particularly women entering the technology workforce. For me, this isn’t just a diversity metric, it’s about building stronger teams. Bringing in more women into technology roles improves how we think, solve problems, and challenge ourselves. Programmes like this allow us to reach highly capable individuals who may not have followed the traditional path into tech, but who bring the aptitude, drive, and different perspectives that we need as an organisation.
How did Code First Girls help close the tech skills gap in your tech team?
I’m a strong believer in “juniorising” our talent model—building capability from the ground up rather than relying solely on hiring expensive, fully-formed talent in a very competitive market. Code First Girls aligns perfectly with that approach. It gives us access to individuals with solid technical foundations and, more importantly, a strong learning mindset. We can then invest in developing those skills in line with our environment and priorities. That approach not only helps us address immediate skills gaps but also creates a more sustainable pipeline for the future.
What success stands out the most from working with Code First Girls?
What’s stood out most is how quickly individuals have transitioned from learning into delivering real value. We’ve seen candidates come in, embed into teams, and start contributing to live initiatives far sooner than many might expect. Just as importantly, they’ve had a positive cultural impact- bringing energy, curiosity, and new ways of thinking. For me, the real success is seeing individuals who might not have otherwise entered the industry now building meaningful careers in technology, and in some cases, already stepping up as future leaders within the organisation.
Did you see any cost-effectiveness from using Code First Girls to hire?
Yes, and this is where the model really makes sense from a CIO perspective. Hiring experienced technical talent through traditional channels is increasingly expensive and competitive. By focusing more on early-career talent, we significantly reduce recruitment costs and reliance on agencies. But more importantly, we’re making a deliberate investment using those savings to develop people, build loyalty, and create long-term capability. It’s not just about cost saving; it’s about shifting our operating model to one that is more sustainable, more inclusive, and better aligned to the future we want to build—particularly in creating more opportunities for women in technology.
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. 👇
