MY CFGDegree experience class of 2023, Arianne Donogue
ARIANNE DONOGHUE's CFGDEGREE EXPERIENCE: HOW I BECAME A DEI ADVOCATE AND MY PASSION FOR VIDEO GAMES! 🎓
Arianne Donoghueis a Software Engineer at Capgemini and completed the CFGdegree and +Masters – specialising in DevOps & Cloud Deployment.
Beyond her impactful work at Capgemini, she actively engages with multiple communities and runs her digital platform on Instagram. Dive into our interview to discover more about Arianne’s vibrant personality, her love for video games, and why gaming is one of her ultimate passions and hobbies.
HEY ARIANNE! WE’D LOVE TO GET TO KNOW YOU.
Currently, I’m a software engineer at Capgemini, a consulting company. When that’s not keeping me busy, I’m usually playing video games or crafting – generally knitting, crocheting, or sewing! I’ve been dabbling in other tech hobbies such as 3D printing and home automation, while also trying to get back to more analogue hobbies like reading, and starting a herb and vegetable garden.
I didn’t know anything about Capgemini before joining – but after seeing them as a sponsor for the CFGdegree and looking into their business, I was impressed with the variety of clients and work, but in particular the focus on areas like sustainability, ethics and DEI – which are all super important to me
I’ve always had a passion for tech, from a young age, but it was never encouraged at home. I fell into a digital marketing career in my early twenties and kept tech as a side hobby, thinking that a career switch would never be an option for me, for a host of different reasons.
“I first learned about CFG through the Leeds Women in Tech scene. I was asked if I’d be happy to help teach a group of women one night a week over eight weeks, about basic web development. So I said yes!”
HOW DID YOU FIND CODE FIRST GIRLS?
I first learned about CFG through the Leeds Women in Tech scene. I was asked if I’d be happy to help teach a group of women one night a week over eight weeks, about basic web development. So I said “Yes!”. It was four other amazing women and that led to what I learned to be a CFG Web Dev Kickstarter – so ironically my first exposure was as a volunteer tutor, way back in 2019!
In 2021, I made up my mind to try and switch careers (which my circumstances finally permitted), so I signed up for the Python Kickstarter Class in September 2021 and loved it! I then went on to apply for the CFGdegree as soon as that finished.
YOU DID OUR CFGDEGREE AND THEN OUR +MASTERS! WHAT INSPIRED THAT?
I was keen to do software or full-stack – I’d done enough data and analytics work during my digital marketing career to know that data wasn’t for me. In the end, I was swayed to full-stack by my choice of sponsor company (Capgemini). The specific cloud role I applied for benefitted from knowing more full-stack skills, and things like JavaScript are so essential I was happy to learn them sooner rather than later! I was very keen to go into a cloud-based career, so getting the chance to do 4 weeks of learning focused on the cloud was amazing.
"It’s that conundrum of not being able to get the experience without the job, but you can’t get the job without the experience."
The big thing about the CFGdegree is it can open that door to the first role – something even paid bootcamps don’t offer (and I did consider some). It’s that conundrum of not being able to get the experience without the job, but you can’t get the job without the experience. The CFGdegree solves that and massively de-risks the career-change journey by setting you up with that first role – I could never have done it otherwise!
WHAT’S A DREAM TECH PROJECT YOU’D LIKE TO PURSUE?
I’m really intrigued by the idea of building a video game. I’m using C# at work, which is transferable to platforms like Unity and Godot. But, honestly, I have no ideas since I’m the least creative person in the world 😂. For now, I’ve got a keyboard that I’ve built that needs programming (it’s been sitting on my desk for nearly 3 years), so I’d take that as a dream project if I ever get it finished!
HOW DID YOU TRANSITION FROM MARKETING TO TECH?
I learnt three essential skills that really helped me get onto projects and find areas I can get stuck in with:
- Speaking skills – while I find speaking in public hard, I’m good at it – so being able to lead presentations or tech demos can be hugely helpful in an environment where many don’t have those skills or dislike doing it.
- Client skills – marketing comes with a lot of client or account management. This means in my new role, I’m comfortable dealing with clients on my own, despite being relatively junior-his can make life much easier for others on my project.
- Storytelling – being able to throw a presentation together, or know how to tell a story about what you’ve been working on and any roadblocks you’ve hit is really important. The ability to be a clear communicator and break things down simply can often be an underrated skill in an industry where people think that tech skills are all that matter! Spoiler, they’re not – those soft skills are so important and can help massively accelerate your progression
“Suddenly I was very aware of another set of ways in which the world was stacked against me…”
AT WHAT POINT DID YOU REALISE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IS SOMETHING YOU WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR?
I grew up in a religious environment where it was made clear that my role as a woman was to be subservient to men, purely because I was female. This never sat well with me and my desire for equality and personal growth meant I’ve always been interested in equality. Discovering my neurodiversity in my late twenties added to this too – as suddenly I was very aware of another set of ways in which the world was stacked against me.
Before my career switch, I spent 3 years working with a social enterprise designed to help disadvantaged young people get into digital marketing careers, plus my wider involvement with Leeds Women in Tech. At every company, I’ve always wound up getting involved in their initiatives, and in my own time supporting things like my local Code Club, helping kids learn digital skills
At Capgemini, there are so many projects to get involved in, but I’ve focused on supporting the women’s networks in my department, as well as the Gender & Diversity Initiative in the Microsoft team that I’m based in. We also have our own amazing CFG alumni community (now over 60 women and growing!) and I spend a lot of time getting involved here too.
WHY IS COMMUNITY SO IMPORTANT IN TECH? AND WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO START YOUR PLATFORM AND ONLINE COMMUNITY?
I think community in tech matters because it really helps people to see role models – people who look like them, and who show them what’s possible. I began getting more involved in tech from Instagram back in 2017 and it was inspirational for me and gave me a lot of ideas about side projects, or ways to kickstart my own learning. It’s also a great way of connecting with others. I’ve made a number of friends who I chat with regularly, some of whom have helped me on this career journey.
After some personal issues in 2019 and beyond I’ve not been as active, and Instagram’s algorithm definitely makes that more of a challenge, so I’m more of a consumer now, but if I can come up with content that might be useful for others I’d love to share more frequently. Any CFG application tips I’ve shared have been very popular, so there’s advice there. 😉
“I actually got my first tattoo a couple of years ago (a matching one with a friend) and it’s related to a game that means a lot to us us both"
HOW DID YOU GET INTO PLAYING VIDEO GAMES?
So video games were never allowed in my house as a kid. My next-door neighbour would sometimes ask me over and I’d play on the Megadrive with him, and since buying my first Game Boy Advance when I was 18, gaming has been a huge part of my adult life. Even now, with my partner we’ll often play games together, but usually parallel play – we’ll both be playing something, but one of us will be using the TV, and another will be on a Steam Deck! (Massive nerds in our house.)
I play a mixture of different games depending on my mood! I actually got my first tattoo a couple of years ago (a matching one with a friend) and it’s related to a game that means a lot to us both – it’s a beautiful Japanese game called Okami which for me has a beautiful story about lifting the darkness and is a favourite to replay when I’m going through tough times
But I also love games with a deep story – things like The Witcher, Cyberpunk and some of the Yakuza games are really compelling! For a challenge, I love games like Hades, or Borderlands which are a bit more skills-based (no Souls-likes for me – I’m just not good enough), but then I also have a huge selection of cosy games like Stardew Valley, Dorfromantik or Animal Crossing depending on my mood.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT VIDEO GAMES THAT YOU LOVE SO MUCH?
It’s a huge part of how I relax as it can give my autistic brain the capability to switch off that I can’t always get through other hobbies. There’s also such variety – I’d consider it to be an art form like movies or music – it encapsulates so many different kinds of media into one overarching experience and I don’t think games get enough credit for how genuinely beautiful and moving they can be. If you want to be challenged, you can. If you want to zone out, you can. If you want to play with friends? Also an option. There’s genuinely something for everyone. Buying games for others that they might like is definitely a love language of mine! 💘
WHAT KIND OF SKILLS DOES PLAYING VIDEO GAMES TEACH YOU THAT YOU CAN ALSO IMPLEMENT IN YOUR LIFE
I love this question! I think it encourages a lot of creativity and problem-solving. Depending on the game, there can also be a fair amount of perseverance 😂. Many of the games I like are a big time investment – you can easily spend 50-100 hours on that one journey and I think that does help you remember that most things that are worth doing, may take time – just like our career switches, or big projects at work! Persevere, have patience and the pay-off is worth it in the end.
🙏THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORY ARIANNE!
