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Powering Potential In Scotland: How SecuriGroup Scaled with Diverse Tech Hiring
Scotland’s tech sector is booming, yet women still hold fewer than one in five technical roles.
SecuriGroup, an award-winning security provider protecting some of the UK’s most high-profile venues and communities, wanted to change that by putting diverse tech hiring at the heart of its recruitment strategy.
Built on a culture of meritocracy – where the Chief Operating Officer began as a frontline security guard before progressing to the C-suite – the company partnered with Code First Girls to create new pathways for women into technology.
Today, four women have joined SecuriGroup in technical roles, with ongoing Code First Girls technical coaching helping them accelerate skills, confidence and impact. One hire is already progressing towards a management role within SecuriGroup’s technology team, reflecting the strength of the talent recruited through the programme. And thanks to the Code First Girls community reinvestment model, those four hires have directly funded free training for over 40 more women.
4
Women hired into technical roles at SecuriGroup
100%
Career switchers from non-technical backgrounds
40+
Free learning opportunities for local communities
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The Challenge
Traditional hiring models didn’t support diverse tech hiring
SecuriGroup is experiencing record revenue growth and needed to expand its software capabilities across frontend, backend, MI, and Data Engineering. It wanted people with different perspectives, real-world experience and the ability to challenge conventional thinking.
However, traditional recruitment channels consistently produced limited and largely male candidate pools.
With more than half of the Code First Girls community coming from careers outside technology, including education, healthcare and finance, SecuriGroup saw an opportunity to rethink how it hired early-career talent.
The Solution
1. Unlock high-potential talent through diverse tech hiring
As SecuriGroup’s technology function grew, the business knew it needed more than technical skills alone.
Through Code First Girls, the company recruited four women into permanent technical roles in Glasgow, bringing fresh perspectives, strong problem-solving skills and a desire to learn. In fact, all of the women had no computer science background and all of them came from a non-tech role. Their experience spanned the insurance, hospitality, charity and financial service sectors.
Choosing to switch into tech takes real commitment. The candidates brought a unique ‘spark’ to SecuriGroup, with a drive, curiosity and willingness to learn that went far beyond raw technical skills.
2. Deploy talent into mission-critical roles
Each of the candidates had completed Code First Girls’ advanced technical training before joining SecuriGroup, enabling them to contribute from day one. This included roles focusing on web development and client applications to data engineering.
The business impact was immediate. Within the first six months, the hires made significant contributions across multiple large-scale mobilisations, including the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where SecuriGroup provided event security and intelligence services.
All four hires actively drive SecuriGroup’s core operations, supporting over 4,500 operatives across the UK and contributing to major client mobilisations exceeding £20m.
3. Drive ROI through 1-1 technical coaching
To support the new hires, SecuriGroup enrolled them into the Code First Girls technical coaching programme. Each technologist was matched with an experienced technical coach for weekly one-to-one sessions, providing personalised guidance aligned to their role and technical goals.
The impact quickly translated into measurable business value.
The Results
SecuriGroup didn’t just hire four women – they proved how diverse tech hiring builds higher-performing technical teams.
Now, the SecuriGroup team is on a mission to inspire the next generation of tech talent across Scotland. The team is currently developing a school engagement strategy designed to introduce young girls to STEM careers, challenge industry perceptions, and showcase the breadth of opportunities in tech.
We spoke to George Dunlop, Director of Technology at SecuriGroup, to find out more:
How did Code First Girls support diverse tech hiring?
CFG helped us access a talent pool that we had struggled to reach through traditional recruitment channels. While we had received applications from women previously, the volume and breadth of experience were often limited. CFG provided access to a wider range of capable female candidates and helped bridge any development gaps through coaching and support, giving us confidence in both their immediate potential and long-term growth.
How did Code First Girls help close the tech skills gap in your tech team?
We had an immediate need for a BI Engineer, and CFG introduced a number of exceptional candidates. The quality of the shortlist was so strong that choosing between them was genuinely difficult. The individual we selected has since progressed into a leadership role and is helping to transform our data landscape, delivering tangible value to both the business and our clients. More broadly, CFG has helped us build strength across multiple disciplines by providing motivated individuals with strong potential and supporting their development after placement. As a result, we now have a much better balance of capability and capacity within the team. With our organisation continuing to grow and pursue ambitious strategic objectives, we are in a stronger position than ever to meet the challenges and opportunities ahead.
What success stands out the most from working with Code First Girls?
A key difference compared to traditional recruitment agencies is the continued investment in the candidate after placement. Most agencies focus on successfully filling a role, whereas CFG remains actively involved in helping candidates adapt to the organisation, address skill gaps and build the confidence needed to succeed. It genuinely feels as though CFG wants both the candidate and the employer to be successful in the long term, rather than simply making a placement and moving on. That partnership approach has been a significant benefit for us.
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, while our CFG-led technical coaching ensures candidates continue to thrive once in role.
- 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. 👇
