How I got into Tech: Candice Walters, IT Business Technology Consultant at Timewade

How I got into Tech: Candice Walters, IT Business Technology Consultant at Timewade 2560 1920 Timewade
Candice, Business Consultant

Candice Walters is a Business Technology Consultant at Timewade. In this blog we discover how she started her career in tech and her ambitions for the future. 

Route into Tech

Candice says: “Technology is such a critical part of everyone’s lives and continues to grow. I have always been interested in business and realised early on in my university degree, and career that technology is integral to business success across all sectors. Since having this realisation I have pursued opportunities which combine business and technology and my passion has grown. 

“I love working in tech, and would love to inspire other women to consider the options available to them so that the industry becomes less male-dominated. 

“You don’t need to be a tech geek! You need to have a basic understanding of technology, so that you can explain things to customers and a lot of this can be learnt on the job.”

 

Skills and qualifications

After completing A-Levels at College, Candice completed a degree in Business and Management at the University of the West of England. 

Whilst at University, Candice found that her biggest strength was communication, in all forms – written, verbal, and face to face.

She said: “Communication is such a crucial part of any job. If you don’t communicate with your colleagues, things can pile up and you can become overwhelmed.”

Throughout her education she also developed other soft and transferable skills including organisation skills. 

Taking the knowledge from her Business degree and her soft-skills, Candice entered the world of work and after a couple of years working for a large telecommunications company, made a move to join the team at Timewade.

 

The world of work

After completing her degree Candice dived straight into the world of tech and gained three years experience working for a large internet provider.

As a woman working in tech, Candice recognises that the industry is male-dominated. However, she says: “Women should not be afraid to take the leap into the tech industry. You don’t need to be a tech geek! In fact, I found that if you’re not completely tech affiliated, it can often give you a better understanding of the customer as you are able to put yourself in their shoes.”

At the end of 2020, ready for the next challenge and looking for the chance to work in a more customer facing role, Candice made the move to Timewade as Information Technology Business Consultant.

Candice said: “The role at Timewade gives me the chance to develop my IT skills and to work more closely with local customers. 

“The team at Timewade are great to work with, they have a strong focus on supporting staff and sharing their knowledge. They take the time to train and mentor employees such as me so that we can be the best we can be. They are also a really friendly team so it’s a great place to learn and work.”

 

The future

Candice works closely with Timewade’s clients to understand their existing IT and their technology requirements. 

“With a high-level view of the technicalities clients require, I provide advice on the best technology infrastructure for their business. I’m therefore always learning and building my portfolio of training certification achievements to meet client needs and to develop my own skills set.”

“My journey at Timewade is just beginning, and I’m excited for the future.”

 

Words of wisdom

Candice’s advice for anyone looking to begin their career in tech, is this: “Don’t be afraid of the first few months. The way that the sector works can be daunting and difficult to grasp, but that can be the same for any industry. It will come to you. When I first started, I was worried about how I’d be able to learn everything, but I did it!”

“When going for interviews, remember that you’re interviewing them, as much as they are interviewing you and it’s important to find a business that prioritises coaching and mentoring.”

“Whether you start your journey with A-Levels, or make an unexpected decision to move to the tech industry, remember that any skills you learn along the way are valuable and will be transferable to lots of different industries.”

“And finally, don’t let the fact that there aren’t many women in the industry put you off – instead, use it as inspiration to be a part of the change.” 

 

Next steps

There are a number of courses available at Exeter College including BTEC’s, and apprenticeships for school leavers as well as 12-week skills bootcamps for adults aged 19+. 

Discover more at: https://exe-coll.ac.uk/ 

To find out more about the best route for you contact the Apprenticeship Team at Exeter College: apprentices@exe-coll.ac.uk; 01392 400800.

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