This is Sparta Global. This is tech talent’s future
There’s a huge shortage of emerging and diverse talent in the UK’s tech sector, yet only 19% of UK tech workers are women, 30% lower than in all other jobs and only 15% are from ethnically diverse backgrounds, despite the sector expanding at three times the speed of the rest of the UK economy.
“The problem, according to David Rai, founder of Sparta Global, the fast growing hire-train-deploy company helping organisations to build technology capability, is that we are largely doing what’s always been done when it comes to identifying, training and nurturing potential talent.”
The son of Indian immigrants, David has lived experience when it comes to advocating throwing the net wider – and it’s working. Since 2015 Sparta Global has sent out an army of 3000 tech warriors successfully disrupting the old ways.
He said: “If you look at classic graduate programmes that many of the blue-chip organisations run, they’re often missing out on people from underrepresented and disadvantaged areas of the UK; people who find difficulty getting their foot on the ladder. Their recruitment processes are limiting and not creating opportunity, and that’s where we come in.”
David was the first from his family to attend university and prior to Sparta Global managed a tech services business where he encountered issues hiring talent so he started his own internal academy. He said: “I discovered it was far superior to using contractors or bringing in expensive experienced people. At the same time a lot of our clients were having the same issues, so we pivoted the business and became Sparta Global.
“This therefore is the founder’s story as well and a lot of our leadership team are also from that background, so it’s in our DNA. Our team is very much aligned to our values and when they join, they are already driven by purpose. We are B Corp certified as well as being 15th on the social mobility index and it validates what we do.”
It’s a testament to Sparta Global’s training that many trainees have become future leaders of the organisations they have been deployed in. “Over a two-year period, we provide pastoral care that supports and accelerates their training allowing them to be successful and transition into full-time roles”, he said. “We’re widening that pool of talent by bringing new people into the market and creating a generational shift.
“Our Spartans are deployed all over the UK and we’re planning to take the same model to America where they have similar issues around underrepresented groups in tech roles.”
Being awarded a King’s Award for promoting opportunity will accelerate Sparta Global’s already rapid growth further: “It brings prestige and will help attract more talent to be trained as technologists while giving us credibility with those who are looking to diversify their workforce. This award will help with greater recognition of our mission and our brand.”