Leading UK Bootcamp Makers Appoints Claudia Harris as Chair

Makers, Europe’s premier software engineering training provider, today announced the appointment of Claudia Harris  as Chair.  She will be instrumental in helping the organisation seek out new opportunities for growth as it continues to champion diversity in the digital economy and to develop exceptional digital talent.

Claudia brings extensive experience to Makers, including her current position as Chief Executive Officer of The Careers & Enterprise Company, an employer-led organisation that aims to inspire and prepare young people for the fast-changing world of work.

Before this role, Claudia was a Partner at McKinsey & Company for six years, where she led client work in commercial transformation, skills and education in the London office. Claudia was also a lead of McKinsey Women London. 

Prior to joining the firm, she formed part of the healthcare team of the Prime Minster’s Delivery Unit in 2005, which was responsible for the successful delivery of MRSA and long-term conditions targets.

Commenting on the appointment, Evgeny Shadchnev, CEO of Makers said:  

“We are thrilled to have Claudia on board as our Chair. She has the right mix of leadership, managerial and educational experience that Makers needs to  expand our reach and help us play a bigger role in shaping the future of the UK’s digital economy. We are certain that with Claudia’s vision and guidance we will deliver many more opportunities for our developers as well as the employers that need highly skilled talent to safeguard their business growth. I look forward to welcoming Claudia and working closely with her in the coming year.”

CLAUDIA HARRIS, CHAIR OF MAKERS SAID:

“I am delighted to be joining Makers as Chair. Helping individuals pivot into new roles as the world of work evolves is one of the key challenges of our modern economy. It is a challenge Makers faces head on. Not only that, it does so with a relentless focus on diversity. Inclusion drives economic performance and better outcomes for individuals. It needs to be at the heart of business. I am proud to be working with an organisation that recognises and priorities this. I am looking forward to working with Makers to continue its great work and to help forge new partnerships and collaborations with leading corporations and businesses that can enhance the opportunities for developers” 

Launched in 2013, Makers has trained over 1400 developers with zero funding from government and placed them with clients including FT, ThoughtWorks, Tesco, Santander and British Gas.  It also has a successful track record for spotting and developing the talent of developers from under-represented backgrounds. Over 35% of its engineers have been women: twice the industry average.

About Makers: Creating a new generation of tech talent who are skilled and ready for the changing world of work. We are inspired by the idea of discovering and unlocking potential in people for the benefit of 21st century business and society.

Makers is the premier coding provider based in Shoreditch, London. In 16 weeks the organisation will train developers to become fully qualified software engineers. Makers has a successful track record for spotting and developing the talent of developers from different backgrounds. Over 35% of its engineers have been women: two times higher than the industry average. In the past it has also developed its own fund to attract developers from underrepresented backgrounds. To date, Makers Academy has turned over 1,400 people into junior software engineers and placed them with leading global brands such as Deloitte Digital, Vodafone and Deliveroo.