Hi! My name's Scott. I'm a Software Engineer, and I work at the BBC as part of their backend Metadata Delivery team.
I've taken quite a circuitous route to get where I am today. I studied Film & Media at university and had dreams of working in television. After graduating, however, one thing led to another and I found myself working in the beer industry, in sales and events. I did this for 13 years and was very happy — until 2020.
The pandemic hit the hospitality industry pretty hard, especially the independent sector where I worked. A lot of businesses closed and a lot of people lost their jobs, and I unfortunately was one of them. It was a very scary time, but also a fantastic opportunity to re-evaluate my career path.
I began teaching myself to code using an online Full Stack Developer roadmap, and in 2022 I became fully-certified as a Microsoft Technology Associate. I started developing my personal portfolio, building front-end applications using HTML, Tailwind, JavaScript and React, alongside other projects that utilised backend SQL databases.
In 2024, my journey came full circle, and I returned to the beer industry — this time as a PHP/WordPress Developer. My first job involved working with the design team at Sureshot Brewery to rebuild their website from the ground up. It was a very daunting task but also very exciting, and provided the perfect opportunity to showcase everything I'd learned.
Later that year, I joined the BBC as an Early Careers Software Apprentice and began studying towards a BSc in Digital & Technology Solutions with the Open University. And that's where I am now. I will finish my apprenticeship in 2027, after which I aim to move into a full-time Developer role. From there, I’ll continue to develop my career, expanding my knowledge and working to build software that has a tangible, real-world impact.
