Meet Josh.

He used to work in broadcast and media. But his life-long fascination for technology spurred him on to challenge himself and change his career path. While initially daunting, he got the training and support he needed to excel in the industry. Now he’s a technology analyst, combining his passions with his profession to make a positive impact.

“I was always interested to see where technology was going to go.”

Not too long ago, Josh was working in broadcast and media, in charge of everything from editing software, to audioboards, control panel switches and cameras. But deep down, he knew it wasn’t the right role for him. Growing up, he’d always been attracted to technology. Whether it was the humble calculator, the supercomputer, or artificial intelligence and later ChatGPT, he wanted to understand their mechanics. More than anything, he was drawn to innovations that had the capacity to improve people’s lives. That’s when the intersection between technology and finance began to interest him – he could make a difference to thousands, even millions of people, making banking safer, faster, better than ever.

A career pivot.

Josh was apprehensive; not only was it nerve-wracking to leave behind a career, but he also didn’t have a background in banking or financial technology. Fortunately for him, Barclays thinks differently; background and experience isn’t paramount – passion and potential is, and Josh had plenty of that. Instantly attracted to the technology internship, he took the plunge and applied. Recruiters recognised his talent; appreciated his unique skill set; and respected his courage to change careers. He was just the candidate they were looking for and offered him a place on the programme.

“I came in here not knowing what to expect and I'm still learning something new every day.”

He was immediately welcomed as a valued member of the team and settled into his role quickly. During his internship, he worked in the fraud department, learning how each specific case is handled. From examining data and detecting fraudulent activity, to investigating credit card fraud, and developing new programmes to prevent criminal activity and reduce losses.

As time went on, Josh was struck by the incredibly inclusive culture. He not only received training and support from his immediate colleagues, but from the wider community. Everyone was happy to teach him about new technologies, new business and technical terms, as well as holding “brown bag” sessions, which involved demoing applications or new products that he could go onto use in his work.

“I've left a mark on this team so quickly.”

Before long, Josh’s team noticed his talent for highly logical thinking and effective problem-solving (skills that he’d honed from his previous career) and encouraged him to take on more responsibilities. So, despite being a new-joiner, he was empowered to create macros and automated programmes that analysed data. This system continues to be used to this day – something that brings him great pride.

From mentee to mentor.

Having completed his internship and taken on a full-time position, he decided to also volunteer in the Early Careers Working Group. Whether he’s offering advice, or providing a safe space to talk about issues, he’s committed to passing on the wisdom and support that was given to him as an intern. Most of all, he wants to inspire others to follow their dreams – especially if, like him, that means taking up the challenge to change careers.