Miira Jeganathan, 26, from London, is one of those to advance through the Sopra Steria Digital Academy most recently, having joined via the ‘Get into Tech’ programme with The King’s Trust.

Born in Germany, Miira has grown up with caring responsibilities for her parents who are Deaf. Originally from Sri Lanka, her parents settled in Essen in western Germany before moving to the UK with Miira when she was 11.

She explained: “A lot of my dad’s side of the family were in London so my parents wanted to move here so I could be closer to my cousins. I didn’t speak any English at all, so I was lucky they were around to socialise with and help me learn a new language.”

Despite the challenge of navigating a new country and language, whilst also juggling education with her responsibilities at home, Miira worked hard at school, went to university, and graduated with an accounting degree in 2022.

However, following the death of a close relative and being made redundant, Miira soon realised that accounting wasn’t the right career choice.

She added: “I was going through a difficult period and feeling a bit lost. The King’s Trust helped to build my confidence and a range of new skills. I was always interested in tech – from doing Code First Girls workshops to computer science at GCSE – so my Youth Development Lead encouraged me to apply for the ‘Get into Tech’ programme at Sopra Steria.

“The programme introduced us to the wider technology industry, and the exciting role tech plays across so many different sectors. We also got support with our CVs and interview prep.”

Miira successfully graduated to Sopra Steria’s Digital Academy and is now a Junior Support Analyst in Sopra Steria’s Cloud Practice, helping clients to adopt Microsoft Copilot. She also now supports other young people as an ambassador for The King’s Trust. 

Miira said: “I’ve really enjoyed my journey so far. There’s a lot of support around learning at Sopra Steria and I’ve been able to gain new qualifications. I love the environment, the people and the flexibility. 

“I’ve never been in a work environment that’s so supportive and understanding of my caring responsibilities. I’m also part of the carers’ community where colleagues share experiences and advice, which has helped me a lot.”