Report by Abigail Cox, a second year history student from the University of Swansea.
I was asked by Archives of IT to look at the formative years of 20 high achievers in the Tech industries from their archive of oral history, and to draw conclusions as to the factors which contributed towards their success. Analysing the data led me to the conclusion that achieving success in the UK IT and STEM industry is down to drive and ambition, with the background and social class of their parents being irrelevant. Their own education, along with the support and encouragement of their parents seems to be a substantial factor in achieving success. The vast majority of the sample implied that their family was encouraging of their education, thus adding to the idea that a supportive and happy family makes for a successful job and life. Many of the sample faced difficulties in their childhood such as extreme poverty or death of a parent, however this did not preclude them from achieving greatness. It could be argued that the challenged they suffered in early life were to become motivators in encouraging them to achieve. Negatives can be turned into positives, and obstacles are there to learn from and overcome. Archives of IT are doing valuable work in encouraging future STEM and IT talents to pursue their dreams, irrespective of where they come from.
Listen to Abigail’s Research Findings in full
