Tech Dive

Introduction Docker may just be a word you have heard during technical demos, or it might be something you know a little about but only in a vague way. If this is the case then this is the blog for you! Over the next 500 or so words I will outline what Docker is and why you would use it and provide a handy glossary of terms and some useful resources. Hopefully this will become a useful quick reference guide for all things Docker! What is it? ‘’Docker is an open platform for developing, shipping, and running applications. Docker enables you to separate your applications from your infrastructure so you can deliver software quickly. With Docker, you can manage your infrastructure in the same ways you manage your applications. By taking advantage of Docker's methodologies for shipping, testing, and deploying code, you can significantly reduce the delay between writing code and running it in production.’’ - Docker Documentation Maybe that is still too many words... Put more simply, Dock...

So you want to switch careers and enter the tech sector? Who wouldn’t! A career where you can be constantly learning, be on the cutting edge of new developments and it’s famous flexibility making it an ideal for those with family commitments (or who just like a modern, flexible career). However, is this dream career switch just that - a dream? Or is it something that is realistically achievable for those who are already working in demanding careers? This month’s blog post will explore exactly that… keep reading. What a career switcher has to offer Let’s start with the positives - as a career switcher you will have so much to offer a potential new employer in the tech sector. Here are just a few points: Transferable Skills Yo’ve likely heard this many times, but the skills you have gained in your previous career make you an asset to potential employers in the tech sector. Unlike graduate hires, career switchers can demonstrate, examples of excellent communication, times they have manage...

Imagine a world where you can’t trust the videos you see of political candidates or the news articles shared on your social media feed. Could this be the future we will face as our electoral systems are increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence?  Rishi Sunak’s recent decision to call a General Election this July has sparked many exciting discussions across various sectors, including tech. One topic generating significant interest is the paper from the Centre for Emerging Technology and Security (CETaS), a research centre based at The Alan Turing Institute titled “AI- Enabled Influence Operations: The Threat to the UK General Election”. In this blog I will outline some of the key findings of the report and explore AI’s growing hand in modern elections. Note - the paper is well worth a read in full and can be found here: https://cetas.turing.ac.uk/publications/ai-enabled-influence-operations-threat-uk-general-election  The Paper  This is a project that was started wel...

So you have taken the plunge and have signed up to your first hackathon or tech challenge! This blog post will provide you with the tips you need to make your first hackathon run as smoothly as possible, and will *hopefully* help lead you to a win! What is a hackathon? A hackathon is an event where developers, and other technical professionals, work together on a project over a relatively small timeframe. The specifics vary from hackathon to hackathon: Some last 24 hours, others two months. Some are team based whilst others are individual. Some allow prep time and others do not allow any prior preparation. Taking part in a hackathon is a great way to develop your technical and soft skills and build a portfolio of projects to show off in the future. Hackathons are also a great way to practice working collaboratively, which is an essential skill for any developer. So on to the tips… Before the hackathon Read over the rules and requirements of the hackathon properly.  Some hackathons...