We are thrilled to share the journey of Alisha Hussain, our brilliant Junior IT Support Engineer. Alisha’s story is a compelling example of how investing in entry-level talent can deliver immediate and significant impact, especially within a small, dedicated team. 

As we embarked on the search for this role, we were keenly focused on ensuring strong representation in our talent pipeline. Alisha’s presence has been transformative, proving the value of this approach from day one. 

"She is incredible, our time to respond to tickets has dropped by 98% since she joined, and we are closing tickets within SLA 82% of the time," says Thomas Eeeles, Head of IT & InfoSec. "Alisha's immediate contribution to our small team has been nothing short of exceptional." 

Read on as Alisha shares her path into the technology world, the skills that shaped her, and her advice for those looking to start their own tech career. 

The "Spark"  

“Growing up, technology was always around me. My dad was a Global IT Manager, so our home was full of the latest technology. That’s really where the seed was planted, seeing him in that world made me realise IT could genuinely be a career for me. 

I’m also lucky to have women in my family working in tech which reaffirmed my dream. Watching them succeed showed me there was space for me too, and that pursuing this path wasn’t just a dream - it was possible, even if the wider industry still lacked representation. 

When I decided to take IT seriously, I started from the basics: building core skills and getting hands-on experience wherever I could. That led me to a voluntary role at a local MSP. It wasn’t a formal apprenticeship, but it was exactly what I needed, real work, real users, real problems. Being one of the very few women there didn’t intimidate me; if anything, it pushed me to grow my confidence. The two skills that shaped me most were learning to troubleshoot methodically and learning to communicate clearly and calmly with users under pressure. Those have become the backbone of everything that I do today.” 

Life as Junior IT Support Engineer  

“Now, as a Junior IT Support Engineer, the biggest shift has been the responsibility and ownership I get to take on. My days usually start with checking tickets and planning out the workload with my team. From there, it’s a mix of setting up accounts, supporting colleagues with their equipment, and shadowing team members to pick up new skills. I love that in the world of technology, no two days are the same and there’s always something new to learn. Some of my favourite “Ooohh, okay, this makes sense now!” moments have come from learning bash scripting. When something finally clicks after trying for ages… honestly, it’s such a good feeling.” 

Growth & Ambition  

“I know I’m still at the start of my career journey, but I truly feel like I’m in my dream role right now. Being here has given me the space to learn, grow, and really build confidence in my skills. My focus now is to keep developing, explore different areas within IT, and continue growing within the company. There’s so much ahead, and I’m genuinely excited to see how my career unfolds here. I’m also really grateful for the people around me. I’ve had incredible teachers and colleagues along the way - a huge shout-out to my IT team at Gumtree for being supportive, patient, and such great mentors.” 

Women in Tech & Advice  

“If you’re thinking about starting your own journey into tech, my advice is simple: be proactive, get as much real experience as possible, and don’t hesitate to start before you feel “ready”. Those hands-on moments shape you more than anything else.” 

✨ Looking Ahead 

Alisha’s success underscores our commitment to nurturing diverse talent and providing opportunities for growth within Gumtree. We are currently embarking on a journey to understand the diversity of our talent in more detail. What we already know is that Gumtree is home to a rich mix of people, including 17 different nationalities working for us. 

We are proud to share that 33% of our tech roles are currently held by women, a figure well above industry standards. This strong representation, highlighted by Alisha’s journey, is key to the innovation and efficiency of teams like our IT Support—it helps us build stronger teams and better solutions. 

We look forward to supporting Alisha and all our tech teams as they explore new areas of technology and continue to grow with us!