Mentors Help Najmah Mohamed Navigate Unfamiliar Systems

Najmah Mohamed's early life was marked by navigating unfamiliar systems and finding her own way without guidance. The eldest of five children in a Somali immigrant family, she balanced schoolwork with helping at home and caring for her younger siblings while her parents adjusted to their new life in the UK.

When faced with difficult decisions, Najmah often turned to the internet for help, but it was a frustrating experience because it felt like she had to battle harder than everyone else. She considered medicine as a career path, but later decided it wasn't right for her and accepted an unconditional offer to study Medical Biosciences at Imperial College London.

During her university years, Najmah met Microsoft employees Francis Nwofor and Sean Cox through upReach, a social mobility charity that helps students from underrepresented backgrounds access top careers. They provided valuable guidance, introduced her to other people in the industry, and helped make technology feel more accessible.

Najmah's experience with Nwofor and Cox changed her perspective on what was possible. She realized that if someone else could do it, then she 100% could too. With their support, Najmah built her confidence and professional network, applied for roles, and secured several job offers, including one from Microsoft.

Today, Najmah works as a Cloud Solution Architect at Microsoft, helping organizations understand and use cloud technology. She hasn't forgotten how difficult it was to find reliable guidance early in her career and now volunteers with upReach to support its Tech 500 programme, aiming to make the route easier for people facing similar barriers.