Working in EdTech: Careers at Tassomai
Tassomai is proud to be one of the leading EdTech companies in the UK! But what is EdTech? And how do you get a job in an EdTech company?
The aim of Edtech (or Education Technology) is to improve education by using technology to aid teaching and learning processes. It’s a relatively new industry and lots of the companies in the sector are small start-ups or companies like Tassomai that are at the next stage of their growth.
Here at Tassomai there is a wide variety of jobs, and the team is made up of people from all different kinds of career backgrounds. We asked some of the Tassomai team about their roles and how they got to where they are now…
Ana, Product Owner
What does your role at Tassomai involve?
I am responsible for organising the strategic priorities for the parent side of the Tassomai product. I work within the Product team to plan our termly strategy and decide the timeline of developments that need to be made in that period. This often revolves around the release of new features and enhancements in response to customer feedback and user research.
How did you find out about your current job?
I applied for an internship at Tassomai as a data scientist through my university and having clicked with the team, I was asked to work part time through my third year at UCL. I then became a full-time data scientist once I had completed my degree and moved into the Product team after about a year. So, including my internship, I have been here nearly 3 years!
What qualifications, if any, did you have to get in order to do your current job?
I did data science at university which got me the job initially but I worked with people in the Product team and got experience on the job, which allowed me to move into the Product team on a more permanent basis. I am now doing a course in Product Management for my current role to develop my skills even further.
What did you want to be when you were at school?
So many things! I kept changing what I wanted to be: interior designer, social worker, therapist, data scientist… I didn’t know what a product manager was at school but I love it now and I’m pleased I found my niche.
What’s the best part about your role?
This role allows for a certain amount of creativity – a lot of it is planning and strategising what customers might want so I have to come up with ideas to keep all stakeholders happy and always be ready with solutions to problems. No two issues have ever been the same so there’s always a new problem to be solved, which is a challenge I really enjoy!
What advice would you give to students thinking about their future?
You don't need to think about your future that much – you can change what you want to do a lot throughout your career. I certainly changed and grew as I went. If you don’t have a clear plan from the beginning, that’s ok! I didn't even know my current job existed before I started at Tassomai. There isn’t a formal career path to follow for some roles. Some things just come through learning on the job – you’ll figure it out as you go along!
Chris, Engagement Champion, Customer Success
What does your role at Tassomai involve?
As well as securing renewals, and providing year-round support for subscribed schools, my role also involves connecting with those schools who are using Tassomai in innovative and successful ways, encouraging them to share their implementation and expectations and then promoting these successes to our other schools.
How did you find out about your current job?
I was working as a waitress in a cocktail bar signed up to a recruitment agency that specialises in helping teachers who are leaving the classroom transfer their skills into the private sector. They suggested the role as it would allow me to utilise my knowledge of education.
What qualifications, if any, did you have to get in order to do your current job?
I have my GCSEs and A-Levels, alongside my BSc – but my practical skills and knowledge of the environment in which I work prove to be the most useful aspects in my daily tasks.
What did you want to be when you were at school?
I never had an aspirational vocation or career in school – I enjoyed some subjects far more than others but never had a dream job in mind!
What’s the best part about your role?
Helping people, and working alongside them. I enjoy being able to work with people to overcome barriers and difficulties. Not only is that satisfying for me as a job well done, but I also know that it's going to benefit lots of other people as a result!
What advice would you give to students thinking about their future?
Do NOT panic if you don't already know exactly what you want to do with your life – the future will hold so many opportunities and roles that don't even exist yet, and one of those could end up being your perfect job! Focus more on which subjects you're passionate about, and throw yourself into them. You will always be able to find a way to use those subjects in your future, and it's important to love what you do.
Sam, Marketing Executive
What does your role at Tassomai involve?
Sharing what Tassomai does, and how we do it, with as many people as possible, who would enjoy and benefit from using it.
How did you find out about your current job?
A friend of mine also works for Tassomai and told me about the job. I decided not to mention him during my interview, as I didn't want it to affect whether I got the job or not. Luckily they liked me so I then said that I knew him once I was offered the job.
What qualifications, if any, did you have to get in order to do your current job?
Just experience. I didn't do very well at school, so I just built up experience in social media and marketing while on the job. There's so much information available out there, so if you find something you enjoy doing you can always fill any gaps.
What did you want to be when you were at school?
A singer! I sang in a band and we did the school talent competition, so I decided that was it – I wanted to be a singer. I played music for a few years after school, signed a record deal and wrote for a few different artists before getting into marketing.
What’s the best part about your role?
The variety, I enjoy being involved in lots of different projects and always learning something new!
What advice would you give to students thinking about their future?
Enjoy the moment. It's easy to feel like you're 'not where you want to be'. But you will look back fondly on these times, so try to enjoy them as much as possible and trust that you're on the path that's right for you.
We hope you enjoyed finding out a little more about these career options in the EdTech field! Other members of the team will be letting us know more about their job roles over the next few weeks, so keep an eye out for more…