TESTGROUND PATHWAYS · FOR EMERGING TALENT

Build confidence. Show your capability.

A proposed paid junior pathway for young adults aged 18–24, including disadvantaged and neurodivergent people. Learn workplace skills and software testing through mentoring and supervised work.

Explore the three learning phases

PRACTICE WITH PURPOSE

A place to learn by doing.

  • Practice and solutionsInvestigate software, understand the wider system and implement small, testable improvements.
  • AI throughout learning and workUse AI to understand concepts, develop tests, explore ideas and improve how work gets done, guided by human judgement and evidence.
  • Mentoring and feedbackLearn with experienced professionals who combine clear teaching, AI tools and practical feedback.
  • A visible portfolioShow your testing, your solutions and how you improved quality, proficiency or time spent.
See the four-step experience

THE WORK YOU CAN SHOW

Evidence of your potential.

  • Clear bug reports
  • Thoughtful test notes
  • Practical AI solutions
  • Practical project demos

The launch proposal starts with two part-time junior employees. Required onboarding, training and approved client work would be paid. Recruitment depends on confirmed work, funding and supervision.

Ask about Pathways View the proposed pilot

We are gathering interest, not making job offers. Dates, selection and support arrangements will be confirmed before recruitment. A computer science degree is not required by the proposed entry model.

SOFTWARE TESTING · THE PROPOSED SYLLABUS

A clear next step, at every stage.

Three indicative phases from each participant’s start date. Progress follows demonstrated skills, interests and support needs, rather than a fixed weekly deadline.

AI will support teaching, explanations, test ideas and practical improvements throughout the pathway. Learners will also practise independently, check AI output and explain their decisions with a mentor.

At every stage, we practise solution thinking and systems thinking: define the problem, understand how people, processes, data and tools connect, try a small change and test its wider effects. The aim is to build proficiency, reduce repetitive effort and free up time for deeper learning and growth, using evidence to check whether each improvement works.

MONTHS 1–3Gateway and soft landing

Learn

Workplace communication, email and office tools, digital literacy and software quality fundamentals. Identify your strengths and the support you need.

Practise

Start on demonstration systems and fictional data. Map a booking journey, write simple checks and explain a problem clearly. Use AI for explanations and test ideas, then verify the results.

Show your progress

Clear updates, organised checks and reproducible problem reports, reviewed with a mentor.

MONTHS 4–6Supervised testing

Learn

Manual web and mobile testing, defect reporting in Jira or a client tool, and regression checks: confirming that changes have not broken existing functions.

Practise

Complete approved tasks with agreed client access and senior review. Record evidence, explain the effect on users, check a supplied fix and report remaining risks.

Show your progress

A reviewed body of work showing reliable testing, communication, response to feedback and when to ask for help.

MONTHS 7–12+Choose one specialisation

Learn

Continue building testing skills or choose one pathway: automation, business analysis or delivery coordination. Agree a goal and a suitably qualified mentor.

Practise

Automation: repeat browser checks with Playwright and check data with SQL. Business analysis: clarify user needs and expected results. Delivery coordination: support team planning, meetings and action tracking.

Show your progress

Evidence of readiness for a defined role and a portfolio with client information removed. These are future options, dependent on capability, work and funding.

Room for different ways of learning.

The proposed approach combines clear instructions, worked examples, manageable tasks and regular feedback. Mentors would use AI to adapt explanations and practice activities, with learners able to show understanding through notes, conversation or demonstration. There will be time to pause and ask questions; individual support arrangements will be discussed as the pilot is shaped.

CONTINUING DEVELOPMENT

A foundation for a longer pathway.

Work towards qualifications

ISTQB Foundation is an introductory software testing certificate earned through a separate exam. TestGround does not award it. Preparation and exam support would require agreed funding; a qualification is not guaranteed.

Move towards stable, paid careers

The proposed junior roles are paid employment. Continued employment and progression require sustainable customer work, funding and demonstrated capability. If testing is not your long-term choice, mentoring can help identify transferable skills and another direction.

Software testing first. More pathways over time.

Software testing is our starting point. Practical AI use, solution thinking and systems thinking would carry across future career pathways, alongside mentoring and evidence of capability. Expansion will be guided by learner strengths, partner capability and industry needs; further pathways are not yet open.

Ask about PathwaysExplore the proposed pilot