From Arts and Culture to Digital Producer - Rose Mockford

Driven by her passion for museums and culture, Rose spent much of her career immersed in creative projects, working at organisations such as Seven Stories and the National Railway Museum.

In 2023, she made a surprising transition from the Lead Interactive Gallery Curator at the Science Museum to Digital Producer at Enigma Interactive. We sat down with Rose to discuss what inspired her to make this bold move.

I saw an advertisement pop up on my social media for Tech Talent Live, as part of TechNExt, and it caught my interest. The technology sector was new to me, but I thought it would be a great opportunity to chat with a range of employers in the North East. Fortunately, a chance encounter with Engima Interactive led me to where I am today.

It was the end of the day and I had spent a long time chatting with various employers. I thought I would go round one last time just in case and then I stumbled across Enigma Interactive. I spoke with Sally Taffs, Director of Holistic Projects about all things tech. She was intrigued by my creative background, which she explained held transferable skills.

At the end of the conversation, she explained that there was a role available and invited me into the office to chat further. After a couple of interviews, I was delighted to find I had secured the role.I believe that one conversation made a big difference to my application.

If there’s one lesson I learned from attending the careers event it's that anyone can choose to pursue a tech career, regardless of background. Having worked across a diverse range of organisations in the creative industries, I gained key skills such as project management, teamwork, and the ability to be a strong team player – attributes essential for success in the tech landscape.

As a Digital Producer at Enigma Interactive, no two days are the same. Digital Producers are typically tasked with leading the design and development of websites or applications, as well as conducting workshops to determine how digital solutions can help clients achieve their goals.

I am responsible for managing a team of three developers and overseeing the implementation of digital strategies for various clients. I'm essentially the interface between the client and the development team, ensuring the project objectives are understood and agreeing on realistic timelines to achieve them.

I would say just take every opportunity that you can. It’s great to have multiple experiences in life and your career. So, in your current job, take every opportunity that you can. When I look at the things I’ve done and the moves I have made, it’s a sum of lots of small steps.

For example, if I hadn’t done certain projects, then I might not have got to this point. Although it’s not a traditional career path, I’ve always taken every opportunity I can.

If you’re looking for your next role, take advantage of the free resources available on Tech Talent Engine and kick-start your career in tech. Whether you have just begun your career or not, we work with a variety of employers across the North East of England.

The first step is to sign up to Tech Talent Engine and create a free account. From here, you will be able to access expert insights into the tech sector, as well as bookmark vacancies under your chosen career family.