The North East-Based Technology Consultancy That’s Making a Difference – Opencast

Recently voted as the 19th most-loved place to work for in the UK and the most-loved in the North East, they are turning heads in the tech industry and have set the benchmark for a great work-life balance.

With a team of more than 400 talented people, they have seen their company grow rapidly over the past four years and show no signs of slowing down in 2023.

But what is about Opencast that makes them so special?

Back in 2020, Opencast set out a 5-year plan for the growth of the company. Today, they are on track to beat this target, with revenue growing by 153% from 2021 to 2022.

Speaking with Lauren Herriott, Talent Engagement Specialist at Opencast, she explains how they have continued to expand work with existing clients.

We have a proven track record of securing work with high-profile members such as HMRC, DWP, eConsult and Mer, as well as many other not-for-profit organisations.

Focusing on delivering work to the highest standard has meant that they have developed a reputation as a highly skilled technology consultancy. From software, digital and technical delivery to DevOps, Cloud, and platform engineering, they focus on providing innovative solutions to clients and believe in putting a focus on work that matters.

Their goal for this year? To continue their growth to respond to increasing demand for new digital services from their clients.

A key thing that makes Opencast different to other consultancies is its approach to recruitment.

After noticing how uncomfortable job interviews can be, they recognise there are many factors in place that prevent applicants from performing at their best. With that in mind, they focus on providing an experience that benefits both parties and allows them to see an applicant at face value.

Bex Ross, the Marketing Assistant at Opencast, said:

The recruitment process was really relaxed and laid back, which made a huge difference. It was also a really quick turnaround, so I wasn’t waiting around to hear back for long. They kept me updated at every stage.

Even if applicants are not successful, they provide clear feedback to help them develop in their careers.

Typically an environment where there is a high turnover and employees are susceptible to burnout, Opencast wants to move away from your average tech consultancy.

They focus on outcomes, not outputs and have a flexible approach to work. This allows employees to focus on projects rather than clock-watching.

Lauren Herriott adds:

We are a people first organisation and put a lot of effort into ensuring that employees feel trusted and supported. We want everyone to love their role within Opencast and truly feel like a valued member of the team.

With trust a key value at Opencast, they believe in empowering employees to do their job and keeping hierarchy to a minimum. Though they have a structure within the team, everyone is given the opportunity to share their voice and opinion.

Working at Opencast also means you’ll get the chance to work on some cutting-edge projects, such as eXtreme programming (XP) practices and emerging technologies.

Naturally, there is a lot of collaboration on projects, allowing employees to access varying support.

To enable employees to perform at their best whilst also retaining productivity and mental health, each employee has access to pastoral support. This ensures the regulation of the welfare of employees. In addition, all permanent consultants are allocated a people experience partner (PEEP) that helps to provide career support.

At Opencast, they understand that not every decision you make is for life and want to provide a workplace where people can change, adapt, and grow, rather than feel pigeon-holed or stagnant.

When someone joins Opencast, it’s not unusual for them to have come from a variety of career backgrounds beyond technology.

Lauren Herriott adds to this.

We recognise that our employee’s ambitions and circumstances can change. If people do want to pivot their career to another area of the business, we want to support them as best we can to help them to reach their new goals.

Opencast offer a range of services to their clients to help them achieve their goals. This includes working on:

• Software, digital & technical delivery
• Architecture
• User-centred design
• DevOps, cloud, and platform engineering
• Live services support

Focusing on outcomes, they provide technical solutions to the complex problems many stakeholders are facing. This has allowed them to secure contracts with companies such as Barclays, Department for Education, Sage, HM Revenue & Customs and many more.

When Mer approached them to help support the switch of many businesses and fleet operators to electric vehicles, Opencast supported them in helping build a ‘Hubsta Fleet.’

This incorporated a dashboard into its existing back-office software so that businesses can access smart charging and insights into accounts and monitor user activity. As a result, the new fleet dashboard allowed operators to plan their electric journeys better and improve the experience of EV charging.

After reading this article, it’s clear that Opencast is an employer to watch. If you’re interested in finding out more about Opencast as an employer, then check out their full profile here.

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