Regional tech growth & statistics

The tech industry has been one of the most attractive industries for investors for the past few years. One example: MENA startups raised over $3 billion in 2022, just shortly after the 2021 peak, showcasing strong investment confidence in the ecosystem. This ultimately provides capital and opportunity flowing into the region, translating into job creation.

The regional transformation has its implication on Bahrain, where the Kingdom has established its digital focus in coordination with its role as a regional financial hub that led to a significant push toward fintech and digital government services. Tech training initiatives by Tamkeen and Bahrain FinTech Bay serve as prime examples of this institutional support. This robust institutional backing and continued rapid growth of the tech ecosystem creates a sense of urgency and opportunity for non-tech professionals looking to reskill by highlighting the widely reported digital talent shortage in the GCC, particularly for high-demand roles like data scientists, DevOps engineers, and cybersecurity analysts.

Is the tech field for everyone?

The short answer is yes, but the path demands deliberate self-awareness and strategic preparation. Success in breaking into tech is less about starting from scratch and more about leveraging the assets you already possess.

A foundational step for making an informed choice is conducting a sanity check of your current skillset. Whether you’re a student or a seasoned professional, you must embrace the value of your transferable skills or capabilities like project management, strategic communication, and deep, specialized industry knowledge. These are your unique competitive advantages—they’re not irrelevant, but rather the essential context that makes your new technical skills even more valuable. For instance, a long career in banking makes a finance professional uniquely qualified to target fintech data analytics, while a marketing background makes a transition to product design (UX/UI) a natural fit due to an inherent understanding of customer journey mapping and audience needs. Similarly, a professional with a background in logistics or supply chain management can leverage their systems-thinking and process optimization skills to transition into data science, specializing in predictive modeling for demand forecasting and route optimization. Finally, a mid-career professional who has spent years as a technical writer or business process analyst possesses the necessary logic and meticulous documentation skills to excel in software engineering, specializing in quality assurance (QA) or automation engineering.

Perhaps most critical, you must define your “why,” the core motivation and trigger for this career transition. Goal-setting needs to be far more strategic than simply “get a tech job.” It must evolve into a SMART goal that is concise, timely, and relevant to the short term as much to the long-term projection of your career (though we advise you to start by focusing on your short-term goals). This exercise enhances both your self-awareness and your active listening toward market demand, enabling you to conduct focused research on the tech role that best complements your existing skill set and interests. By choosing a specialization that intersects with your prior expertise, you create an “industry-plus” profile that’s highly attractive to employers.

As a career coach today who was also a career shifter, I’m a firm believer that any career transition is, at its core, a journey of continuous learning. This perspective is vital because it reframes the initial skills gap not as a permanent failure, but as a manageable challenge. By embracing a growth mindset—the conviction that abilities can be developed through dedication and effort—you empower yourself to overcome obstacles through focused reskilling or upskilling. Your ability to learn and adapt is ultimately the most durable asset you can carry into the ever-evolving world of technology.

Steps for the non-tech professional

The shift into the tech industry is a strategic transition. Here are the four key steps for successfully remarketing your skills and breaking into this diverse field.

1. Identify your transferable assets

Your most valuable currency is the “industry-plus” advantage—your existing domain knowledge combined with a new tech skill. While your degree may be a crucial value-add for certain roles, your industry experience is the biggest asset you have. The formula is simple:

Non-tech Industry Knowledge + Tech Skills = High-Value Employee

2. Choose your first tech skill

Focus on in-demand skills that offer the quickest entry point to adding value in a tech organization:

• Data analytics and data science: Master SQL, Python, and visualization tools like Power BI/Tableau. This is the fastest path to transforming existing job functions with data-driven insights. For those targeting data science, focus on advanced statistical concepts and machine learning libraries.
• UX/UI design: Focus on the process (design thinking, wireframing) and tools (Figma). This field is systematic and requires strong problem-solving skills, making it accessible to creative, process-oriented thinkers.
• Software engineering (Python/Java/JavaScript): Frame coding not as an end in itself, but as a tool for automation or analysis. Learn Java fundamentals for enterprise development or Python for scripting and back-end work. This is essential for serious software and data roles, but the goal is to become an effective contributor, not a full-stack developer overnight.

3.  Build the bridge: The portfolio

A robust tech portfolio is more important than a certification alone. Your work samples are proof of concept.

Execute a “legacy project” by planning and executing a project that directly relates to your previous industry or a company you’re targeting in your job search. For example, a former bank teller should build a project analyzing credit card transaction data. This demonstrates that you can solve real-world problems in a domain the employer already understands.

4. Network strategically

Stay relevant and connected to the tech industry ecosystem by attending local industry events (virtually or in-person) hosted by relevant organizations to meet potential employers, subject matter experts, and potential industry contacts directly.  Utilize these events to find mentors—individuals who’ve successfully made the non-tech-to-tech jump or are strong advocates for the industry. Their guidance is invaluable for navigating the transition.

Ready to define your “industry-plus” future? 

Breaking into tech is a strategic move that requires courage and dedication, but you don’t have to do it alone. In fact, roughly 40% of General Assembly graduates are career shifters, transitioning from non-tech backgrounds into high-demand tech roles. This is a powerful testament to the value of transferable skills and the profound commitment required for such a transition. We at GA recognize the effort invested and we match that ambition with hands-on curriculum and dedicated career support at every stage. If you’re ready to apply your industry knowledge and make your strategic pivot a reality, click here to explore our programs and start your tech journey.