Malvern open source firm Payara signs up to help careers programme

Employees from a Malvern tech firm have been appointed to help pupils at a county school get into the world of work.

Julia Millidge and Dominika Tasarz-Sochacka from Payara, a firm based at the Malvern Hills Science Park, have taken up voluntary positions with The Chase school, where they will work directly with the school’s leadership team to develop its careers programme.

Payara is behind the Payara Server, an open-source application server derived from GlassFish Server Open Source Edition. It was created in 2014 by C2B2 Consulting as a drop in replacement for GlassFish after Oracle announced it was discontinuing commercial support for GlassFish.

Dominika Tasarz-Sochacka said: “There is a lot of misconception amongst young people regarding career opportunities within our region – one common belief is that it’s not as exciting as big cities like London or Bristol.

“Young people need reassurance that Worcestershire can give them plenty of opportunities for personal and professional growth – they just need to know how and where to look.”

Both Payara representatives will have access to a range of practical resources, as well as the support of a trained, full-time enterprise coordinator from The Careers & Enterprise Company to help with their roles.

Julia Millidge said: “My background in teaching means that the Enterprise Adviser scheme is very close to my heart. Being able to utilise my position as a tech business owner whilst helping students find future employment is so rewarding.

“There is no better way to give back to the community than by sharing our knowledge, skills and expertise.

“Not only is this outreach programme fundamental to Payara’s development, but as Enterprise Advisers we can build positive working relationships with The Chase and its students, whilst aiding recruitment into our business.”

Claire Finch, business support officer at The Chase High School said: “We are delighted to have Julia and Dominika on board as our new Enterprise Advisers.

“Their skills and expertise will be of great benefit in helping our careers team continue to offer a quality programme that informs and inspires students during and after their time in education.”