Testing Peers
Testing Peers is a community-driven initiative built by testers, for testers. We are a not-for-profit collective focused on supporting each other across software testing, quality, leadership, and engineering. This group is peer-led, values-driven, and passionate about shaping a more thoughtful, collaborative testing culture.
The Testing Peers podcast is now expanding beyond its original four hosts, David Maynard, Chris Armstrong, Russell Craxford and Simon Prior, striving to represent the voices of a diverse and thriving community.
Our inaugural in-person conference, #PeersCon, launched in Nottingham in March 2024, returning for #PeersCon25, with #PeersCon26 already scheduled - further solidifying Testing Peers as a not-for-profit, by testers, for testers initiative.
Testing Peers
Quality Career Beginnings
Welcome to episode 138 of the Testing Peers Podcast
In this episode, Chris, Rachel, David and Russell discuss how people begin their careers in testing and software quality today.
After a light-hearted round of “Two Truths and a Lie (But All Lies)”, the conversation turns to the different ways people enter the field, and how those paths have changed over time. The Peers share their own experiences and reflect on what helps new testers succeed.
Topics include:
- Apprenticeships, graduate schemes and internal career changes
- The importance of curiosity, communication and collaboration
- Balancing technical skills with people skills
- The impact of AI and automation on entry routes
- Building inclusive teams and supporting diverse backgrounds
- The difference between culture add and culture fit
The group explore what organisations can do to create better entry points into quality roles, and how experienced professionals can help the next generation of testers grow with confidence.
#PeersCon26 Tickets for the event are now live too, starting at £15 until December 2025, when they increase to £30.
And as always, we are looking for sponsors to make this event the success it has been for the last 2 years, get in touch if interested
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We’re also now on GoodPods, check it out via the mobile app stores
If you like what we do and are able to, please visit our Patreon to explore how you could support us going forwards: https://www.patreon.com/testingpeers
Thanks to our sponsors – NFocus Testing.
nFocus are a UK based software testing company. They’ve been supporting businesses for 24 years by providing services that include burst resource, accelerated test automation, performance testing and fully managed testing services. In 2021, they launched a Test Automation Academy to create amazing testers and they’ve now created jobs for 48 people in our industry in just under three years!
nFocus were a big part of PeersCon in 2024 and 2025, really grateful for all they do to support the Testing Peers.
www.nfocus.co.uk and info@nfocus.co.uk for anyone wanting to get in touch.