Building Thoughtworks University: A Global Program for Future Leaders

When I look back on my years at Thoughtworks, one of the achievements I’m most proud of is helping to evolve and grow Thoughtworks University (TWU). Twenty years ago, when it began, the idea of sending new hires from around the globe to a single shared location for six weeks of immersive training seemed almost impractical. Why invest in something that looked inefficient on paper, when most companies were building regional programs or moving toward short, localized training?

Because we knew that transformation rarely comes from efficiency. It comes from depth, connection, and shared experience.

The origin of TWU began with a simple but ambitious question: how do you not just train consultants, but create leaders who will shape the future of the company? We believed that to answer this, the environment had to stretch beyond technical expertise. We carefully designed the program to make people feel safe enough to fail, supported enough to try again, and challenged enough to grow. Every exercise, from client simulations to collaborative projects, was built with this balance in mind.

Why Global?

Bringing participants from every continent into one shared space was intentional. We wanted TWU to reflect the beautiful diversity and complexity of our workforce and the clients we serve. This diversity became the program’s greatest strength. A teammate with a background in teaching might illuminate a facilitation technique others had never considered. Someone with a biology degree might bring a sustainability perspective to software discussions. The richness of these differences built resilience, creativity, and empathy.

The Human Heart of TWU

The most important lessons from TWU have never been about code alone. They have been about noticing what you are not seeing, asking better questions, and listening deeply. One of the stories that still resonates with me is the now-famous “brown dog” incident, when a team built exactly what was asked of them but missed that the client’s actual dog, a Dalmatian, was sitting in the background the whole time.

It was a reminder that consulting is never just about delivering what is requested, but about seeing the whole picture, the context, the human need behind the requirement.

The Tangible Impact: A Legacy of Leaders

With the program, our goal was to link talent strategy directly to organizational growth and operational success. The impact of TWU is most evident in the success of its alumni. Since 2005, over 4,000 participants have credited the program with accelerating their professional growth and shaping their ability to deliver and lead.

Alumni frequently advance to mid-senior roles within 3-5 years, leading cross-functional and international teams. This success in navigating diverse teams and complex projects is a testament to the operational rigor instilled by the program. This human-centric approach to leadership leads to a 2.6x higher rate of transformation success, proving that people-first strategies drive tangible business results.

• Leadership Advancement: Numerous TWU alumni have moved into leadership positions such as Tech Leads, Engineering Managers, and Heads of Operational Excellence. Examples include Shweta Nayak (Europe Head of Operational Excellence), Johann Gomes (Tech Principal, Brazil), and Lais Gomes (Tech Lead, Brazil).
• Diverse Backgrounds: The program's success is inclusive, with alumni from a variety of educational and professional origins, including bootcamp graduates and career changers.
• Empowerment: Alumni highlight key mindset shifts—such as resilience, confidence, and adaptability—as major factors in their career development.

A Legacy That Lives On

For me, creating TWU was about building a foundation for Thoughtworks’ future leaders. It was about giving people the courage to ask questions, the confidence to admit what they do not yet know, and the resilience to grow in the face of challenge.

The most important things are... being able to grow others and lead a team... and storytelling.

The world of technology will always evolve faster than any of us can keep up with, but the mindset TWU instills remains constant. Leadership is not about knowing all the answers. It is about noticing what’s in the background, embracing diverse perspectives, and learning as you go.

I will always carry with me the lessons of building TWU and the countless stories of the people who walked through its doors. Its impact reaches far beyond training. It shaped who we are as a company and who I became as a leader.

Sources

• Thoughtworks University: Preparing future leaders https://www.thoughtworks.com/en-us/careers/graduates
• Behind the scenes of Thoughtworks University in India https://www.thoughtworks.com/en-us/insights/blog/careers-at-thoughtworks/behind-the-scenes-of-thoughtworks-university-in-india
• Thoughtworks University, an immersive journey https://www.thoughtworks.com/en-us/insights/blog/graduates/Thoughtworks-University-an-immersive-journey
• Thoughtworks University (TWU) is back—and in person — LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/posts/thoughtworks_thoughtworks-university-twu-is-backand-activity-7338127814660894721-8VGH
• Learning and Growth at Thoughtworks https://www.thoughtworks.com/en-au/careers/talent-development
• Thoughtworks United States | A leading technology consultancy https://www.thoughtworks.com/en-us
• Learning about myself at Thoughtworks University https://www.thoughtworks.com/insights/blog/learning-about-myself-thoughtworks-university
• Careers | Thoughtworks United Stateshttps://www.thoughtworks.com/en-us/careers

About the Author

Joanna Parke

As Chief Talent Officer for Thoughtworks, a global technology consultancy, I bring a unique, well-rounded perspective to the intersection of technology and business, shaped by my prior roles as Managing Director and COO. Managing a full P&L gave me a deep understanding of business imperatives, enabling me to design technology strategies that deliver both innovation and tangible financial results. My leadership style is grounded in authenticity, decisive action, and a love for turning ambiguity into clarity. I excel at defining complex problems, creating strategic visions, and building competent, self-driven teams who find genuine fulfillment in their work. I believe leadership development isn’t just about building skills, it’s about helping people discover their values, aptitudes, and personal mission and creating alignment with their work to drive meaningful, lasting impact. I am deeply committed to developing future leaders, cultivating a culture of ownership and purpose, and embracing continuous learning, especially as we navigate the rapid changes of the AI revolution. I believe effective time management is one of the most overlooked drivers of leadership impact, and I prioritize it as a cornerstone of my work.