Training and career development and your tech career

Nowadays, you don’t necessarily need
to be a computer science graduate to
carve out a successful career.
Recruiters employ graduates from the
entire spectrum of degree disciplines
who can demonstrate a serious
interest in technology, with many
recruiters preferring to hire graduates
with previous work experience (not
always within the IT sector).

On the other hand, there are also
more traditional ways into the field. A
computer science graduate might
start out as a programmer, software
developer, systems analyst or web
developer. With a few years’
experience, however, these roles can
develop in a number of different
directions.

Some might find
themselves moving into contracting
or consultancy (the flexibility of these
roles certainly suits some people);
others might use their people skills
and organisational ability to move
into a training role; while still more
pursue increasing specialisation and
expertise (ideally becoming totally
indispensible in the process!).

Career diversity

In general, there’s a rich diversity of
career paths open to graduates in the
high-tech industry. The technology is
ever-changing, which means that so
too are the job prospects. Constant
on-the-job learning is, of course,
crucial, as is a wider general
awareness of the field (ideally this
desire to learn will be motivated by a
genuine interest in the job).

By keeping abreast of, and becoming
expert in, new technologies,
professionals can find their careers
developing in ways they never
predicted when they first dipped their
toe in the IT waters. The variety isn’t
just in the nature of the technology.
The sheer range of potential
workplaces, from huge international
corporations to small flexible NGOs,
means that skilled professionals have
a certain amount of mobility and a
good chance of finding an
environment where they feel happy
and comfortable.