So, a career in Tech sounds exciting to you. Brilliant! Now, how do you actually get started? The most important factor is having the right skills, whether that be coding, web development, or cyber security. For many, the path to accessing these skills is via university, where a degree teaches the fundamentals to access entry-level positions. This isn’t always the case though - many folk are self-taught, taking on bootcamps and freelance projects to build their skills as they go. Let’s look into both.
The university route
For many, working in Tech begins with a degree. Computing and IT degrees vary hugely in their titles, the important thing to do is look into what you are being taught. Do you want to work in development? Then you’ll want a course that encompasses teaching on Back and Front-end design. Perhaps you’re more of a coder? You’ll want to find out what coding languages your university degree is going to teach you to use.
The benefits of a university route are substantial. All the systems you need to use to learn are ready and waiting, you have experts there to help you along your way, and there’s no doubt that a great deal of connections are available by attending careers fairs, and taking on university working experience.
Furthermore, many graduates find their way into Tech via a graduate scheme or internship.
The self-taught route
While university is a great way to get going in a Tech career. It is not the only route. A quick search online will show you plenty of success stories that explore how folk with little to no tech experience taught themselves to code, and eventually landed a job in the industry. See our post on what it's like to work in the industry to watch Tamio’s experience on how she became a Software Developer without a degree.
If you want to go self-taught, research the kind of roles you’re interested in. Look at job descriptions and see what vital skills are required, and work your way from there. There are many free resources, videos, and how-to’s online around how to get started, as well as many low cost training programs such as Code Academy that promise to train you up on various Technology skills.
Final thoughts
Technology is expansive, lucrative and constantly evolving. If you’re after a career that challenges you, makes you think in new ways, and requires constant learning, this path might just be for you.
If you’re interested in finding out more about the world of Tech, we really recommend scrolling through our jobs lists and reading the profile of the different roles you might take. It will really help you narrow down the path that’s right for you within such a large, exciting sector. Good luck!
