Are you technically confident and capable?
Do you have real passion and interest in the digital world?
Would you love working with technology every single day?
Then a job in the IT and Technology sector could be ideal for you!
The Technology sector is undoubtedly one of the fastest-growing in modern society today. Due to the increasing digital saturation of the 21st Century, technology seems to have taken roots in all aspects of job sectors. Information Technology (IT) touches just about every area of our lives from the demanding worlds of science, medicine, engineering, defence and business to the more relaxing aspects of our lives such as entertainment and recreation.
A world without IT and Technology is a world without texting, surfing the web, checking emails or watching TV. How many days (read: hours) can you live without these things?
Almost everything that is impressive and advanced today relies on its’ technology in order to work!
Working in this sector can be hugely fascinating and fun for the right candidates, especially those who prefer being immersed in the digital world instead of drowning in paperwork in the “real world”. It’s also the perfect sector for people who love fixing, designing and creating things using technology.
The following are the four key areas of this sector:
1) Software and Services
The software and services industry is the largest of the areas and involves designing, developing, releasing and maintaining software programs and applications.
Professionals who develop these computer programs using Programming Languages such as JavaScript or SQL are called Software Engineers, Developers or Programmers.
This area of work is the most appealing for individuals who are good in programming, troubleshooting code (debugging) and who enjoy the challenge of “creating something from nothing”.
2) Hardware
This part of the industry is about manufacturing, assembling and maintaining the hardware components of the computer systems and its related infrastructures and technologies.
It is the combination of hardware and software that define the computer systems that we know today; one cannot function without the other.
Some parts of the hardware industry have become automated over the years although human supervision and involvement is still required at every level.
3) Multi-media
The multi-media sector of the IT industry is one of the most modern, creative and fast-paced work environments in the job market. Professionals working in this field work on the creation and maintenance of websites, interactive tools, mobile apps, and game development projects.
4) Telecommunications
Telecommunications is the communication / interaction of information using technology.
Thanks to the advancement telecommunications technology and the professionals working in this field we can take calling, texting, emailing or watching TV for granted in our daily lives.
The majority of professionals working in his field are computer engineers, technicians and operators. BT, one of UK’s largest telecommunications companies, employs over 80.000 people in this industry across the country.
The minimum entry requirement for this industry is having at least a level-3 IT-related qualification. This could be a BTEC, A-Levels or any other nationally-recognised qualification.
Having at least a 2:1 degree in IT, Computer Science or related subject is the minimum requirement for many graduate schemes and for working in popular IT companies.
Any additional training or qualifications – especially when combined with relevant work experience – will undoubtedly increase your chances of standing out from the crowd in this highly-competitive industry.
Entry level positions (such as IT Trainees or Junior Technicians) can earn anywhere from £13.000 to £17.000 per annum.
Mid-level IT professionals (such as IT Support Officers and Software Engineers) can expect to be paid between £17.000 and £35.000 per annum.
The salary dramatically goes up for Senior IT Managers and Directors starting from £45.000 and going up to £85.000 per annum, depending upon the company, job role and responsibilities.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
Things are looking promising for the future of IT. According to the Guardian (May, 2015) Robotics, automation and the internet of things “will be at the centre of the UK’s future economy.”
It is extremely uncommon to find an established company in the 21st century which doesn’t need some level of IT support or service. IT has now become an integrated part of many businesses and there is a great demand for professionals working in this field.
Worldwide IT spending forecast for the year 2015 is estimated to be 3.8 TRILLION US dollars (Gartner Jan, 2013). All these software, networks and infrastructure mean that there are lots of skilled workers required to maintain, operate and improve this technology.
Every year this industry continues to grow and is forecasted to continue with this trend for the next decades to come, combine this with better than average job prospects and the IT and Technology industry becomes an attractive career option to be seriously considered.