Technology underpins our lives. It is crucial and ingrained in every industry, from education through to engineering and entertainment. It has enabled us to form networks around the planet – and even into space. IT is behind every organisation – and behind the tech systems are the IT professionals who keep everything working at peak performance.
If you’re interested in a career in IT, read on. This blog will outline a couple of different routes you can embark on to start your career!
WHAT CAN A CAREER IN IT OFFER?
Starting your career in IT will provide you with an amazingly varied career path. IT encompasses a significant number of different roles. Some of which are IT support, hardware repair, and even specialist career routes such as cyber security. Responsibilities range from configuring devices to supporting with software and optimising the performance of a network.
More and more companies are realising the importance of implementing a successful IT team within their organisation, in order to boost productivity and outpace competitors. Studying IT will provide you with endless career opportunities and progression routes. The ever-changing technology sector means that IT roles are always evolving, so there’s always something new to learn.
Deciding your next steps to launch a new career can be a daunting process. There are various routes you can undertake to start your career in IT, including academic study and on-the-job training.
IT DEGREES AND COLLEGE COURSES
Completing an IT degree or college course is a popular option for people looking to gain knowledge and qualifications for their future career.
Many people choose to study full-time, which can provide you with valuable knowledge in the sector and a great student experience. However, this option can be expensive, and you may need to create a plan afterwards to find work experience in the industry.
If you choose to explore this option, we would suggest that you do a lot of research into the university or college as different providers offer different courses. Make sure to look into the modules to ensure they are the ones which would align best with your future career plans.
IT APPRENTICESHIPS
An apprenticeship provides on-the-job training whilst working towards an industry-recognised qualification. Not only do you get expert-led technical training, but you’ll get to learn the tricks of the trade by working in the industry from the get-go.
Our Level 3 IT Support Technician apprenticeship will enable you to gain the valuable skills and experience to build an exciting career in tech – all whilst earning a wage and building your professional network.
Completing these apprenticeships will lead to roles such as:
- Helpdesk Specialist
- First Line Support
- Network Architect
- Systems Engineer
Once you have completed your chosen Level 3 IT support apprenticeship, you then have the opportunity to develop your skills further through a Level 4 apprenticeship, helping you to quickly take your career to the next level.
An apprenticeship is not just for school-leavers, people of any age can become an IT apprentice.
At Baltic Apprenticeships, many of our IT apprentices are university graduates who saw the value of apprenticeships to help them enter the IT sector.
ONLINE IT COURSES
If you’re looking to get a taster of what an IT career can offer you, short online courses can be a great solution without the long-term commitment of an apprenticeship or further study.
There are various online IT courses available through platforms such as Coursera, Udemy and Khan Academy. Many online courses are freely available and are short and flexible, to fit in around you.
Completing an online course can help you discover whether the IT career is right for you, whilst building up skills to add to your college application or apprenticeship CV.
NEXT STEPS: APPLY FOR AN IT APPRENTICESHIP
Have you decided that an apprenticeship is the right way forward for you?
We have great employers across the country looking to recruit their future IT professionals – check out our vacancies to see if any take your fancy!