Software Development has evolved rapidly over the last few years.
Virtualisation means there are faster deployments, the Cloud has improved scalability and general flexibility, and audiences have expanded massively due to the growth of consumer apps.
With this rapid growth comes more job opportunities and the field is crying out for skilled Software Developers to fill these roles – often offering competitive salaries and a range of company benefits.
If you’re thinking of starting your career in Software Development but you’re unsure where it can take you beyond designing software, we have some good news for you. There are many opportunities available for those with Software Development qualifications and experience, but the bad news is that you might not know these avenues even exist!
But that’s what we’re here for.
WHERE CAN A SOFTWARE DEVELOPer APPRENTICESHIP TAKE ME?
Our Software Developer Apprenticeships provide you with the expert knowledge and hands-on experience necessary to be successful in the Software industry. We offer a Level 3 Junior Software Developer apprenticeship, and a Level 4 Software Developer apprenticeship.
Whether you are fascinated with writing code, programming, or project management – there is a role that will suit your interests. Here are some of the many Software roles available to you, that you (probably) didn’t know existed…
TECHNICAL WRITER
Average Salary: £37,000.
If you pick ideas up quickly, love learning new things, and can make difficult concepts sound comprehendible to the average Joe – a career in Technical Writing might be for you.
As a Technical Writer, you can utilise the technical knowledge, industry-specific concepts, and specialised jargon you have learnt throughout your Software Development Apprenticeship and package it back up in a user-friendly way to ensure it is accessible to its specific audience.
This writing could range from user manuals, government guidelines, employee handbooks, troubleshooting guides, technical blogging, or copywriting. There is even an option to do this freelance if that suited your lifestyle.
To be successful in this role excellent written skills are non-negotiable! You also need good timekeeping, fantastic organisation skills, and the ability to research efficiently.
VIDEO GAME DEVELOPER
Average Salary: £38,000.
Do you love playing video games but find yourself thinking, I could have designed this better myself? Well, you can put that into practice by pursuing a career in Video Game Development.
Don’t go into this thinking it is all fun and games (sorry, that was cheesy!) – Game Development is not easy. This role requires you to break things down analytically into systems, be extremely creative, and have excellent programming skills. Above all, you must have the ability to act on your own artistic vision. You are creating a huge project out of small components of code so you must always be able to see the bigger picture.
As a Video Game Developer, you will use both software and hardware to create the game elements and framework. Alongside this, you will test products, modify code, and use your expert knowledge to improve gameplay.
You can specialise in one platform, such as PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, or PC, or choose to develop your skills and assert yourself as a Game Developing maestro by mastering multiple gaming platforms.
Related reading: How to Start a Career in Software Development
DEVoPS ENGINEER
Average Salary: £55,000.
DevOps are the unsung heroes of the 21st century. You can thank DevOps Engineers for the fact you probably haven’t had to make many downloads on your devices recently.
DevOps Engineers unite Software Development and IT operations. The backbone of DevOps is Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Delivery (CD) – these two fundamental features mean that companies can take code from version control and make it available to users in real time with no downloads.
If you’re not a huge fan of writing code, you will be pleased to know that DevOps Engineers don’t usually work directly on product code, though they still need a good understanding of scripting. In this role, your day-to-day responsibilities could include improving IT infrastructures, evaluating systems, optimising release cycles, and providing feedback to reduce the time spent detecting errors and the time spent minimising them.
While this is a largely technical role, you are still required to possess a range of soft skills. You need to be an excellent listener, adaptable to new situations, and perhaps most importantly, have the willingness to learn and an urge to help find solutions.
ScRUM MASTER
Average Salary: £60,000.
This isn’t a job that is widely available so if you see one advertised – RUN, don’t walk! These roles are usually limited to large Software organisations and the salaries are extremely competitive.
Scrum is a development methodology where complex problems are solved through observation, experimentation and feedback which is often used in Software Development processes. Large projects are broken down into manageable, short-term blocks of work (often called ‘sprints’) that should take around 2 weeks to complete.
As a Scrum Master, you are the bridge between product management and product development. You work with the product owner and relay any instructions to your development team, and then later you will inform the product owner about the development team’s progress.
Your responsibilities as a Scrum Master would include creating projects, coaching your team to ensure they are organised and focused, communicating with any external groups on behalf of the project team, and assisting the product owner to find techniques that will better manage the product backlog.
Related reading: Software Development: Expectations VS. Reality
TECHNICAL ARCHITECT
Average Salary: £61,000.
Indeed have previously described Technical Architects as the ‘unicorn’ of the Tech industry as this role requires expert technical skills, but it is equally as important that you are able to manage people effectively. Essentially, you need to be able to talk-the-talk and walk-the-walk. Could you be that unicorn?
Technical Architects design the overall structure of technology systems. Similarly to architects who design buildings, the aim is for the technological systems to be practical and attractive to consumers. Day-to-day you would be expected to create advanced technical strategies, build new IT systems, and assess risks related to different approaches.
You must be able to pay attention to small details, be adaptable, and have excellent mathematical ability to succeed in this role.
NEXT STEPS…
Be honest – how many of these roles did you already know about?
If you’re ready to make the first step into your new career in Software Development, take a look at our Software Developer Apprenticeships and current vacancies.