Not Just Toys for Boys
If someone told you that they didn't want to be a journalist because they didn't like pens you would think they were very strange. You'd realise that journalism is about investigating and reporting what' s happening in the world - pens are just one of the tools of the trade. So what would you say if someone suggested you worked in IT?
If you are still reading this you have probably just stifled a yawn and pictured a computer in your head. You think IT is boring and you don't want to work with machines, you want to work with people. Think again. Most IT jobs are no more about computers than a journalist's job is about pens. IT is about creating the products and services that we all need to help improve our lives. To do that you need to understand how people live and work and how they want to live and work in the future.
IT is dynamic and exciting and it changes just about everything we do. IT produces the magazines that we read so avidly, it is fundamental to the creation and distribution of music, it is in all the films being made by Hollywood and in the flight planning and security at airports. There are very few industries that don't now rely on IT and they all want people with bright new ideas. Try telling the IT professionals who worked so hard to produce films such as the Matrix, that their job is not creative, or the web designer, or the artistic designer of Cosmopolitan.
The range of jobs in IT is vast and there is something to suit everyone. Some are very creative and some are highly technical. They can be broadly summarised as software developers, systems operators, sales professionals, training professionals, helpdesk support, technicians /engineers, web designers, technical authors and business analysts. But within those broad headings the actual job roles can be very different. For instance an engineer can work on retail computer systems in your local high street, or she or he can be working on weather watching systems in a plane many miles above the ground. So whatever your interests there's bound to be something in IT for everyone.
The number of jobs is also vast. There are now twice as many people working in IT as there are teachers and this figure is set to double over the next 5 years. Some IT companies are cutting back on people at the moment but this downturn is not expected to last. When it starts to boom again the growth is likely to be spectacular as we look to IT to solve new problems and create ever more exciting entertainment.
In most IT jobs you will work closely with customers. Employers therefore place just as much emphasis on interpersonal skills as IT skills. IT employers don't want "techies" they want people who can understand and relate to their customers, have very good interpersonal skills, have good communications skills, are able to think creatively and can work in teams. Much of the work requires innovative thinking to find IT solutions to everyday problems and challenges. Staffs usually work in project teams where individuals rely heavily on each other. If you can show you are enthusiastic about IT, many employers will train you from scratch in the technical skills. However coming to them with some technical skills already is obviously a bonus. It shows you have the capacity to learn the skills they need.
IT careers are fast changing. IT knowledge and expertise moves on all the time, so employers are looking for people who are willing to adapt and change to meet the changing needs.
I have left the best bit to the end. The 2000 UK Graduate Careers Survey found that computer scientists earned an average £18,000 in 2000. This represented a growth in salary of 6% year on year. Graduates in the whole sample earned an average £15,000. In other words computer scientists earned 20% more than graduates in the whole sample. Many IT employers actively recruit graduates without relevant degrees, they will train you, and you could expect to be earning more than £35,500 within 5 years.
At the moment the majority of IT professionals are men, women hold only 20% of jobs. This should serve to encourage more women in IT. It's often easier for women to make an impact and many of the most successful IT professionals are female. How can IT companies create the products and services to suit the 50% of its customers who are female if women are not part of the process? Do we really want our future designed exclusively by men? It is no surprise then companies are so keen to have more women join them.
If someone told you that they didn't want to be a journalist because they didn't like pens you would think they were very strange. You'd realise that journalism is about investigating and reporting what' s happening in the world - pens are just one of the tools of the trade. So what would you say if someone suggested you worked in IT?If you are still reading this you have probably just stifled a yawn and pictured a computer in your head. You think IT is boring and you don't want to work with machines, you want to work with people. Think again. Most IT jobs are no more about computers than a journalist's job is about pens. IT is about creating the products and services that we all need to help improve our lives. To do that you need to understand how people live and work and how they want to live and work in the future.
IT is dynamic and exciting and it changes just about everything we do. IT produces the magazines that we read so avidly, it is fundamental to the creation and distribution of music, it is in all the films being made by Hollywood and in the flight planning and security at airports. There are very few industries that don't now rely on IT and they all want people with bright new ideas. Try telling the IT professionals who worked so hard to produce films such as the Matrix, that their job is not creative, or the web designer, or the artistic designer of Cosmopolitan.
The range of jobs in IT is vast and there is something to suit everyone. Some are very creative and some are highly technical. They can be broadly summarised as software developers, systems operators, sales professionals, training professionals, helpdesk support, technicians /engineers, web designers, technical authors and business analysts. But within those broad headings the actual job roles can be very different. For instance an engineer can work on retail computer systems in your local high street, or she or he can be working on weather watching systems in a plane many miles above the ground. So whatever your interests there's bound to be something in IT for everyone.
The number of jobs is also vast. There are now twice as many people working in IT as there are teachers and this figure is set to double over the next 5 years. Some IT companies are cutting back on people at the moment but this downturn is not expected to last. When it starts to boom again the growth is likely to be spectacular as we look to IT to solve new problems and create ever more exciting entertainment.
In most IT jobs you will work closely with customers. Employers therefore place just as much emphasis on interpersonal skills as IT skills. IT employers don't want "techies" they want people who can understand and relate to their customers, have very good interpersonal skills, have good communications skills, are able to think creatively and can work in teams. Much of the work requires innovative thinking to find IT solutions to everyday problems and challenges. Staffs usually work in project teams where individuals rely heavily on each other. If you can show you are enthusiastic about IT, many employers will train you from scratch in the technical skills. However coming to them with some technical skills already is obviously a bonus. It shows you have the capacity to learn the skills they need.
IT careers are fast changing. IT knowledge and expertise moves on all the time, so employers are looking for people who are willing to adapt and change to meet the changing needs.
I have left the best bit to the end. The 2000 UK Graduate Careers Survey found that computer scientists earned an average £18,000 in 2000. This represented a growth in salary of 6% year on year. Graduates in the whole sample earned an average £15,000. In other words computer scientists earned 20% more than graduates in the whole sample. Many IT employers actively recruit graduates without relevant degrees, they will train you, and you could expect to be earning more than £35,500 within 5 years.
At the moment the majority of IT professionals are men, women hold only 20% of jobs. This should serve to encourage more women in IT. It's often easier for women to make an impact and many of the most successful IT professionals are female. How can IT companies create the products and services to suit the 50% of its customers who are female if women are not part of the process? Do we really want our future designed exclusively by men? It is no surprise then companies are so keen to have more women join them.
