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Information Technology.
Builds, supports and secures the systems and software organisations run on.
Apply to the Programme →About the Role
The type of roles in the IT profession range extensively – from those, such as technical support or data entry, which have minimal or no entry requirements, to those, like infrastructure engineers or developers, which require a relevant computing degree and/or extensive experience in that field.
Roles & Routes into IT
Technical Support Professionals
Provide technical assistance, support and advice to individuals and organisations that depend on IT, responding to enquiries from computer users or working with organisations on a contract basis. Entry requirements: basic understanding of computers, software and hardware; a degree is not strictly necessary but can be advantageous, as is a hardware or software qualification.
Software Developers
Write applications, converting a business analyst’s specification into instructions the computer can follow using a programming language; also update, integrate, repair, modify and expand existing applications. Entry requirements: a relevant computing degree or several years of past experience.
Web Designers
Responsible for the visual appearance of websites, navigation and general construction, determining the information a site will contain and how it’s organised, and using development software to integrate databases and other information systems. Entry requirements: experience in web design/development and/or a relevant computing degree.
Infrastructure Engineers, Network Engineers or Systems Administrators
Design, install and support an organisation’s computer systems – servers, communication systems, local and wide area networks – analysing problems and monitoring networks for availability, security, data storage and disaster recovery. Entry requirements: certain network certifications may be sufficient for some roles without a degree; more complex roles may need networking experience and/or a telecoms or computer science-related degree.
Good to know: Structured Digital and IT apprenticeships (e.g. Level 3 Infrastructure Technician, Level 4 Software Developer, Level 4 Network Engineer) are now a well-established alternative route into all of the above.