Jobs And Careers Autumn 2018 - 287

TECHNOLOGY

Get with the
program
You can't work, communicate or
even shop these days without
technology. Do you want to join
the 1.5 million people who work
in an industry that makes all our
lives just a little easier?

university leavers in the country, with some landing
first jobs paying more than £40,000, according to
the Sunday Times' league table of graduate salaries.
These wages are justified when you consider that
each tech worker contributes over £100,000 per year
to the UK economy - double the national average.
Interested? Here are roles you might like to consider.

Software programmer

he tech sector is the fastest-growing
industry in the UK. The third annual
Tech Nation report revealed that last
year investment reached £6.8bn - 50%
higher than in any other European country - and
delivered a whopping £97bn to the UK economy.
This tech explosion goes much deeper than
personality-pairing dating apps and fancy run-tracking
smart watches. It now underpins every part of our
working world, from banking and pharmaceuticals
to travel and developments in aerospace.
Despite what the newspaper headlines say, this
doesn't mean machines are taking over our jobs.
In fact, technology provides us with more career
opportunities than ever before. More than 1.5 million
people now work in the digital sector - and it has
a rate of growth twice that of other industries.
Despite this staggering number, demand for skilled
industry workers is still soaring. "We're seeing tripledigit growth year on year, which means we're constantly
on the lookout for the best talent," says Nick Smith,
CEO of cloud automation company Certain Six.
As a result of Brexit, the challenge of finding
skilled staff continues to grow. Subsequently,
tech industry leaders are looking at new ways to
fill these vacancies. "One avenue we're exploring
is working with a number of universities to spot
and nurture graduate talent," says Smith.

Talent search
And how do you then draw the top talent to your
business? Attractive pay packets. "As demand for
skilled individuals grow, salaries in this industry have
become some of the most competitive around," says
Smith. Digital earnings are 44% higher than the average
job, with the average salary advertised at £51,000.
Tech graduates can expect starting salaries of £30,000,
while computer scientists are now the highest-earning

Working with a team, you'll develop code for
web, mobile or desktop applications, using a wide
variety of computer programming languages and
project management tools to achieve your goals.
What qualifications do I need? Most companies
require a software engineering or a computer science
degree. A knowledge of multiple programming languages
is a must, as well as an interest in personal or opensource projects. Internship experience is preferred.
How much can I earn? Salaries start from £30,000,
rising to as much as £100,000 for lead developers.

Aerospace engineer
This role includes research, development, building and
maintaining aircraft and their systems. Day-to-day duties
could include developing navigation, communications
or weapons systems, researching ways to make fuelefficient parts, testing prototypes and collecting and
analysing test data. You can choose to specialise in a
particular field, such as aerodynamics or fuel efficiency,
or move up to consultant aerospace engineer.
What qualifications do I need? You'll need a highereducation qualification in either aerospace engineering,
avionics or related subjects, such as electrical or
mechanical engineering, maths and physics. You'll also
need excellent mathematical, problem-solving and IT
skills - including knowledge of computer aided design
(CAD) or manufacturing (CAM). Some experience
of project management and budgeting are desired.
How much can I earn? From £25,000 to £70,000.

Computer games tester
The role includes testing multiple levels and versions
of games, with a view to providing critical feedback
to the product team, who will then document
recommended changes and bug reports. With experience,
you can move on to become a quality assurance
manager or go into games marketing. With further
JOBS & CAREERS /// 287

Jobs And Careers Autumn 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Jobs And Careers Autumn 2018