ASK for an example of someone who might need an IT degree, and people will probably suggest the guy at the end of the help line who talks you through the installation of a new software package, or that helpful woman who debugs your computer at work. But if the options ended there, most IT students would be disappointed 鈥� and rightly so, as the computing industry can provide far broader opportunities for new graduates.
鈥淐omputer science graduates are able to think for themselves and solve problems, so they are flexible in whatever job they find themselves,鈥� says Nick Pears, admissions tutor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of York, one of the highest-rated departments in the country. IT and computer science degrees are well regarded by potential employers, he says. 鈥淭he job prospects are much better than people think. The dotcom bust of five years ago created a bit of a negative environment, but because of that there is a shortfall of job candidates, which means that job prospects are fantastic鈥� (see Chart).
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鈥淚f you listen to what the media say, it鈥檚 a sector that will be affected by the current economic downturn. But at the moment there are plenty of vacancies out there,鈥� agrees Stephen Wilkinson from IT recruitment agency The Ashdown Group.
The majority of Wilkinson鈥檚 clients say they are also looking for people with more than just college work behind them. 鈥淎 candidate with industry experience is always going to be more attractive,鈥� he says. If you can offer the combination of technical knowledge and transferable skills that employers are looking for, there are a staggering number of jobs available to you.
So to explore the range of possibilities out there, New 杏吧原创 spoke to four IT specialists whose career paths have taken very different directions.
Never a dull day
Gareth Pym is a programmer at Aurora, the UK鈥檚 leading developer of biometric facial-recognition technology 鈥� the kind that will be trialled by security to check passengers at Heathrow Airport this summer.
Like many programmers, Pym often works from home, which makes it vital to be a self-starter with the skills to manage one鈥檚 own time. 鈥淵ou must be independent and be able to work on your own,鈥� he says. Pym also highlights the importance of being quick off the mark: 鈥淚f you want to succeed in IT you have to be able to grasp things quickly.鈥�
The positive side of working as a programmer is that for much of the time 鈥測ou get to be your own boss鈥�. Pym also enjoys the constant challenges and access to the latest technologies, though he admits there is a downside to all that independence: 鈥淪ometimes there鈥檚 an awful lot to do and not an awful lot of time to do it in.鈥�
For people tempted by a career in software development 鈥� where there are not enough candidates to fill the positions available 鈥� Pym recommends keeping one step ahead of the competition when it comes to learning new programming languages. 鈥淕et as much experience as possible, and try to find out which languages are the most topical, because that鈥檚 where the jobs will be,鈥� he says.
Byron Blay is also someone who has to keep one step ahead 鈥� in his case, one step ahead of the weather. He is a software engineer in the Met Office鈥檚 analysis, visualisation and design team. As well as using a 拢27 million supercomputer to produce weekly weather reports, Blay helps predict patterns of climate change far into the future. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a real variety to what I do,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 design the software that the meteorologists use to analyse weather patterns, hurricanes, ice over Greenland鈥� every day it鈥檚 something different.鈥�
An analytical mind and a love of numbers help Blay make the most of his work. 鈥淚 get a lot out of it personally because I really enjoy programming and problem-solving; that鈥檚 an important skill to have in this job.鈥�
Monitoring the outcome of human influences on our planet has become a major research priority in the UK. 鈥淚 would encourage people to think about a career in this field,鈥� Blay recommends. 鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely an area where there will be plenty of employment potential.鈥�
Anybody hoping to boost their IT employment prospects should consider a spell of work experience as a way to get a foot in the door and showcase their skills. 鈥淭he Met Office takes students on industrial placements,鈥� says Blay. 鈥淪ome of the students we have had here on placements have really impressed me.鈥�
If you want to impress your friends while satisfying the yearnings of your inner child, designing (and playing) computer games might appeal. Andrew Wallen, a games programmer at Blitz Games, kick-started his career with a degree in computer science, imaging and multimedia at the University of East Anglia in Norwich. Although his course included practical elements of games design and animation, he found it difficult to get a job immediately after graduating. That鈥檚 because the best time to apply for a job in this sector is in the new year, Wallen says. 鈥淢ost companies try to get their games out onto the market in time for Christmas, so at graduation time their focus isn鈥檛 on recruiting.鈥�
Wallen made good use of the enforced delay by enrolling for a master鈥檚 in computer games design at the University of Sheffield. Not all university courses provide a good preparation for a career in games programming, so do your homework before picking one, he advises. 鈥淭ry to research which courses are best in terms of what they offer that鈥檚 specific to computer games.鈥�
Equally important, Wallen says, is to use your spare time in a way that will help you to stand out in a very competitive industry. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important to do extra work to build up your portfolio. A lot of the time we see candidates who use their coursework in their portfolio, and even though it鈥檚 really good, everyone鈥檚 coursework is the same.鈥� He suggests consolidating what you are taught in your degree by work experience or placements, 鈥渙r just by trying some stuff on your own鈥�.
Once you鈥檝e been recruited, Wallen says, there is lots to look forward to. Although it can be tough at times, with tight deadlines and a range of tasks to organise, he says the job is dynamic and interesting: 鈥淚t鈥檚 quite a young industry. There is a stereotype that you must be a geek. But there鈥檚 a real mix of people and it鈥檚 a fun industry to work in.鈥�
Being in a job that challenges people鈥檚 expectations of IT is something Wallen is particularly proud of. 鈥淚鈥檝e never come across anyone in a social context who does what I do, and when I tell people they are usually quite interested鈥� maybe even a little impressed.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檝e never come across anyone socially who does what I do鈥�
Academia, too, has its share of exciting IT-related career opportunities. Maja Pantic is a reader in human-computer interaction at Imperial College London. She uses artificial intelligence to research ways that people can interact with a computer through their body gestures, facial expressions, speech and laughter, rather than by the conventional means of a mouse and keyboard.
鈥淎cademic research is most definitely fun,鈥� says Pantic. 鈥淚 work with people who are enthusiastic and highly motivated to push the cutting edge of their research and technology.鈥�
She also warns potential academics that research can be hard-going at times. 鈥淥ften solutions that are expected to show good results don鈥檛 work well.鈥� But that鈥檚 what makes academic research so rewarding: 鈥淩ealising that you found a solution to a difficult problem is one of the best feelings one can experience,鈥� Pantic says. She relishes the freedom her job gives her to choose which problems she considers important, and work on those. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the complete opposite to a nine-to-five job.鈥�
Careers 鈥� Find out how to make the most of your career in our comprehensive special report.