A career in technology, isn't just limited to those who code

I left uni with a maths degree and not really being sure about what I wanted to do as a career.

I remember mainly thinking that I was glad to be done with maths exams and that I wanted some interesting work, but I never really anticipated that I would go into tech.

I was accepted onto a grad scheme at a tech consultancy and started out in project management. I really value the experience I had in that area, but I missed getting my head down and using creativity to solve problems as I had done in my degree, so I started teaching myself programming, in particular python, which I had never really explored before.

After that, I moved jobs to try and develop those skills and worked for the civil service as an entry level Data Scientist, this mainly involves using programming techniques to extract insight from data.

I was really fortunate to work for a team that really allowed me time and space to progress my technical skills with training, shadowing and tasks which helped me grow as a professional.

I eventually moved into Platform Engineering, which mainly involves producing infrastructure that other people can work on. I found real joy in designing systems which would help people work more efficiently, and so this is the area I still work in today.

Some advice I got early on in my career which was invaluable and I still keep in mind to this day is: be curious. I spent a lot of my early career moving around different areas and disciplines, and I’m really glad that I did, because I learnt so many skills I wouldn’t have otherwise had I just stuck to one avenue.

It’s such an exciting time for the tech industry, with more demand than ever for people who have tech skills, experience, or simply have an interest in the area. There are plenty of options for everyone: apprenticeships, courses, degrees, options for career changers and I would encourage anyone who has an interest to see what’s out there.

A career in tech also isn’t just limited to those who code. There’s a huge range of roles that are just as essential to a tech firm, such as User Experience Researchers, Project Managers, Business Change Analysts, Agile Leaders and many many more. This industry is open to everyone so if you’re interested, have a look and see what options are available to you.