There are now over 2 million UK employees working in the tech industry, with the number of jobs in the sector up by 52% in 2022 compared to the same period in the previous year. The increased flexibility and availability of tech jobs make it a thriving industry to be a part of.
But while tech is an attractive sector to work in, there are many reasons why people end up in it. We spoke to some Intechnica employees and asked them why they chose a career in tech.
Here's what they had to say...
Tech through choice
Turning your tech passion into a career is a common way to enter the industry, as many individuals desire their role to reflect their interests.
Harrison O’Neill, a Data Scientist at Intechnica, mentioned that his way into his role followed a passion that he found for computing in his younger years. “It was a natural progression following years of PC gaming when I was a teenager. In fact, my first exposure to tech was creating a World of Warcraft private server using a MySQL database and LogMeIn Hamachi virtual private network. I had considered a career in game development but I chose Mathematics instead as I enjoyed the problem-solving aspect more than Computer Science at A-Level, which was mostly memorising definitions. As a Data Scientist at Intechnica, I now sit at the intersection between Mathematics and Computer Science, which is perfect for me.”
This is echoed among other employees, with Fran Hoey, a Technical Consultant & Architect, getting into programming after completing his degree. “I ended up in tech because I wasn’t bright enough to be a Vet! My A-level tutor said we needed a chat, and I knew it was going to be my lack of grades, so I spent the weekend thinking. Two things were clear; first I didn’t want to do something that was like a Vet but not a Vet, it was all or nothing. Second, my parents bought a P90 (one of the first Pentium Processor computers) and I’d spent a few years messing about on it, breaking it, upgrading it and generally being fascinated by it. So I did some research and found I could do a Computer Science degree with a minor in Biology (to keep my science interest alive). When I started learning programming I loved it, the whole process of programming fitted me like a glove and still does.“
In the tech industry, 26% of individuals in the UK believe that upskilling themselves in new digital/tech skills will allow for better progression. A key example of utilising upskilling to change your career path is Fiona Fairbairn, a Consultant at Intechnica who recognised her growing interest in software and knew this could be applicable to a role in the tech industry. “The same theme kept cropping up at every company I’d worked for - I’d been around when new pieces of software were being introduced and I’d involved myself in a variety of activities from requirements gathering to testing and training other users. Once I realised how much I’d enjoyed these brushes with tech it was an easy decision to follow that path."
Fast-paced, fast learning
The tech industry provides unlimited learning opportunities throughout your career due to its ever-evolving nature. The fast-paced and adaptive environment that comes with the role means many people who work in tech enjoy the fact that the job requires you to adapt to change quickly and effectively.
Beccy Kusu-Orkar, a Management Accountant, reiterates the importance of being in a highly innovative and fast-paced industry. “Choosing a career in Tech wasn’t intentional at first. I had never given the industry too much thought before until I started to write down what sort of career I would like to have and what sectors would influence this and how. I was looking for a fast-paced industry with high levels of innovation which was always evolving. The Tech Industry is exactly that and perfectly suited the criteria I was looking for in an industry. It is exciting to see how much technology has changed, even in the past few years, and the potential it has in the future. Being at the forefront of that is a great place to be.”
The continuous learning through pursuing a tech career is a key driving force of many in the field: “While I have always found technology in general very interesting, for me, my decision to pursue a career in technology was mostly driven by a desire to work in a field which was interesting and intellectually challenging. I liked the idea of working with technology that is constantly changing and being innovated upon as this means that the work you do is always changing and never becomes boring. ” Said Jack Foster, another Data Scientist at Intechnica.
A tech background isn't always needed
Tech employment in 2021 accounts for 6.3% of the net employment in the UK, however, only approximately 0.39% of the population graduated with a STEM degree. It’s safe to say that a degree or science isn’t a prerequisite for a career in tech! As the demand for tech talent surges each year, employers are increasingly interested in the candidate and the transferable skills that employees can bring from other roles and backgrounds.
Laura Ohela, a Marketing Executive at Intechnica is an excellent example of utilising your applicable skills to the best of your advantage and shows that jobs in the tech field go much further than software developers, coders, and data scientists. “To be honest, I never planned a career in tech! When I was doing my Master’s in Management a lot of the themes covered tech but I ended up working for a marketing agency after graduating. Pretty quickly, I realised that I wanted to move to an in-house role and came across Intechnica. While I had no tech background, I found the industry interesting and figured tech would have great career prospects. I’m glad I took the chance, as I’m really enjoying it and can definitely see myself staying in tech for a long time.“
Others have completely changed their career path: “I’m a career changer, having spent 15 years in the music industry before moving into tech. When I decided I wanted to pursue a different direction I looked back at the elements of my previous jobs that I’d enjoyed the most and where I felt I’d succeeded,” says Fiona. No matter where your previous skill set lies, there are always industry cross-overs. Fiona successfully conveys that you can make the change to the tech industry at any point in your career. This is becoming increasingly common in the digital economy.
Whatever route you take into the industry, a career in tech can be exciting and provide you with endless opportunities.
Inspired to delve into your own tech career and join our rapidly expanding team? View our open roles and find out what it's like to work for Intechnica.
