Careers in Technology: Shaping the future. Solving global challenges
In today’s fast-moving, digitally connected world, technology underpins almost every aspect of our lives—from how we learn and work, to how we stay healthy, travel, and protect the planet. The demand for people with digital skills is growing rapidly, and with it comes a wide range of exciting career opportunities.
The information on this page will help you explore what a digital career can offer. Digital careers give you the chance to make a real difference—whether that’s creating apps that improve daily life, developing AI to solve global challenges, keeping people safe online, or designing the next generation of games and entertainment.
From software engineering to data science, cyber security to digital design, careers in technology open doors to innovation, creativity, and impact. By developing digital skills, we can all shape the future and play an active role in tackling some of society’s biggest challenges.
BCS Tech Career Quiz: Match Your Strengths to Real-World Roles
BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, opens a gateway into digital careers with its interactive Tech Career Quiz, helping students match their strengths and interests to real-world tech roles while highlighting what professionals actually do day-to-day.
To support the next generation further, BCS provides a wealth of resources including jargon-busting guides, “day in the life” videos, apprenticeship opportunities, professional development tools, and a tailored job board. Together, these give students the insight, inspiration, and practical support they need to take confident first steps into a rewarding career in tech.
Event Summaries
Below you'll find detailed summaries of events we've previously hosted online, held within are recordings and resources that highlight the current climate in Digital Careers
Join us for a practical webinar focused on helping you support students in making informed decisions about careers in tech. Hear directly from BCS (The Chartered Institute for IT), STEM Ambassadors, The Careers & Enterprise Company and TechSheCan as they share the latest resources, guidance, and support available to schools.
This session explored how teachers can better integrate careers education into computing lessons. Jonny Usherwood, an experienced teacher now working with Teach First, led the discussion and shared key insights from research and practice.
This blog highlights innovative strategies for engaging Key Stage 3–5 students in computing outside the traditional classroom. There are several standout initiatives: Digital Schoolhouse, which leverages esports and workshops to ignite enthusiasm; fully funded, hands-on experiences from the RAF Museum like glider challenges and work placements; and gender-focused programs such as I Belong and CyberFirst that aim to inspire girls into tech careers.
Enriching field visits—including trips to venues like Bletchley Park and RAF Cosford—are showcased, while forging industry links with tech giants like EA Sports and BT underscores the value of teacher-led partnerships in extending learning beyond school walls
This session opened with a myth-busting discussion around common misconceptions about careers in technology. Our speaker, Christina Lovelock, emphasised that many assume a career in tech is all about coding, and even that jobs in tech are limited to big names like Google or Meta. In reality, the tech sector offers an expansive array of roles within nearly every organisation—from retail to public service—and most tech jobs do not require coding skills.
The Path to Computing Degrees: Unlocking Opportunities for All Students
Becci Peters addresses the common uncertainty among students who love technology but worry that their current academic subjects may limit their access to computing degrees.
Furthermore, nearly half—42%—of these degrees are accredited by the British Computer Society (BCS), signaling strong quality and professional recognition Computing at School. Importantly, many programmes don't demand A-Level Maths, making the field inclusive for students from diverse academic backgrounds including creative or non-STEM subjects like English or Art.
What's it like to work in AI? An interview with Andrew Lea
Becci Peters, our Computing Subject Lead, recently spoke with Andrew Lea about his career working across various roles in AI. We discussed his views on the future of AI and how we can best prepare students.
Resources
High quality resources from experts within the field help you get to grips with what can be expected in a technology-driven career.
Apps for Good has launched a new Career Series for 2025! These free, pre-recorded conversations, created in collaboration with Industry Volunteers, offer valuable insights into real-world tech careers. The series includes four sessions for students and one designed specifically for school leaders - all pre-recorded and ready for you to explore now!
Adrienne Tough gathered short, engaging contributions from professionals in tech-related roles—such as a real-time analyst, a software engineer, a sports-betting technology director, and a broadcaster—to keep students connected to real-world career possibilities.
Each resource segment includes a playful poem prompting students to "guess the career," a “two truths and a lie” activity, followed by a video or slides from that professional. Aimed at form-time or plenary use, the materials were well received, and have been generously shared under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 licence for easy integration into school activities.
This handy guide from CAS Board Chair Simon Humphreys introduces degree apprenticeships as a compelling alternative pathway—enabling students to earn a salary and gain real-world experience while studying toward a full degree. Apprentices become employees, receiving paid leave, with at least 20% of their time devoted to study and assessments—typically delivered via colleges, universities, or training providers.
It's highlighted as a flexible route that suits school leavers, career changers, and those looking to upskill. The resource compiles practical application advice: using the government’s Find an Apprenticeship site (filtered for “ICT” and “Degree” level), leveraging the Ask Apprenticeships (ASK) programme, exploring platforms like GetMyFirstJob and RateMyApprenticeship, and consulting the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education’s (IfATE) occupational map and data dashboards. It even sheds light on how many digital-level apprenticeships started by Q3 of the 2021–22 academic year (2,390).
Additional support links include the National Careers Service and Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (AAN) for careers guidance and employer connections.
This ready-to-use lesson describes various jobs carried out by computing professionals today including computer scientists, cyber security experts, software engineers, and video games makers. It encourages pupils to see the possibilities that a career in computing can offer them.
This ready-to-use lesson introduces a diverse group of computer women past and present and helps challenge any misconceptions about those who choose this career path. Pupils are encouraged to think through for themselves the contribution that women can bring to computing and the reasons why less than 25% of the people working in computing in the UK today are women.
This resource offers a series of short, engaging interviews featuring professionals in technology talking through how they began their careers—it’s literally "a new careers in technology video series by students for students." Aimed at upper secondary students (Key Stage 4 and 5 / S1–S6 in Scotland), it spans ages roughly 14 to 18 and falls under enrichment, STEM, and cross-curricular topics. Though the materials themselves require CAS membership to access, the concept emphasizes peer-to-peer relatability and real-world inspiration for exploring technology career paths.
SFIAplus - IT skills framework
SFIAplus is a comprehensive IT skills and competency framework developed by BCS, building on the globally recognised SFIA (Skills Framework for the Information Age).
While SFIA focuses on what skills are required, helping individuals and organisations assess, benchmark, and develop those skills. SFIAplus goes a step further by showing how to develop those skills, offering guidance on career progression, training activities, and professional development.