Computer Science/Information Technology

Computer science/IT degrees vary widely in content but generally combine theoretical study and practical hands-on projects. Employers are interested in not only the practical skills you have gained, but also the non-technical transferable skills.

Over the course of your degree you develop a wide mix of subject-specific and technical skills, you should consider these skills developed on your course as well as through your other activities, such as paid work, volunteering, family responsibilities, sport, membership of societies, leadership roles, etc. Think about how these can be used as evidence of your skills and personal attributes. Then you can start to market and sell who you really are, identify what you may be lacking and consider how to improve your profile.

Working as a Database Administrator

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Prospects

In 2010, six months after graduation, around two-thirds of computing/IT graduates were in employment. Around 16% were assumed not to be in employment. Of those graduates in full-time employment, around 40% were working as IT professionals.

Typical initial jobs for computing/IT graduates include graduate trainee and entry-level positions as programmers, web developers, help-desk support and consultants. First roles are often as junior members of project teams, with progression depending on individual circumstances.

As well as careers in technical fields, computing graduates are also found in professions that require a combination of technical and other skills and qualities. In 2010, for example, around 9% of IT graduates had gone on to work as managers in the public, commercial and industrial sectors, with a further 5% working as business and financial professionals.

Where are the jobs?

Many entry-level positions can be found within the IT industry and common employers of IT graduates are IT consultancies, IT service providers, and within the IT departments of organisations in telecoms, aerospace and defence, e-commerce, investment banks, retailers and the public sector.

For an insight into employment areas investigate:

• Information technology
• Banking, investment and insurance financial advisers, insurance and reinsurance companies.
• Engineering - includes aerospace, engineering and defence, telecommunications, the rail and automobile industry, energy, and consultancy opportunities.

Jobs directly related to your degree

• Database administrator
• Information systems manager
• IT technical support officer
• Applications developer
• IT consultant
• Multimedia programmer/web designer
• Network engineer
• Software engineer
• Systems analyst
• Games developer

Jobs where your degree would be useful

• IT sales professional
• IT trainer
• Technical author

Although some of the jobs listed here might not be first jobs for many graduates, they are among the many realistic possibilities with your degree, provided you can demonstrate you have the attributes employers are looking for. Bear in mind that it's not just your degree discipline that determines your options. Remember that many graduate vacancies don't specify particular degree disciplines, so don't restrict your thinking to the jobs listed here.

You can find more about the skills you develop during your course, the jobs listed above, plus case studies and where to find these jobs at Prospects.

Included with the permission of AGCAS. For the latest version of this publication, see www.prospects.ac.uk. For permission to reproduce, contact copyright@agcas.org.uk