Architects - the people who design and help create buildings of all kinds - used to be renowned for the fees they could command. But then came "network architects" who, together with many other kinds of IT professionals, make even more money. Six-figure salaries are not uncommon over in Silicon Valley, where applications architects and designers are riding the wave of smart phone app creation. And the best way of preparing for a well paid position within the industry is an IT apprenticeship.
The UK IT market is currently worth 81 billion, and will keep on growing in value and size while continuing to transform our working and social lives. But you don't have to be on the bleeding edge of technology to earn a decent salary - even as technology marches on, somebody has to keep existing IT systems running smoothly.
And with very few businesses and organisations not depending entirely upon their computer systems, this means that there are a lot of job opportunities for people who can keep those systems well-maintained and efficient. And positions like that aren't exactly poorly paid, either: last year people with IT management roles earned an average salary of 47,000pa.
Another well-paid position involves all those millions of bytes of personal data flooding in to companies systems each and every day: somebody has to make sure all that data is kept securely and to legal specifications. For businesses and organisations within both the public and private sectors, security is a major issue, so a data security manager can command a very high salary, which employers are happy to pay.
Is it any wonder, then, that one of the most popular - even oversubscribed - university degree subjects is information technology? If you're lucky enough to get accepted on a course, that's good news. But what isn't good news is the size of the student loan hanging over your head afterwards. A much better alternative would be to gain the qualifications and work experience employers are looking for by undertaking an IT apprenticeship. You'd have the time to create a network of contacts to approach once your training has finished... you'd be paid throughout your apprenticeship... and you'd have no student loan to worry about.
The UK IT market is currently worth 81 billion, and will keep on growing in value and size while continuing to transform our working and social lives. But you don't have to be on the bleeding edge of technology to earn a decent salary - even as technology marches on, somebody has to keep existing IT systems running smoothly.
And with very few businesses and organisations not depending entirely upon their computer systems, this means that there are a lot of job opportunities for people who can keep those systems well-maintained and efficient. And positions like that aren't exactly poorly paid, either: last year people with IT management roles earned an average salary of 47,000pa.
Another well-paid position involves all those millions of bytes of personal data flooding in to companies systems each and every day: somebody has to make sure all that data is kept securely and to legal specifications. For businesses and organisations within both the public and private sectors, security is a major issue, so a data security manager can command a very high salary, which employers are happy to pay.
Is it any wonder, then, that one of the most popular - even oversubscribed - university degree subjects is information technology? If you're lucky enough to get accepted on a course, that's good news. But what isn't good news is the size of the student loan hanging over your head afterwards. A much better alternative would be to gain the qualifications and work experience employers are looking for by undertaking an IT apprenticeship. You'd have the time to create a network of contacts to approach once your training has finished... you'd be paid throughout your apprenticeship... and you'd have no student loan to worry about.
About the Author:
Thinking about where to find a junior job in IT, or looking for various apprenticeship positions, jobs & offers: visit notgoingtouni.co.uk. Find details of IT apprentiship. Also find information on distance learning.
