Here are BigAmbition's top 10 reasons to consider a career in IT:
1. You’ll earn more money than doing other types of work
IT and telecoms professionals aged between 16-29 earn a third more than the national average
IT& Telecoms professionals aged 16-29 in the UK earn on average just over £400 per week compared to approximately £300 per week for all other professionals within the same age band
2. There is always going to be a job in IT
Employment in IT professional occupations will grow four times faster than the UK average
Over 100,000 new entrants a year are required to fill IT & Telecoms professional job roles in the UK over 5 years
3. You are not limited to working within the IT industry, many other sectors such as retail, music or hospitality employ IT professionals
Some examples include:
Bexy Cameron, designer for MySpace
Rob Khan, station manager at Roundhouse
Rain Ashford, technologist for the BBC
4. If you are female working in the IT sector there are plenty of networks that will encourage and support you
http://www.girlgeeks.org/
http://www.womenintechnology.co.uk/
http://thenextwomen.com/
5. IT opens up opportunities to work anywhere in the world
Most large IT companies have offices all over the world, particularly in the USA, so it is quite common for their employees to be sent to work in these various countries
6. Working in IT is not just for techy types, it’s also involves business thinking and creativity
IT is not all about sitting at a computer all day long and coding, there are so many fun and interesting elements that may not be obvious at first. There are hundreds of IT jobs that involve being creative such as a Website Designer, or a Business Analyst combining business skills with awareness of IT tools to advance a product or a company - IT underpins lots of roles in a variety of companies.
7. You’re at the forefront of one of the most dynamic, fast moving innovative sectors where individuals can make a huge impact
Get the latest IT facts from this insightful video
8. IT is the latest emerging profession
IT has only been around for about 50 years so it's a very young profession compared with doctors and lawyers who have been established for yonks. However, it is fast becoming a highly respected career choice and reconised profession.
9. IT is key to sorting out important global issues such as global warming, diminishing power sources, water shortages, famine etc
Check out IBM’s smarter planet videos
10. The tech industry doesn't have such strict progression routes or age-related barriers as other professions
If you're a teenager you probably know more about IT than you think because it comes as second nature to you. Many tech entrepreneurs started out when they were at university or at the start of their careers - think Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook fame. You’ve got a head start on the older generation who are struggling to keep up with what’s new in the world of IT - and BigAmbition's advice is simply to make the most of it and be innovative!