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You could do a college course, which may lead onto more advanced qualifications or a higher apprenticeship, or help you to get a trainee position with a company. Courses include:
A Level in Computing
Level 3 Certificate in Programming
T level in Digital Production, Design and Development
Higher National Certificate in Computing
Entry requirements
You may need:
4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English, maths and computing
4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T level
1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a higher national certificate or higher national diploma
You may be able to apply for a place on a graduate training scheme with a company if you have a degree. These are often open to non-IT graduates as well as those with a computing qualification.
More information
Career tips
You could build up your skills and knowledge using free online learning resources for programming languages, project management and software development methods.
the ability to come up with new ways of doing things
complex problem-solving skills
excellent verbal communication skills for sharing ideas
persistence and determination
thinking and reasoning skills
to have a thorough understanding of computer systems and applications
What you'll do
Day-to-day tasks
Your day-to-day tasks may include:
talking through requirements with the client and the development team
taking part in technical design and progress meetings
writing or amending computer code
testing software and fixing problems
keeping accurate records of the development process, changes and results
carrying out trials and quality checks before release
maintaining and supporting systems once they're up and running
Working environment
You could work at a client's business or in an office.
Career path and progression
With experience, you could become a senior developer, with team, project management, planning or research responsibilities. You could move into related areas like systems design, IT architecture and business systems analysis.
You could also set up your own business or work as a consultant in most areas of the economy, for example business services, finance, cyber security, telecommunications and healthcare.