Our guide to IT and business administration

To run smoothly the fast-growing IT and Business Administration sector is keen to find and train young people with a variety of skills and improve the employabilty.

By Alex White

IT and Business Administration is a huge skill sector which has great variety within it. In short, it boils down to two things: the use of computers and telecommunications in industry and the day-to-day, smooth running of a company or business. It encompasses a large number of careers including: secretaries and personal assistants as well as data analysts, software designers and cyber-security officials.

This is a central part of modern business and a skill sector which changes constantly. With new developments in technology, IT and Business Admin employers are always on the lookout for fresh young talent to hire. In fact the industry is going to need half a million new employees in the next year alone. If you’re interested in the way information is handled, the Internet, managing employees and money efficiently and creatively or just climbing a few rungs on the corporate ladder, a career in the IT and Business Administration sector is definitely one to consider. The good news is, there are more than a few pathway options which can lead you there…

Firstly, there are several apprenticeships which are designed to equip you with the vital skills you’ll need to get ahead but with the added benefit that you’ll be earning from the word go, too! The National Apprenticeship Service offers a variety of apprenticeship frameworks to follow, like Business and Administration, IT Software, Web and Telecoms and Management, which you can apply for when you are 16 or over, with A*-C grades at GCSE or with AS or A2 levels for a higher level of apprenticeship. The National IT Partnership offers 12-month IT apprenticeships for GCSE graduates, while e-skills uk offers the equivalent to A-level students. These apprenticeships can provide really helpful, hands-on experience with the IT and Business industries without the cost of student loans. Most apprentices choose to stay with their employer long-term.

Alternatively, you could study at degree level. The Information Technology Management for Business (ITMB) Degree is an all-round course that combines computer and data handling skills with business administration and management. By getting involved with local and national businesses, it can also help students make contacts in the industry so they can apply for relevant jobs in the future. The Software Development for Business Degree, similarly ties together interface design, programming and business strategy for aspiring software architects, and there’s a huge selection of separate IT and Business Administration courses at most universities, so start searching UCAS.com and try to find what interests you most.

Projects like e-skills UK’s ‘Industry Readiness’ aim to help graduates find the connections they need in the industries they want to go into, so you don’t have to sacrifice employability to get a degree-level understanding of the field.

To find out more about the wide range of options in IT and business administration, go to www.bigambition.co.uk