Computing and IT

The number of active components on a chip doubles every 18 months, so the hundreds of millions of personal computers around the world each have a power that makes a mainframe of just a few years ago look puny.

The growth of the Internet has been phenomenal: 250,000 computers were connected in 1990, 6 million in 1995 and 72 million in 2000. Companies use it to market their goods and services – e-commerce – and many individuals and businesses now regard it as an essential tool. Most complex machines and processes rely on IT to manage them effectively and it drives much of the world’s critical infrastructure – the possibilities for growth are enormous.

In this article, the machines at both ends of the system will be considered and the connection between them excluded. We will also concentrate on the computing and IT industry professional, and not the individual who uses IT as only a part of their job.

There are nearly two million IT practitioners in the UK, working in ICT companies and as specialists in other organisations. Following recent problems, modest growth is expected this year, with an ongoing skills shortage in the industry. Although many companies and groups operate across the spectrum, the industry is usually described as divided into:

• computing services
• product suppliers
• hardware suppliers
• generic software makers
• specialist software makers
• systems integrators.

Computing and IT in the Services

Each Service has its ‘expert’ IT staff; they will know exactly who they are and where their particular skill set might lead. They are generally found in the specialist communications, administrative and electronics branches, although there may be some people serving outside those areas who have a considerable expertise. Some of these individuals will have relevant degrees, while others will have Higher National Diplomas (HNDs) or Certificates (HNCs).

There are also a number of people who have specialised in computing and/or electronics but only as part of their career pattern. They are still likely to have a number of very transferable and marketable skills, but they may need to be targeted in a particular area, or improved or widened in the period before leaving. Understanding the technology and how it is used, and knowing the language is critical to the individual who wants to work in this field in a second career, especially to anyone hoping to work in the ‘back end’ sector of the business where the big money is to be made.

Computing and IT on leaving the Services

The Career Transition Partnership offers the following training courses in computing and IT:

· Computer Maintenance Engineer – four weeks giving students of mixed abilities the basic knowledge required by those wishing to start a career as a technician working on IBM PC systems; students will build the full range of AT-class computers starting with the 386, and migrating through 486, AMD K6, and Pentium II processors; students may prepare for the Computing Technology Industry Association’s (Comp TIA) A+ exam

· UNIX System Maintenance and Administration – two weeks using and administering UNIX-based systems

· UNIX System Maintenance and Administration – four weeks repairing and supporting UNIX-based systems.

Preferred suppliers and other training providers also offer courses in this field. Service leavers should gain as much academic knowledge as possible while still serving, which can be enhanced by practical training during the resettlement period. Another tip is to get on to a resettlement training course early – close to one year before leaving – so that the training can be developed through self-study, academic qualifications (perhaps using Enhanced Learning Credits – see Courses4Forces) through a college, and an industry placement nearer discharge.

Getting qualified in computing and IT

Academic qualifications provide a thorough grounding in the principles that will be highly relevant for future training, although much of the detail will rapidly become out of date. There are also both generic and vendor-specific qualifications. Generic ones certify achievements in the general field of computing and IT, while vendor-specific ones demonstrate a level of expertise in one manufacturer’s products. Many people hold both and even a portfolio of qualifications in the products of different manufacturers. It is often important to be able to operate across boundaries and across equipment.

Generic qualifications include academic courses. Degrees (BSc or higher), HNDs or HNCs are all highly valued, with the theoretical knowledge involved always being relevant. Degrees tend to be in Computer Science with HNDs and HNCs in Software Engineering. An A-level or GCSE in Computer Studies might be the academic starting point for the beginner.

NVQs (Levels 1 to 5), and Advanced and Foundation Modern Apprenticeships are available, but they are not generally well known by employers, and other qualifications are often more useful. Vocational A-levels as well as GNVQs may also be taken – usually through colleges – and these can provide a job-orientated qualification with a strong academic element. The experience gained in acquiring these qualifications will be valuable in finding employment.

The Comp TIA runs a series of qualifications, which can stand alone at a relatively simple level or may form part of another generic or vendor-specific programme. A+ can provide a good base for people to take the City & Guilds Certification in Microcomputer Systems Installation and Maintenance and Certified Computer Technician, for people wishing to work in service engineering, support or on a help desk.

The British Computer Society (BCS) has its own professional exams:

· the European Computer Driving Licence is the Europe-wide qualification that enables people to demonstrate their competence in computer skills

· e-citizen is a basic course teaching novices to operate on-line

· the European Certification of IT Professionals defines the knowledge needed to be an IT practitioner (equivalent to a Level 4 Certificate and a basis for all types of IT-related work)

· the Professional Examination equates to an honours degree and acknowledges practical experience as well as academic abilities.

Vendor-specific qualifications are just that: training and exams in a specific manufacturer’s products. The manufacturer should be a major supplier in the industry for its qualifications to have value, and the qualification that is so valuable today may be irrelevant tomorrow if the manufacturer goes out of business or there is a major change in technology. However, the principles will remain the same and any technology change is likely to be an evolution rather than a revolution, so that in reality qualifications do have greater value than simply during the shelf life of the product in question.

Microsoft qualifications are perhaps the best known, with the Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer consisting of a number of exam passes, any one of which entitles the individual to be a registered Microsoft Certified Professional. More recently the Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator has come on-stream. The equivalent at the front end – programmes that interface with the user – is the Microsoft Certified Systems Developer.

Microsoft is not, however, the only manufacturer on the market, and other big players like Novell (Certified Novell Engineer and Certified Novell Administrator) and Cisco also have their own qualifications.

Training can be expensive, but employers like to see people investing in themselves, and the qualification may open doors to salaries that make the investment seem small.

Employment in computing and IT

Obtaining employment is inevitably a combination of:

• qualifications
• experience
• networking
• work placements
• the right CV
• going for the right job.

People entering similar employment to the one they had in the Forces may well start at the same level; those going into an unrelated field will probably start further down the ladder. Once into a company the employment possibilities are enormous in this expanding and changing industry. Permanent employment is often regarded as lasting three to five years, and people commonly change employer every two years or so. In-house training is often provided, and good people can achieve rapid promotion.

Salary expectations (this is a rough guide only – pay varies from one company and contract to another).

• relatively unskilled worker £12,000 to £18,000
• junior engineer £17,000 to £25,000
• senior technical support £22,000 to £28,000
• senior systems analyst £25,000 to £35,000
• software engineer £25,000 to £35,000
• user support manager £28,000 to £34,000
• senior systems developer £30,000 to £40,000
• network communications manager £32,000 to £42,000
• operations data centre manager £35,000 to £45,000
• technical support manager £36,000 to £46,000
• project manager £37,000 to £47,000
• system development manager £40,000 to £50,000
• IT manager £45,000 to £55,000
• head of management services £50,000 to £60,000.

Contact details

Computing Technology Industry Association, 1 Cornhill, London EC3V 3ND Tel: 020 7743 6150 Fax: 020 7743 6151 Website: www.comptia.org

British Computer Society, 1 Sanford Street, Swindon SN1 1HJ Tel: 01793 417417 Fax: 01793 480270 Website: www.bcs.org.uk

e-skills UK (Sector Skills Council), 1 Castle Lane, London SW1E 6DR, Tel: 020 7963 8920 Fax: 020 7592 9138 Website: www.e-skills.

Been there, done that …

David Hutchison

Ex-Staff Sergeant David Hutchison left the Army’s Royal Logistic Corps in 2000 after specialising in telecommunications during tours in the UK, Germany, the Gulf and Bosnia. Although his ‘training is not generally recognised by civilian employers,’ they rate personal and training skills highly, as well as ‘arriving on time, prepared and well presented.’

A Career Transition Workshop included CV skills and presentation from earlier Service leavers, and he then took an MCSE Windows NT with Indigo Training which was ‘well run.’ He retrained with Cerco in 2003, and used the RFEA, although he found his job through an ‘old Army colleague.’ His first employment was as an IT applications trainer but, for the last year he has been a Windows XP rollout engineer, working on clients’ sites throughout the UK.

Hutchison rebuilds the software on PCs, ensuring that all the necessary applications are installed and that users can access the right programmes and peripherals. He also holds refresh briefings for system users. He enjoys the mobility, teamwork and helping people to use the systems. The only downside is repetition and the only similarity with the Army is the teamwork.

Currently a self-employed contractor, when he is not working, he is not earning. Life is currently good because his skills are in demand, but this is not always the case in his experience.