Working in the IT Industry

Aim and purpose

The aim of this unit is to ensure that learners have knowledge of the available job roles involving professional
IT and the characteristics employers demand in the IT industry.

Unit introduction

With the IT industry continuing to grow and computers becoming increasingly fundamental to how
organisations function, employers are increasingly looking for people with specialised knowledge. In addition,
businesses are also looking for certain ‘soft skills’ which enable an individual to function more effectively as part
of an organisation.

Soft skills relate to an individuals ability to communicate and work effectively with others, use appropriate
language, be dependable and conscientious, and generally behave in an acceptable manner in the workplace.
Soft skills complement hard skills, which are the knowledge, understanding and technical skills required to
carry out a job. It is this combination of technical and soft skills which can improve a person’s employability.
This unit provides an opportunity for learners to explore the personal attributes which can play an important
role in establishing a successful career as an IT professional.

As part of this unit, learners will become familiar with the range of job roles available to people with
professional IT qualifications and consider the personal attributes these roles require.
It is recommended that this unit is delivered alongside Unit 1: Communicating in the IT Industry. Together,
these units introduce the relevant employability skills for those interested in a career in the IT Industry.
Additionally, this units could be taught in conjunction with other units from the course to emphasise vocational
contexts and make use of naturally occurring assessment opportunities.