Computer science career opportunities

Careers in Computer Science

Why should you study computer Science at Heron Hall Academy ...

Why Computer Science/IT matters

Have you ever considered where studying Computer Science/IT can take you?

Today, we’ll be exploring some of
the career opportunities that are available to you, as well as the various pathways you can take to get there

Here are some example roles and careers linked to Computing Science/IT

How to become a senior systems engineer: Ben's story - BBC Bitesize

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Ben writes code for some of the apps that people use to shop on their ​

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phones

A typical day for Ben starts with a ​

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with the rest of his team - where they catch up on what they've all been doing. After that Ben will work on ‘tickets’ that have been assigned to him. These are usually jobs that involve finding solutions, by writing a piece of code or fixing a particular app feature

Ben studied ​

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at university. He had various other IT-related jobs before being headhunted for his current role

As well as Computer Science and ICT at school, Ben found ​

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a really big help. He says they showed him how to communicate with people and build confidence in himself. He also wasn’t very good at maths – but he got around that by learning how to code and understanding thoroughly how computers worked

Ben’s advice for getting into his industry is to always be learning, to always have side projects you’re working on. That way you will have a ​

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of things you’ve created that you can show to future employers.

Life as a cyber security apprentice: Ellie's story - BBC Bitesize

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Cyber security professional average salary: ​

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per year

Cyber security professional typical working hours: ​

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hours per week

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£25,000 to £60,000

37 to 39

£10,000 to £40,000, 40 to 42

£30,000 to £70,000, 35 to 37

£20,000 to £50,000, 30 to 32

£15,000 to £45,000, 45 to 47

Coding jobs: What qualifications do I need? - BBC Bitesize

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Labelling

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Gcse

Hobby2

Award

Networking

Job

Hobby

A levels

Degree

​Age

23

In my job

I work at a software development company called Synectics Solutions, where I have a web development role and work on a mobile augmented reality app that clients use with a magazine. When people download the app and scan a picture in the magazine, it can play a video that goes alongside the article they are reading. I use HTML code, Javascript and my knowledge about codeand software design.

How to become an app developer: Jack's story

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I work at a ​

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 called ​

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, where I have a ​

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 role and work on a mobile augmented reality app that clients use with a magazine. When people download the app and scan a picture in the magazine, it can play a video that goes alongside the article they are reading. I use ​

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 and my knowledge about ​ Code and ​

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I work at a hardware development company

I work on a mobile virtual reality app

I use Python code and my knowledge about hardware design

software development company

Synectics Solutions

web development

HTML code, Javascript

software design.

At school

I took ICT GCSE which was a lot of spreadsheets! I also studied English, Maths, Science, History, Business, Graphics and German.
At college

I realised I wanted to get into programming. I did a lot of Graphic Design and that now really helps with the app development part of my job. I pull in skills that aren’t necessarily programmer skills. I graduated with a triple distinction in Interactive Media which was surprising to me. I think I became better at education because I was more interested in the subject.

How to become an app developer: Jack's story

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I took ​

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 which was a lot of spreadsheets! I also studied English, Maths, Science, History, Business, Graphics and German.
At college I realised I wanted to get into ​

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. I did a lot of ​

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 and that now really helps with the app development part of my job. I pull in skills that aren’t necessarily programmer skills. I graduated with a triple distinction in ​

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 which was surprising to me. I think I became better at education because I was more interested in the subject.

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ICT GCSE

programming

Graphic Design

Interactive Media

communication

At university

I did a BSc (Bachelor of Science) in Computer Game Design and Programming. As the years went on I became really interested in making mobile games. I was covering it on my course and then using them in my spare time.

What to expect if you want to be an app developer

• App developer average salary: £21,000 to £55,000 per year

• App developer typical working hours: 37 to 40 hours per week

How to become an app developer: Jack's story

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I did a BSc (Bachelor of Science) in ​

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As the years went on I became really interested in making ​

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I was covering it on my course and then using them in my spare time.

What to expect if you want to be an app developer

App developer average salary: ​

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per year

App developer typical working hours: ​

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hours per week

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£21,000 to £55,000

37 to 40

mobile games.

Computer Game Design and Programming.

£10,000 to £20,000

50 to 60

Web Development

Software Testing

£60,000 to £100,000

What qualifications do you need to be an app developer?

You could get into this role via a university course or a degree apprenticeship. You'll usually need one to two A-levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma and two to three A-levels, or equivalent, for a degree. Alternatives to A-levels include taking a T-level (England-only), which is equivalent to three A-levels. You'll usually need four to five GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A-levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship. Check with your course provider which alternative qualifications they accept.

How to become an app developer: Jack's story

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What qualifications do you need to be an app developer?

You could get into this role via a ​

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or a degree apprenticeship. You'll usually need one to ​

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, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma and two to three A-levels, or equivalent, for a degree. Alternatives to A-levels include taking a T-level (England-only), which is equivalent to three A-levels. You'll usually need ​

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or equivalent.

Explore careers using National Careers Service and find out about what jobs involve and how they are right for you ​

Further Reading about careers

Example Post 16 Routes

T-Level Digital Production, Design and Development

T-Level Digital Business Service

T-Level Digital Support Services

A-Level Computer Science

BTEC Computing

Level 2/4 Esports Management, Games Development, Games Art, Games Technology

Where can Computer Science/IT take you

Example Post 18 Routes

Example Degrees:
Computing Science

Computer Game Technology

Computing and Forensic Security

Artificial Intelligence

Software Engineering

Categorize

Options (10)

T-Level Digital Production, Design and Development

T-Level Digital Business Service

T-Level Digital Support Services

A-Level Computer Science

BTEC Computing

Level 2/4 Esports Management, Games Development, Games Art, Games Technology

Computing Science Degree

Computer Game Technology

Computing and Forensic Security

Artificial Intelligence

Software Engineering

Organize these options into the right categories, Post 16 Route or Post 18 Route

Post 16 Routes

Post 18 Route

Grade 6 in GCSE Computer Science
Grade 6 in GCSE Maths.

Heron Hall Six Form Entry Requirements

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For entrance into the Computer Science A Level Course at Heron Hall, You must have a

Grade​

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in GCSE Computer Science,

Grade ​

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in GCSE Maths.

The following topics are studied during A level computer science:

The characteristics of contemporary processors, input, output and storage devices
Types of software and the different methodologies used to develop software
Data exchange between different systems
Data types, data structures and algorithms

Legal, moral, cultural and ethical issues

Elements of computational thinking

Problem-solving and programming
Algorithms to solve problems and standard algorithms

Topics covered in Computer science course

Multiple Choice

The following topics are studied during A level computer science EXCEPT!

• Data types, data structures and algorithms

• Legal, moral, cultural and ethical issues

• Elements of computational thinking

• intro to C++

Computer systems: 2 hours and 30 minutes (written paper) – 140 marks, 40% of A -level
Algorithms and programming: 2 hours and 30 minutes (written paper) – 140 marks, 40% of A - level
Programming project: NEA component – 70 marks, 20% of A -level

Assessment overview

Match

Match the following Assessment Overview with marks and percentage of grade

• 2 hours and 30 minutes (written paper) – 140 marks, 40% of A -level

• 2 hours and 30 minutes (written paper) – 140 marks, 40% of A - level

• NEA component – 70 marks, 20% of A -level

Computer systems:

Algorithms and programming:

Programming project:

• Computer systems:

• Algorithms and programming:

• Programming project: