Studying and working in ICT and E-skills

ICT and E-skills are all about the way we communicate in the modern world. This involves computers, mobile phones, radio, and other forms of electronic communication. ICT stands for Information and Communication Technology, and E-skills are the ways in which we use these types of technology. The information technology (IT) sector includes both IT supply companies, and major IT users such as banks, retailers and manufacturers. If you have a mobile phone, play on-line games, surf the web or send emails then you are also using some of the services provided by the ICT industry. Advances in technology means that ICT affects our daily lives more and more, making these skills useful in almost every job.

ICT/E-skills in London

London companies in particular rely on ICT to help them do business. The financial sector in London is built around computer systems designed to allow up to the minute communication locally and internationally. They also allow financial companies to store and retrieve large quantities of information quickly and efficiently.

London’s creative industries, including areas like Media and audio/visual use new technology to present information in exciting and novel ways. ICT and E-skills are fundamental to the handling of digital information in these industries.

In almost every job from retailing to construction to healthcare , people with qualifications in ICT and E-skills will be better equipped to find jobs in London

Jobs and Careers

Having the E-skills that businesses and employers need will make a difference to you getting a job. There are three distinct areas of ICT in London: IT, telecoms (telephone communications), and contact centres. For advice on general careers advice in this area see E-skills uk and click on the link careers advice for 16-19 year olds.

Working in IT

Information technology is vital to many businesses. In the UK over 21 million people use IT in their jobs, with 1.2 million people employed as IT professionals. There are many different roles in IT; from jobs in sales and jobs facing customers, to very specialised technical jobs like computer programming. Careers in Information Technology could be as a business analyst, a help desk operator, an IT trainer, a software developer, a technical author, a technician/engineer, or as web designer. To find out more about particular jobs and what’s involved, including case studies from people in all areas of IT see the E-skills website

Working in Telecoms

The telecommunications industry is changing quickly. Many services which used to rely on telephones now use data networks (like broadband) to carry large amounts of multimedia information, not just voices. As a result telecoms and communications companies are increasingly becoming more like IT companies, as parts of their business start to overlap. Careers in telecommunications include working as an equipment wirer and assembler, an installer of radio equipment in cars, a mobile switching engineer, a radio base station engineer, a radio frequency engineer, a radio repair technician or a radio systems design engineer. Additional areas of employment are in aerial rigging, field operations, international networks, network planning and satellite communications. Many of these jobs require skills from science, technology, engineering and maths.

Working in a Contact Centre

The contact centre industry is the fastest growing sector in the UK, employing 800,000 people. Contact centres evolved from call centres which relied on telephone enquiries. Nowdays people working in customer service not only use a telephone but also the Internet, e-mail, SMS messaging, fax and regular post. Lots of industries operate call centres. This means that job opportunities are available in areas like finance, travel and tourism, hospitality, marketing, and retail, amongst others. Careers in a contact centre could be as a customer services advisor, a customer services team leader, a contact centre manager, a product specialist sales advisor, a sales team leader/manager, or a as a scheduling/resource manager.

Colleges

You can study ICT/E-skills at a London college. See the red box on the right for related colleges and subjects. There are many qualifications available, to find out more have a look here and use the submenu on the right hand side to find out more information about qualifications and how to get them.

CoVEs

This site can also be used to find colleges in London that have a proven level of excellence for teaching ICT and E-skills. For example Lewisham College is a recognised centre of vocational excellence (CoVE) in the area of ICT Applications and Networking. See related CoVEs on the right hand side panel.

Skills

Although the IT industry does have some very technical roles, it is also largely concerned with people. Employers are particularly interested in people with problem solving skills, who are strong communicators and have the ability to work in teams.

Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships combine practical experience with training to allow you to earn, gain experience and learn, while working. There are apprenticeships in areas of ICT and e skills in Telecommunications, Call Handling, or IT and Electronic Communications. For further information see Apprenticeships.

Studying at a higher level

For many of the technical roles, it is necessary to study to a higher level. Students who already have some qualifications can apply for a course such as a BTEC Higher National Diploma in Computing. This course can be studied at colleges like Carshalton College and is useful for people who want to progress to a degree course or work in IT services.