'You don't have to be a coder to work in tech'

You don’t have to be a coder to work in tech. That’s the message that tech expert, Christina Lovelock, is on a mission to share.

Christina has heaps of experience, including 20 years working in public sector tech roles, and having authored a book all about routes into tech. We asked her to explore some of the roles in the industry that don’t involve coding (and bust some common myths along the way!) Here’s what she said…

It’s not all hackers in hoodies, or people in bedrooms and basements. The movie representation, and the mental image held by many of us about what it means to ‘be a techie’ or ‘work in tech’, is outdated and off the mark.

Tech professionals work within all kinds of organisations, including hospitals, universities, banks, retailers, charities and sports teams. Most people who work in tech and digital roles don’t work for massive companies like Google and Meta, and most of them don’t write code.

The job that many people associate with the tech sector is ‘software developer’, but it takes loads of different roles to design, build, operate, integrate and protect the complex IT systems that organisations rely on every day.

Let's explore five of those roles…

Tech doesn’t always work as it should. Something that was working yesterday may not be working today. We all need someone to contact when systems or digital devices aren’t working as expected, are broken or need replacing. Employees often need IT support to help them resolve issues, gain appropriate access to systems or request new software or hardware to help them do their job. Many organisations manage this support through a help desk or service desk – where all issues and requests are logged, via email, messaging, an online portal or on the phone. Service desk agents try to understand and resolve as many issues as they can, to get employees working again quickly.

Service desk agent: Skills and qualities

Service desk agents need good customer service skills, and often need to build knowledge of all the systems and technology used across the organisation.

Working in IT support is a great first step in a tech career. It might suit you if you like helping people, solving problems and learning new things.

Building and updating IT systems can be very expensive. Business analysts make sure that technology is being used to help with the biggest business problems, and that what is being built really solves the problems. Tech is not the answer to every problem. Sometimes process changes, better reporting or improved decision making might be the right solution. Business analysts look at all aspects of an organisation, its employees, processes, systems and data, as well as the external markets and environment, to help organisations make informed decisions and good investments in technology including automation and AI.

Business analyst: Skills and qualities

Becoming a business analyst is a great role for people who are always curious! If you like finding out why things have been designed the way they have, or are always spotting ways things could be improved, use your curiosity to find out more about business analysis.

A delivery manager helps a team get things done. When building IT systems like websites and apps, there are lots of people involved, lots of tasks to coordinate, many things that need to happen in the right order and things that can get in the way! Delivery managers keep everyone organised, remove obstacles and make sure the work is on track. It can be difficult for teams to work well together. We all have strengths, areas for improvement, preferred ways of working, and we all have personal worries, doubts and pressures. A delivery manager helps the team to use their strengths and support each other. They help the team agree on a way forward, manage risks, spot issues and solve problems.

Delivery manager: Skills and qualities

If you can keep calm under pressure, are organised, good with people and enjoy being part of a team, then you might want to find out more about becoming a delivery manager.

Keeping data and systems safe and secure is a key concern for many organisations. Cyber security teams are responsible for monitoring and preventing threats and attacks. Within that team, the role of the security architect is to design how the organisation’s IT systems, networks and data should be protected. Like many roles in tech, it’s important for security architects to keep up to date with changes and advancements. New threats emerge, and organisations must be proactive in their approach to cyber security. This means security architects are always learning, adapting, and improving the defences that keep the organisation safe.

Security architect: Skills and qualities

Cyber security is an interesting and growing field. Security architect is a great role for people who are trustworthy, have good attention to detail and are able to weigh up risks and make balanced decisions.

Because technology is so vital to the effective and efficient operation of most large organisations, they often have a really senior, board level role that leads on the use of information and technology across the organisation. The CIO or CTO role is often responsible for lots of staff and large budgets. They negotiate contracts with suppliers and customers, and create the digital strategy for the organisation. They work with their senior colleagues, including CEO, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Chief People Officer to understand how technology can support the business objectives and the needs of employees.

CIO/CTO: Skills and qualities

Sometimes the people in these roles come from a technical background, but there are lots of routes to a top tech job. The skills they need every day are leadership, including listening and learning, decision making and the ability to build relationships with people.

If you enjoy leading a group or team, are good a communicating and are able to work with people to make agreements and decisions, then you might want to work your way up to a key leadership role such as Chief Technology Officer.

A bonus about working in tech is that the median pay for the sector is higher than the general UK median salary. Considering tech career options could expand your opportunities, lead to exciting pathways and boost your earning potential.

While most people in tech are not hackers in bedrooms and basements, often tech roles do offer some flexibility around remote working. This allows you to balance work with other interests, hobbies and responsibilities.

Many tech roles are not about coding, but need communication, collaboration, creativity and curiosity. There are a wide range of tech jobs that require a wide range of skills. These include:

• working with others
• solving problems
• planning and organising
• bringing ideas and innovation
• being open to learning.

If there is a coding club at your school or local library, you might want to try it. Understanding a little bit more about how IT systems work can help with a whole range of jobs in tech, but coding is not the only route and it’s not the only skill organisations need. People who work in tech come from all sorts of different backgrounds, studied different subjects and have different skills and interests.

Ignore the stereotypes and myths around tech. Keep an open mind and you might discover a brilliant career you’d never considered!