# Digital, IT and Cyber Security
**Source**: https://www.york.ac.uk/students/work-volunteering-careers/options/sectors/it/
**Parent**: https://www.york.ac.uk/students/work-volunteering-careers/options/career-ideas/podcast/
Digital, IT and cyber security careers cover a huge range of different roles in IT companies and all other employment sectors, including finance and consultancy, public sector, retail, manufacturing, telecommunications, games and apps development.
While some of these roles will demand technical skills, others may not require a technical degree, so you will need to research roles carefully.
Find out about digital, IT and cyber security
### Key resources
- TARGETjobs [overview of the technology sectors](https://targetjobs.co.uk/career-sectors/it-and-technology "Target jobs")
- The [overview of the information technology sector](https://www.prospects.ac.uk/jobs-and-work-experience/job-sectors/information-technology "Prospects") on Prospects website
- Bubble Jobs [blog](https://www.bubble-jobs.co.uk/blog)
Research the sector and keep up with current issues by reading:
- Technology sections of newspapers such as the [Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/uk/technology "Guardian") and [Financial Times](https://www.ft.com/technology "FT")
- [IT job profiles](https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/browse-sector/information-technology "Propscts") on Prospects
- Gradcracker [sector guides](https://www.gradcracker.com/directory/sectors), including IT, and cyber security
- [Tech Republic](https://www.techrepublic.com/ "Tech Republic") for news, articles and industry analysis
- [Computing](https://www.computing.co.uk/ "Computing") (free registration required to access articles)
- [Computer Weekly](https://www.computerweekly.com/ "Computer Weekly") includes IT news specific to different sectors
- [Working in Government Digital and Data](https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/working-in-ddat/)
- [Every Woman Tech Hub](https://everywomanforum.com/mpage/tech-hub) - help with building networks, honing leadership skills and developing your career
- [Out in Tech](https://outintech.com/) - the world’s largest non-profit community of LGBTQ+ tech leaders
- [Unicorns in Tech](https://www.unicornsintech.com/) - a global LGBTIQ+ tech community that brings together tech talents, companies, and organisations working towards a diverse and inclusive corporate culture
### Umbrella organisations and professional bodies
- [Chartered Institute for IT](http://www.bcs.org "BCS")
- [Institution of Analysts and Programmers](http://www.iap.org.uk "IAP")
- [Engineering Council](http://www.engc.org.uk/ "Engineering Council")
- [Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council](https://www.epsrc.ac.uk/ "ESPRC")
- [European Federation of National Engineering Associations](https://www.feani.org/ "FEANI")
- [Institute of Measurement and Control](https://www.instmc.org/ "Inst MC")
- [Institution of Engineering and Technology](http://www.theiet.org "IET")
- [Royal Academy of Engineering](http://www.raeng.org.uk/ "Royal Academy of Engineering") (includes Ingenia journal access)
- [techUK](http://www.techuk.org/ "TechUK") umbrella organisation for the tech sector in the UK
- [Chartered Institute of Information Security](https://www.ciisec.org// "IISP") (CIISec)
- [Women's Engineering Society](http://www.wes.org.uk "WES")
### Media and games industries
- [British Interactive Media Associates](https://www.bima.co.uk/ "BIMA") (BIMA)
- [Trade Association for the Games Industry](http://tiga.org/ "TIGA") (TIGA) includes news, events, student membership, jobs
- [Association for UK Interactive Entertainment](https://ukie.org.uk/) (UKIE) includes information on the games industry and the UK economy
- [Creative Industries](http://www.thecreativeindustries.co.uk/industries/games "Creative Industries") games section includes facts and figures about this sector in the UK, and market trends
- [Grads in Games](http://gradsingames.com/ "Grads in Games") includes a student resources section, internships and jobs
- [Gamesindustry.biz](https://www.gamesindustry.biz/ "Gamesindustry.biz") is a trade publication covering all aspects of working in the computer games industry
- [Hitmarker](https://hitmarker.net/) - jobs, news and careers advice for gaming and esports
### Cyber security
- [Cyber career framework](https://www.ukcybersecuritycouncil.org.uk/careers-and-learning/cyber-career-framework/), UK Cyber Security Council
- [Info Security](https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/ "infosecusrity-mag") magazine
- [Risky Business](https://risky.biz/netcasts/risky-business/ "Risky Business ") podcasts
### AI
- AI is an area of rapid progress. This article from 80000 hours (an organisation devoted to careers with maximum social impact) explores [AI safety technical research](https://80000hours.org/career-reviews/ai-safety-researcher/). See also San Francisco based [Center for AI Safety](https://www.safe.ai/)
- UK Government [AI Safety Institute](https://www.aisi.gov.uk/) and [advertised vacancies](https://www.aisi.gov.uk/careers)
- University of York [Institute for Safe Autonomy](https://www.york.ac.uk/safe-autonomy/)
- GOV.UK [Artificial Intelligence sector study 2023](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/artificial-intelligence-sector-study-2023/artificial-intelligence-sector-study-2023) (published October 2024)
- [The Data City](https://thedatacity.com/rtics/artificial-intelligence-rtic0004/) Understand the UK's *AI industry* through real-time data
What skills do I need?
Key skills for work in this sector are likely to include the following (depending on the role):
### Technical skills
- Knowledge of programming languages (eg C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, Perl, Python, HTML)
- Knowledge of databases (eg SQL, Oracle)
- Knowledge of operating systems (eg UNIX)
### Personal attributes
- Technical aptitude (ability to learn new programme languages quickly)
- Communication skills - oral and written
- Career motivation
- Commercial awareness
- Client skills (communication, influence, negotiation)
- Organisation and planning
- Adaptability, coping with change
- self management
- project management
- attention to detail
- methodical approach
TARGETjobs has a useful article on demonstrating the [soft skills needed for IT jobs](https://targetjobs.co.uk/career-sectors/it-and-technology/advice/285645-prove-youve-got-the-soft-skills-it-professionals-need "TargetJobs").
For more information about professional skills and how to develop them, see the [York Strengths Professional Skills](https://www.york.ac.uk/students/work-volunteering-careers/skills/employability-skills/) page.
Work experience
Work experience is invaluable to help you secure your first graduate job (a summer internship may lead to a graduate job with the same employer). Increasingly, employers are offering summer insight programmes and work experience to students after just one year at university, as well as the more traditional summer internships for penultimate-year students, it's never too soon to start looking!
- [Internships and placements](https://www.york.ac.uk/students/work-volunteering-careers/skills/internship-placement/)
- An internship with [York Internships](https://www.york.ac.uk/students/work-volunteering-careers/skills/internship-placement/internship/) offers great experience through a summer (or occasionally term-time) project; some are based in University departments
- [Target Jobs website](https://targetjobs.co.uk/career-sectors/it-and-technology/advice/317379-which-it-and-technology-employers-offer-summer-internships-or-industrial "TargetJobs") has a list of companies offering IT insight programmes and internships
- [Gradcracker](https://www.gradcracker.com/ "Gradcracker") advertise internships, placements and graduate jobs; you can upload your CV and register for alerts
- [UK Technology Tracker](https://the-trackr.com/uk-technology/) can help you keep track of technology recruitment programmes
- The [Step Programme](http://www.step.org.uk/ "Step programme") offers a range of paid work experience and internships
[Volunteering](https://www.york.ac.uk/students/work-volunteering-careers/skills/volunteer/) can offer you opportunities to develop a range of skills, such as teamwork, communication, project management, and demonstrates your commitment and values.
Find jobs
Initial roles in the industry may be in software development, but if you can demonstrate that you are quick to learn about service management or cyber security, you will find more highly paid and influential roles opening up to you.\
\
The following sites may be useful in looking for vacancies:
- [Gradcracker](https://www.gradcracker.com/ "Gradcracker")
- [Bubble Jobs](https://www.bubble-jobs.co.uk/ "Bubble Jobs")
- [Step](http://www.step.org.uk/ "Step")
- [STEM Graduates](https://www.stemgraduates.co.uk/jobs/it "STEM Graduates") and [STEM Graduates LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/stem-graduates "STEM Graduates LinkedIn") pages
- [UK Science Park Association](http://www.ukspa.org.uk/ "UK Science Park Association")
- [IT Job Board](https://www.itjobboard.net/ "ITJobBoard.net")
- [Jobted](https://uk.jobted.com/browse/it "Jobted")
- [Electronics Weekly](http://jobs.electronicsweekly.com/ "Electronics Weekly Jobs")
- [Computer Weekly](https://www.computerweekly.com/resources/IT-jobs-and-recruitment "Computer Weekly ")
- [Graduate jobs and schemes in technology: IT and software development](https://www.brightnetwork.co.uk/graduate-jobs/technology-it-software-development/ "Grad jobs in technology") (Bright Network)
- [Women in STEM](https://www.stemwomen.com/) events, jobs and blog
- [80,000 hours jobs board](https://jobs.80000hours.org/) for jobs with positive impact includes IT / cybersecurity / AI related roles
- [UK Technology Tracker](https://the-trackr.com/uk-technology/) can help you keep track of technology recruitment programmes
### Games development
- [Aardvark Swift](https://aswift.com/ "Aardvark Swift")
- [Grads in games](http://gradsingames.com/ "Grads in Games")
- [Trade Association for the Games Industry](http://tiga.org/ "TIGA") (TIGA)
- [Game dev map](https://www.gamedevmap.com/ "Game dev map") (worldwide games development companies)
- [Hitmarker](https://hitmarker.net/) - gaming and esports
- List of [games industry recruitment agencies](https://www.gamesjobsdirect.com/games-industry-recruitment-agencies.cms.asp "Games industry recruitment agencies")
### Cyber security
- [CW Jobs](https://www.cwjobs.co.uk/ "CW Jobs")
- [Security Cleared](https://www.securityclearedjobs.com/ "Security Cleared")
- [CyberSecurityJobsite](https://www.cybersecurityjobsite.com/ "CyberSecurity Jobsite")
- [Cyber Security Jobs](https://www.cybersecurityjobs.net/ "Cyber Security Jobs")
- Grad schemes from companies including [Accenture](https://www.accenture.com/gb-en/careers/local/cyber-security-graduate-programme "Accenture"), [ATOS](https://atos.net/en/join-us), [PwC](https://www.pwc.co.uk/careers/early-careers/our-programmes/graduate-opportunities/technology.html "PwC"), [MI5](https://www.mi5.gov.uk/careers/technology-graduate-development-programme-tgdp "MI5"), [GCHQ](https://www.gchq-careers.co.uk/our-careers.html), etc
### AI
- [Otta](https://otta.com/)
- [AngelList](https://www.angellist.com/careers)
- [DeepMind](https://deepmind.google/)
- [Faculty](https://faculty.ai/)
- [Revolut](https://www.revolut.com/)
### Robotics
- [Careers in Robotics](https://careersinrobotics.com/jobs/united-kingdom) (US site, also advertising UK roles)
- [Robotics jobs](https://roboticsjobs.co.uk/search-jobs)
Find out more about [applying for jobs](https://www.york.ac.uk/students/work-volunteering-careers/apply-interview/).
#### Practice interviews on Shortlist.Me
- [FDM Group Consulting and Technology](https://go.shortlister.com/j/c4ud3)
- interviews and workplace simulations with different employers, and several skills / competency / strengths based interviews you can use to practise
- Register for the [interviews or activities](https://go.shortlister.com/marketplace/uniofyork) using your York email address.
What can I do at York?
Use your time at York to develop your skills and experience to help you get a job in this sector. You could:
- Talk to people working in the sector - attend relevant networking and employer events, and make contacts through [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/ "LinkedIn") too
- Get involved with the tech community - look out for hackathons, competitions and games development, locally or online (eg [ludum dare](https://ldjam.com/)). For game developers, build on your skills by using free frameworks, such as [Unity](https://unity3d.com/unity "Unity")
- Join a [student society](https://yorksu.org/societies "Student societies"), such as HackSoc or ShockSoc or SWEY (Supporting Women in Engineering at York)
- Learn to code, or enhance existing skills. There are several accessible and free platforms such as [Codecademy](https://www.codecademy.com/), [freeCodeCamp](https://www.freecodecamp.org/) and [Coursera](https://www.coursera.org/) among others
- Consider taking an online course or MOOC to help develop key skills, such as project management or to enhance your digital skills and knowledge.
More resources: people to follow, podcasts, blogs
## Connect with York graduates
Join [York for Life](https://www.york.ac.uk/alumni/) to connect with our global network of alumni. Start building your own network - find people from your course, look at different careers, ask questions and request a mentor.
Use [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/) to make connections, follow organisations of interest, and find out what York graduates are doing. Find out more about [using LinkedIn](https://www.york.ac.uk/students/work-volunteering-careers/apply-interview/looking-for-work/job-toolkit/using-linkedin/) and [networking](https://www.york.ac.uk/students/work-volunteering-careers/apply-interview/looking-for-work/job-toolkit/networking/).
## Podcasts
Relevant episodes of our [What do you actually do? podcast](https://www.york.ac.uk/students/work-volunteering-careers/options/career-ideas/podcast/)
- [Bringing social media into The Economist, with Adam Smith](https://pod.fo/e/105a8a)
- [Changing fast: working in agile project management, with Alison Critchley](https://pod.fo/e/be00f)
- [Digital archaeologist and entrepreneur](https://pod.fo/e/14fb12)
- [Flirting with Algorithms, with Harpal Sahota](https://pod.fo/e/dc09c)
- [From TV to tech, with Vivien Chung](https://pod.fo/e/be016)
- [Historical consulting for video games, with Nicholas Gliserman](https://pod.fo/e/efc6d)
- [Running a startup](https://pod.fo/e/14bf34)
- [Starting a Startup, with Phil Daneshyar](https://pod.fo/e/dc09d)
- [Summer Internship: Make it yours! with Julia Hebron](https://pod.fo/e/efc6c)
Practice interviews
You can use [Shortlist.Me](https://go.shortlister.com/marketplace/uniofyork) to prepare for job interviews. Try these interviews with employers working in digital, IT and cyber security:
- [FDM Group practice interview](https://go.shortlister.com/j/c4ud3)
- [NHS Digital practice interview](https://go.shortlister.com/j/4zyf3)
- [Virgin Media practice interview](https://go.shortlister.com/j/2pyr6)
Find out more about interview prep on the [Apply for jobs](https://www.york.ac.uk/students/work-volunteering-careers/apply-interview/) pages.