Software Developer

Typical Salary

£20,000 To £70,000

Typical Hours

37 to 40 a week

evenings / weekends occasionally

How To Become a Software Developer

You can get into this job through:

a university course
a college course
an apprenticeship
a graduate training scheme

College / University

You could do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or a degree in:

computer science
information technology
software development
financial technology
software engineering for business
maths

1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma

2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

You could do a college course, which may lead onto more advanced qualifications or a higher apprenticeship, or help you to get a trainee position with a company. Courses include:

A Level in Computing
Level 3 Certificate in Programming
T level in Digital Production, Design and Development
Higher National Certificate in Computing

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English, maths and computing

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a

Apprenticeship

You could take an apprenticeship such as:

Level 3 Software development technician
Level 4 Software developer
Level 4 DevOps Engineer
Level 6 or 7, Digital and technology solutions professional or specialist degree apprenticeship

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

Routes into this Career

Routes into this Career are not listed for this job.

Other Routes

You may be able to apply for a place on a graduate training scheme with a company if you have a degree. These are often open to non-IT graduates as well as those with a computing qualification.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

analytical thinking skills
maths knowledge for understanding programming
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
the ability to come up with new ways of doing things
complex problem-solving skills
excellent verbal communication skills for sharing ideas
persistence and determination
the ability to write computer programs
to have a thorough understanding of computer systems and applications

Day To Day Tasks

You could:

discuss requirements with the client and the development team
take part in technical design and progress meetings
write or amend computer code
test software and diagnose and fix problems
keep accurate records of the development process, changes and results
carry out trials and quality checks before release
maintain and support systems once they're up and running

Working Environment

You could work at a client's business or in an office.

Career Path & Progression

With experience, you could become a senior developer, with team, project management, planning or research responsibilities. You could move into related areas like systems design, IT architecture and business systems analysis.

You could also set up your own business or work as a consultant in most areas of the economy, for example business services, finance, cyber security, telecommunications and healthcare.

Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering Opportunities are not listed for this job.

Tips & Information

Career tips

You could build up your skills and knowledge using free online learning resources for programming languages, project management and software development methods.

Further information

You can find out more about working and training in computing from The Chartered Institute for IT and Tech Future Careers.

Restrictions & Requirements

Restrictions & Requirements are not listed for this job.