Industry Sectors

Role Description

Skills required

You'll need:

• the ability to understand the development process 
• some programming knowledge
• the ability to work under pressure and to deadlines
• maths skills

What you'll do

You could work in a wide range of businesses and industries, public services, utilities, defence and research. 

You'll work closely with project managers, business analysts and graphic designers, to find out what the client wants and the best way to achieve it. 

Usually, you’ll work in a team.

You could work on a wide variety of projects, from financial databases to robotics to apps for phones and tablets. You may use a number of programming languages or project management tools.

Your day-to-day tasks may include:

• talking through requirements with the client and the development team
• taking part in technical design and progress meetings
• writing or amending computer code
• testing software and fixing problems
• keeping accurate records of the development process, changes and results
• carrying out trials and quality checks before release
• maintaining and supporting systems once they're up and running
• As an experienced developer, you may supervise a programming team and provide feedback on coding work.

Role Training

You may be able to get into this job through an apprenticeship if you've developed some programming skills and can show a strong interest in the subject.

The TECH Partnership has details of digital apprenticeships at all levels.

It also has details of the Software Development for Business degree available at some universities.

Other suitable qualifications are a foundation degree, HND or degree in computing or a related subject, like:

• computer science
• information technology
• software development
• software engineering
• mathematics
• business information systems

Some companies will accept you onto their graduate training scheme without an IT-related degree if you understand programming languages and frameworks, project management and development methods.

You could also study for a postgraduate IT conversion qualification.

The Chartered Institute for IT (BCS) has information about training and qualifications.

Role Description

Skills required

You'll need:

• the ability to remain calm under pressure
• the ability to memorise orders
• numeracy skills

What you'll do

Your day-to-day tasks may include:

• greeting customers as they arrive and showing them to their table
• giving out menus and taking orders for food and drink
• serving food and drinks
• dealing with bill payments
• making sure tables are clean and tidy
• You'll also be on hand to answer any questions and make sure that customers enjoy their experience.

In formal restaurants your work may include silver service (plating the items of a meal at the table). You'll usually work in a team under the supervision of a head waiter or waitress, known as the maître d’.

You could also specialise in work as a wine waiter or waitress, called a sommelier.

Role Training

With experience you may be able to progress to head waiter or waitress, or restaurant supervisor. 

You may also be able to go into related areas of work like restaurant and kitchen management or purchasing.

Role Description

You could work in hotels, restaurants, pubs, schools, colleges, cruise ships, the NHS or the armed forces.

In a small kitchen you may be a general chef. In a large kitchen you may be a specialist chef, in charge of one area like pastry, fish or vegetables, working under a head chef.

Your day-to-day tasks will vary with your role, but may include:

• preparing attractive menus to nutritional standards
• controlling and ordering stock and inspecting it on delivery
• gutting and preparing animals and fish for cooking
• scraping and washing large quantities of vegetables and salads
• cooking and presenting food creatively
• monitoring production to maintain quality and consistent portion sizes
• working under pressure to make sure food is served on time
• keeping to hygiene, health and safety and licensing rules
• You’ll need knowledge of allergens, nutrition and diets.

Role Training

You could do on-the-job training, starting as a kitchen assistant or trainee chef. Another option is to take a full-time college course.

You could also get into this job through an apprenticeship.

The Hospitality Guild has more information about training.

Role Description

1. Entry requirements

There are no set requirements, but experience of working in an office or call centre could help.

For some sales jobs, such as technical or pharmaceutical sales, you may need to have a relevant qualification like a degree.

You could get into this job through an apprenticeship.

2. Skills required

You'll need:

• excellent customer service and communication skills
• the ability to sell and negotiate
• IT and presentation skills

3. What you'll do

You'll specialise in a particular industry, like consumer goods or energy. You may sell directly to consumers, or to other businesses. 

Your day-to-day tasks may include:

• contacting new and existing customers
• making presentations to promote new products
• agreeing sales, prices and delivery
• keeping in contact with customers before and after a sale
• recording orders
• going to conferences to understand industry trends
• meeting sales targets

4. Salary

Starter: £15,000 to £20,000

Experienced: £25,000 to £35,000

Highly Experienced: £40,000 to £50,000 (sales executive or manager)

You'll usually get a basic salary and an extra amount for each sale (commission). You may also get a bonus if you meet targets.

You may get a company car and fuel allowance.

These figures are a guide.

5. Working hours, patterns and environment

You'll usually work 38 to 40 hours, Monday to Friday, but may need to work evenings or weekends. Occasionally you'll stay away overnight, or travel abroad to trade fairs and conferences.

You may drive to visit customers. When not on the road, you'll work from a sales office or call centre. Sometimes you’ll work from home. You’ll usually need a driving licence and may need a passport.

6. Career path and progression

With experience, you could become a sales team leader or an area sales manager.

The Institute of Sales Management (ISM) could help you develop your career.

Role Description

1. Entry requirements

There are no set requirements but competition is strong so you’ll usually need a foundation degree or a degree.

If you want to go into quantitative work (analysis based on numbers), these degrees may be useful:

• maths
• statistics
• business/management
• economics
• For qualitative work (analysis based on language), useful degrees include:
• psychology
• sociology
• geography
• social sciences
• anthropology

English or marketing degrees are also useful, as well as sciences or engineering for some specialist industrial jobs. 

You’ll also find it useful to have previous experience in marketing, sales or advertising, or as a market research interviewer. 

You could get a paid internship or join a graduate training scheme. You could also start as a research assistant in an agency and then take further qualifications.

The Market Research Society (MRS) has more information about careers in market research.

2. Skills required

You’ll need:

excellent number and IT skills

the ability to analyse and interpret statistics

written communication skills for report writing and designing questionnaires

creative problem-solving skills

accuracy and attention to detail

organisational and time-management skills

initiative and teamwork skills

3. What you'll do

As a market research executive, you’ll specialise in one type of research – consumer or industrial, social or political. You’ll carry out research using one of 2 main methods:

quantitative – analysis based on numbers, from surveys of large samples of people

qualitative – analysis based on language, from focus groups and in-depth questionnaires

Depending on the type of research, in your work you’ll usually:

meet clients to discuss research projects

come up with a plan or proposal and present it to the client

manage a budget

design questionnaires and organise surveys

brief interviewers and researchers

monitor progress of surveys

analyse data and present results to the client

advise the client how they can best use the research

Most jobs involve a lot of computer work, for background research and to analyse information and produce reports.

4. Salary

Starter: £20,000 to £25,000

Experienced: £25,000 to £35,000

Highly Experienced: £60,000 (senior market research executive)

These figures are a guide.

5. Working hours, patterns and environment

If you work as a quantitative researcher in-house for a company, you’ll usually work in an office with standard hours, Monday to Friday, with occasional overtime to meet project deadlines.

If you work as a qualitative researcher, you’ll often work evenings and weekends to travel to visit clients and focus groups. You may need a driving licence and a car.

6. Career path and progression

With experience, you could progress into management, or become a self-employed market research consultant. 

You could also move into the promotional side of advertising or marketing.

Role Description

Skills required

You’ll need:

• the ability to carry out detailed work accurately and methodically 
• the ability to plan research, analyse and interpret data, and write reports 
• practical and problem-solving skills 
• patience, perseverance and the ability to concentrate for long periods 
• the ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team 
• strong communication and IT skills

What you'll do

• You could work in a range of areas like:
• developing and testing new drugs 
• improving agricultural crops and livestock 
• disease and pest control 
• conserving endangered habitats and species 
• animal welfare and education 
• developing policies and enforcing regulations for government agencies

You’ll usually specialise in an area like ecology (animal environments), herpetology (reptiles), entomology (insects), parasitology (parasites) or paleozoology (fossil remains).

Your day-to-day tasks will vary depending on your role, but may include:

• carrying out field and laboratory research 
• studying animals in their natural environment or in captivity 
• identifying, recording and monitoring animal species 
• gathering and interpreting information 
• using complex procedures, like computerised molecular and cellular analysis, and in-vitro fertilisation 
• producing detailed technical reports 
• giving presentations and publishing information in journals and books 
• supervising technicians

Role Training

You’ll usually need a degree in a subject like zoology, animal ecology, animal behaviour or conservation.

Experience volunteering in conservation work or a related area may help when applying for courses.

For some jobs, particularly in research, you’ll need a relevant postgraduate qualification, like a master’s degree or PhD.

Role Description

1. Entry requirements

You'll usually need a foundation degree, HND or degree in a subject like marketing, advertising or business.

Experience as a marketing assistant, or working in sales or public relations, could help you get into this job without a degree.

You could also get into marketing through an apprenticeship.

The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) has more information about qualifications and training.

2. Skills required

You'll need:

excellent organisational, planning and IT skills

strong communication and negotiating ability

creativity and writing skills

3. What you'll do

You could work for sales or marketing agencies, or in marketing departments of organisations like financial services or manufacturing.

You could also work for fund-raising charities, heritage organisations or the education sector.

Your day-to-day tasks may involve:

doing research on customer and market trends

identifying target markets and possible sponsors

creating and planning marketing campaigns

using automated systems for email campaigns and customer management

writing and editing for print and multiple online uses

organising promotions and events to meet clients, suppliers and the media

managing campaign websites and social media

managing budgets and monitoring the effectiveness of campaigns

4. Salary

Starter: £18,000 to £22,000

Experienced: £22,000 to £30,000

Highly Experienced: £30,000 to £35,000 (senior)

These figures are a guide.

5. Working hours, patterns and environment

You'll usually work 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. You may occasionally work evenings and weekends.

You'll be based in an office but may travel to meet clients and attend events.

You may need a full driving licence.

6. Career path and progression

With experience, you could become a marketing manager.

You could also become a freelance marketing consultant, or move into areas like advertising, sales or public relations.

The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) has details of professional development.

Role Description

Skills required

You’ll need:

• excellent research skills
• the ability to relate to a wide range of people and issues
• strong presentation skills
• the confidence to give recommendations on consumer trends
• IT skills

What you'll do

Your day-to-day duties may include:

• researching and writing reports
• testing recipes
• recruiting and training panels or focus groups
• conducting interviews with consumers
• researching the tastes, needs and preferences of consumers
• giving advice to manufacturers and retailers on improving items and services
• developing tests to make sure products meet quality standards and legal requirements
• representing consumers' rights 
• advising hotels, restaurants, schools, residential care homes or hospitals on catering
• advising on products ranging from household goods to public places
• producing information on cookery, family health and new products
• talking with the media
• advising on healthy living in schools, colleges and universities
• working for bodies like the Food Standards Agency or Trading Standards

Role Training

You’ll usually need a degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant subject like:

• consumer studies
• food and consumer product management
• food science or technology
• psychology
• marketing
• statistics

Some employers may also ask for a postgraduate qualification in a relevant subject like behavioural psychology or consumer behaviour. 

Experience in food manufacturing or market research can help you get into this job