Technology is the word that defines a generation. The concept has always existed: fire and the wheel were both examples of technological advances. But it’s the digital revolution that has taken the word technology as its own, and as for being good at it, you’ve either got it or you haven’t. If you have, then a career in tech could be for you. But what area of tech do you want to be in? Let’s look at some of the variations.
Get the Qualifications
Whichever area of tech you want to get into, you’re going to have to learn all you can, and to prove you know so much, employers will want to see qualifications. That means doing a college course and coming out with a good degree. College costs money, so start looking for ways to fund it. There are grants and scholarships that can cover all or part of the costs, and you may be eligible for one, so get digging to see what you can find and apply for it.
Scholarships are handed out for various reasons, and you might tick one of the boxes by your sports ability, your potential value to the college as an actor or musician, or just your ethnicity, which can raise your diversity profile. Don’t assume scholarships and grants are for other people: they’re for people like you. You will probably need a student loan too, and if you go to a bank and you can show you’ve already got some help, they may be more inclined to give you a good loan. On the other hand, you may be able to borrow less, which is a good thing, because it means your repayments will be less too.
Also read: Small Business Opportunities for Tech-Minded Entrepreneurs
The Techie
This is the person who helps others with their tech issues. You might be the one in the back of the computer store, the wizard who can fix anything. People bring their problems to you, and nothing fazes you. You can do basic laptops, sophisticated desktops, and specialist software from design packages to accounts, smartphones, printers, and whatever. It can be very rewarding to be the techie, but it’s a backroom job.
Tech Sales
Some are just good at sales and if you’re a natural, you can sell anything so long as you know enough about it to answer people’s questions, and if you’re a techie at heart, you could be the person out front in the computer store, advising people who don’t really know what they want or need, or persuading people who do know their stuff that this option (which happens to be very expensive) is worth the money.
Tech Startup Facilitator
Entrepreneurs are those who have business ideas and make money out of them. But if their idea involves technology and that is not really their strong point, they’re going to need a genius like you to make it work. Successful businesspeople surround themselves with experts: they will have a persuasive sales manager, a brilliant accountant, and maybe a shrewd buyer, and they will need somebody to take care of the tech side. Because technology is key to the success of many businesses, it pays well, so not only will you have a satisfying job, but you’ll be earning a great living too.
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