Science, tech and IT are all about using the logical and practical parts of your brain to build efficient platforms and processes. You might find yourself designing an app, testing food in a lab or studying weather patterns at the Bureau of Meteorology. These industries are concerned with making and testing things in controlled environments. While science, tech and IT encompass a huge and diverse range of different jobs, they share a common focus on problem-solving.

WILL IT SUIT ME?

People who work in science, tech and IT tend to have enough patience/curiosity to solve complex problems. It also helps if you have a keen interest in new technologies and can quickly teach yourself how to use them. The working hours can be quite demanding and generally require a 9 to 5 working schedule, plus some overtime here and there. IT workers tend to work at odd times (such as late at night or on weekends) in order to do system maintenance when people aren’t using the computer systems.

HOW CAN I GET THERE?

To work in science, getting a degree from university (eg. a Bachelor of Science) is almost always required. Uni is also a common path to a career in tech and IT, however, the latter two don’t necessarily demand university qualifications. In fact, there are a whole range of online courses in coding, computer programming and app development. And then there are also those super geniuses that taught themselves how to code when they were teenagers.

WHAT SKILLS WILL I LEARN?

Skills such as inquiry, problem-solving and thinking are an integral part of working in this industry, but you’ll also learn:

• Information retrieval.
• Listening and observing.
• Scientific reading.
• Data representation.
• Scientific writing.

While we’re actually talking about a few different industries here, they all tend to have pretty attractive working prospects and opportunities for career progression. In IT, science and tech, the skills tend to be transferable, so you might end up working in a range of different roles at different companies in different locations. When it comes to science, IT and tech, you’re likely to keep learning and updating your skills throughout your career, so having the motivation and ability to teach yourself new skills is a necessity. While the working hours can be demanding, the pay is usually pretty good.