IT careers and IT skills

IT professionals increasingly need to take responsibility for ensuring that their IT skills are kept up-to-date, and for pursuing opportunities that will develop their IT careers. We examine the issues around career development at all stages of an IT professional's working life, from education through to training and recruitment.

E-Zine 30 Apr 2024
What’s it like being the IT chief at Man Utd?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we speak to the chief digital information officer at Manchester United Football Club to discuss the IT that keeps a premiership team running. We also investigate how well prepared the UK is for major semiconductor supply chain disruptions. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
News 26 Apr 2024
European Parliament approves platform worker directive

The approval of the platform worker directive gives member states two years to incorporate its measures into their national legislation, which includes provisions on how to classify the employment of gig workers and deploy algorithmic decision-making at work Continue Reading

News 17 Mar 2016

Everyone should be a chief customer officer, says PetsPyjamas CEO

CEO of pet-friendly product company PetsPyjamas says the idea of the chief customer officer is redundant Continue Reading
E-Zine 16 Mar 2016

CW Europe – March 2016

India once again topped a list of best places to offshore IT and business process outsourcing (BPO) services but, as global delivery becomes the norm, organisations will increasingly look for other locations for a better balance. An annual study from management consultancy AT Kearney revealed its top 55 locations, with India leading the way. But organisations now have many more options, as their criteria for choosing a particular destination extends beyond cost. And it is now common for organisations to use several offshoring locations. Continue Reading
News 16 Mar 2016

Teens interested in tech, but few seek career in engineering

Most teens show an interest in technology, but do not want careers in engineering due to industry misconceptions Continue Reading
News 04 Mar 2016

Bet365 donates Erlang libraries to GitHub

The open-source initiative will help to drive adoption of the Erlang functional programming language among enterprise developers Continue Reading
News 03 Mar 2016

IoT adoption held back by lack of business case, software and skills

The internet of things is at the top of Gartner’s Hype Cycle, but many organisations cannot build a business case to invest in IoT projects Continue Reading
News 03 Mar 2016

Why are big government IT projects still going wrong?

The rural payments programme has again been in the spotlight over its failures, continuing the trend of government IT programmes being noted not for their success, but rather the opposite Continue Reading
News 02 Mar 2016

GDS hindered delivery of rural payments programme, says PAC

The rural payments programme was a “Whitehall fiasco” with too much focus on the digital front end, says the public accounts committee (PAC) Continue Reading
E-Zine 01 Mar 2016

Protecting the UK from cyber attacks

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to the National Crime Agency’s top cyber cop, Sarah Goodall, about how the police are tackling IT security threats against the country through global collaborations. We ask CIOs for their tips on building an IT strategy for the digital age. And we review the big six storage suppliers’ plans for all-flash arrays. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
News 29 Feb 2016

CIO interview: Anders Candell, Stora Enso

CIO at Finnish pulp and paper manufacturer shares advice for shouldering a new CIO position and guiding the business towards innovative technology Continue Reading
Photo Story 26 Feb 2016

FDM everywoman in technology awards 2016 winners

The everywoman in technology awards, sponsored in 2016 by FDM, are designed to showcase many of the great women working in science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem) careers. Continue Reading
E-Zine 23 Feb 2016

Surviving broadband failure

In this week’s Computer Weekly, after the recent BT broadband outage, we examine the options to keep your communications in place in the event of a failure, to ensure business continuity. We look at the prospects for the OpenStack open source cloud platform in the enterprise. And we see how Ireland is making progress on delivering a digital health service. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
News 18 Feb 2016

Media and marketing industries on the lookout for digital skills

Creative industries such as media, marketing, advertising and sales place more value on digital skills than IT and telecoms sector does Continue Reading
E-Zine 18 Feb 2016

CW Europe: February 2016

In Europe cloud is restricted and hybrid setups make use of local compute and storage. Continue Reading
News 15 Feb 2016

'We stumbled on e-commerce,' says Ecco marketing head

Head of e-commerce at retailer Ecco Dana Schwartz explains how the firm’s transformational journey happened as a result of e-commerce adoption Continue Reading
News 15 Feb 2016

Telstra is transforming Australian IT infrastructure

Telco is transforming its IT operation to make better use of the cloud, data and application programming interfaces Continue Reading
News 12 Feb 2016

CIO interview: Ismo Platan, SSAB

Retiring CIO of Swedish steel company tells Computer Weekly about the progress made in merging two Nordic steel firms and looks at the biggest hurdles that lie ahead Continue Reading
News 11 Feb 2016

Digital internships in India with TCS now open to UK graduates

India’s biggest IT supplier, Tata Consultancy Services, plans to recruit 1,000 UK graduates for paid internships over the next four years Continue Reading
News 11 Feb 2016

CW500: Skills, changing roles and cloud among key trends for CIOs in 2016

At Computer Weekly’s first CW500 meeting of 2016, CIOs gathered to discuss the role of the CIO, business change, cloud uptake and skills Continue Reading
News 10 Feb 2016

The OpenStack Foundation: Building enterprise trust in open-source clouds

With HMRC and the European Commission emerging as OpenStack adopters, the OpenStack Foundation's CEO explains how it has set about winning over the enterprise with its open-source cloud platform Continue Reading
E-Zine 10 Feb 2016

CW Nordics: February 2016

The Nordic region is often described as a region that is leading the way in terms of the use of modern IT. The region needs IT to make up for factors such as having a small population, with many isolated communities. So IT both helps the region punch above its weight in business and enables its residents to receive services effectively. Continue Reading
News 10 Feb 2016

Smart cities pointless without universal superfast broadband

Smart city deployments will not get very far, or realise effective socioeconomic benefits, if more attention is not paid to the underlying infrastructure Continue Reading
News 10 Feb 2016

Marks & Spencer appoints new chief digital officer

Marcus East leaves role as head of e-commerce at Apple to become CDO at retail chain Continue Reading
E-Zine 09 Feb 2016

How software protects people

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how software is helping to maintain safety in high-risk sectors like oil & gas, aerospace and healthcare – and what lessons they hold for other organisations. We offer six tips from CIOs for innovation with data. And after the HSBC cyber attack, we examine the continuing threat to businesses from distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
News 05 Feb 2016

Visa opens up its technology to developers

Software developers at fintech companies and banks are to be given access to Visa’s technology Continue Reading
News 03 Feb 2016

PAC criticises Universal Credit programme for lack of transparency

Public Accounts Committee report slates lack of transparency around Universal Credit and calls for specific plans for the roll out of the digital service to be made public Continue Reading
News 03 Feb 2016

IT industry fails to break male-only stereotype

Almost half of young people think the technology sector is more suitable for men Continue Reading
News 02 Feb 2016

Women should worry less about not having tech background when going into Stem

Panellists at Tomorrow’s Tech Leaders Today conference claim women don’t need a technical background to build a career in the technology industry Continue Reading
Feature 28 Jan 2016

Five CIO tips for building an IT strategy in the digital age

CIOs and strategy experts share their experiences of creating an IT strategy that makes the most of the digital revolution Continue Reading
News 25 Jan 2016

Bett 2016: Gender roles should be removed, and not just in Stem

Panellists at Bett 2016 claim gender roles should not only be dispelled in Stem subjects, but in other gender-specific industries Continue Reading
News 23 Jan 2016

Lacking the digital skills to shop online costs consumers £744 a year

If consumers are not shopping online for the best deals, they could be missing out on hundreds of pounds of potential savings Continue Reading
News 22 Jan 2016

Bank of England CIO John Finch leaves for new role at Thomson Reuters

The Bank of England is dividing its technology team in two to replace departing CIO John Finch Continue Reading
News 21 Jan 2016

Digital methods will improve government projects, says civil service chief

Civil service CEO John Manzoni tells MPs that lessons learned from digital technologies will help improve the track record of all major projects in government Continue Reading
News 20 Jan 2016

CIO interview: Janne Aalto, Finnish telco DNA

When Finnish telco DNA wanted to transform its business, it made startup consultant Janne Aalto its CIO to lead the move to lean and agile Continue Reading
Opinion 15 Jan 2016

Robots will transform, not replace, human work

Claims that robots will steal our jobs are commonplace – but humans will find themselves working side by side with robots, rather than being replaced by them Continue Reading
News 15 Jan 2016

CIO interview: Kari Saarikoski, Finnair

Finnair is on a digital transformation journey and the airline’s CIO is changing the IT department as it progresses Continue Reading
News 13 Jan 2016

NHS England launches hunt for ‘CI&TO’ to replace Kelsey

NHS England seeks chief information and technology officer to take over from director for patients and information Tim Kelsey, who left late last year Continue Reading
News 08 Jan 2016

Rapid Router: why Ocado Technology turned to open source

Retailer’s technology division open-sources learning-to-code initiative to encourage continuous development of coding game Continue Reading
News 05 Jan 2016

Aviva partners Beyond the Classroom to inspire girls into tech

Chika Aghadiuno, vice chair of Aviva’s women’s network, says it is important to make young people aware of potential careers Continue Reading
News 05 Jan 2016

Fears of software skills shortage in Germany and the Netherlands

Organisations in Germany and the Netherlands are struggling to fill positions for software developers as they digitise Continue Reading
News 29 Dec 2015

CIO interview: Chris Hewertson, CTO at hotel group GLH

Chris Hewertson combines the responsibilities of a chief technology officer and CIO with the aim of customer-focused technology transformation Continue Reading
News 23 Dec 2015

BBC CTO Matthew Postgate to head up technology division

Matthew Postgate, chief technology officer of the BBC, will take on a different role in April 2016 leading a new division for the firm Continue Reading
E-Zine 22 Dec 2015

Airbus rises to business challenges of IT overhaul

CIOs need need to become top marketers to sell the benefits of IT for digital business initiatives, but only a third of CEOs think their CIOs have the right skills, according to Gartner. Continue Reading
22 Dec 2015

CIOs: Time to raise your game, say CEOs

Digital initiatives promise to make IT instrumental in dynamically transforming business models – but most CEOs feel their CIOs lack the right skills. Continue Reading
News 21 Dec 2015

The CW500 Club in 2015

Computer Weekly's CW500 Club attracts the top IT leaders in the UK to talk to their peers about the latest trends and technologies, and to discuss the challenges they face. Here, we present the coverage of all the 2015 CW500 events, including articles and video interviews. Continue Reading
E-Zine 17 Dec 2015

CW Europe – December 2015

In this issue we study the meteoric rise of flash storage in Europe. Initially perceived as an expensive and high risk investment, flash has become mainstream and by the end of the decade will be present in the vast majority of the continent's datacentres. Continue Reading
E-Zine 16 Dec 2015

Cloud IT is helping Uefa meet its goals

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how cloud computing is helping European football federation Uefa with preparations for the Euro2016 tournament. We ask if UK government moves to support IT education are enough to bridge the skills gap. And we examine the new international standard for personal data privacy in the cloud and what it means for suppliers. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
News 15 Dec 2015

IT industry needs people with emotional intelligence, says Network Rail CIO

As Network Rail’s third ‘Could IT be you?’ competition draws to a close, the company’s CIO explains why the project was launched Continue Reading
News 10 Dec 2015

Datacentre operators must "open up" to close industry skills gap, claims IO

IO business development director Andrew Roughan said more must be done to encourage a wider range and higher number people into the datacentre industry Continue Reading
News 08 Dec 2015

National roll-out of Universal Credit digital service to begin in May 2016

The Universal Credit digital service will be rolled out to five job centres a month from May 2016, says the Department for Work and Pensions Continue Reading
E-Zine 08 Dec 2015

The most influential people in UK IT 2015

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we announce our sixth annual UKtech50 list of the 50 most influential people in UK IT, and talk to this year’s winner – BT chief executive Gavin Patterson, about the challenges facing the telecoms giant in 2016. Also, we find out how the genomics industry is pushing big data technology to its limits. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
News 07 Dec 2015

Sweden considers writing off IT student loans to attract more women

Sweden is considering writing off student loans for women who study IT in an attempt to improve the gender balance in the sector to support digitisation Continue Reading
News 07 Dec 2015

Australia launches plan to reduce reliance on natural resources

The Australian government has announced plans to reduce its dependency on industries that rely on natural resources and increase its activities in areas such as IT Continue Reading
Photo Story 03 Dec 2015

UKtech50 2015 - The most influential people in UK IT

Computer Weekly's annual search for the 50 most influential people in the UK tech scene is complete - meet the winners Continue Reading
News 02 Dec 2015

UKtech50 2015 - The most influential people in UK IT

Computer Weekly has announced the sixth annual UKtech50 – our definitive list of the movers and shakers in the UK IT sector Continue Reading
News 02 Dec 2015

Interview: BT CEO Gavin Patterson

For BT CEO Gavin Patterson, the UKtech50 most influential person in UK IT 2015, the network is a vital tool to balance the demands of a global services business with the responsibility of being the national incumbent telecoms operator Continue Reading
News 01 Dec 2015

CIO interview: Jesper Riis, DSV

IT plays a business-critical role at Danish logistics and transportation company DSV. CIO Jesper Riis tells Computer Weekly about his current challenges Continue Reading
News 01 Dec 2015

Rural payments problems led to 40% increase in costs, says NAO report

Inappropriate behaviour and too much focus on IT procurement led to rural payments programme costs spiralling to 40% over budget, says National Audit Office report Continue Reading
News 30 Nov 2015

What type of CIO do you want to be?

There are three types of CIO, a major global research study has revealed. Which type would you like to be – trusted operator, change instigator or business co-creator? Continue Reading
News 27 Nov 2015

How to avoid an innovation credibility crash

Among the innovation challenges a head of IT will face is how to introduce a digital initiative without losing face Continue Reading
News 26 Nov 2015

CIO interview: Turkka Keskinen, UPM

Finnish paper and forest products firm’s CIO tells Computer Weekly about the journey towards cloud-only IT Continue Reading
News 25 Nov 2015

How the CIO can get on message

Microsoft talks of a beautiful experience. Rackspace says it's fanatical about support. Marketing fluff? Or is there a lesson for CIOs? Continue Reading
News 20 Nov 2015

UK and Estonia launch TechLink programme

The UK and Estonian governments are launching a TechLink programme to share best practice and innovations Continue Reading
News 20 Nov 2015

CIO interview: Lone Bundgaard, Coloplast

IT development head at Danish medical products and services company plays core role in major change to how the company engages with its customers Continue Reading
News 20 Nov 2015

HMRC Capgemini staff transfer consultation not as flexible as hoped, says union

With less than two weeks left until HMRC’s deadline for transferring 250 Capgemini staff in-house, talks aren’t going as well as hoped, says the Public and Commercial Services Union Continue Reading
News 19 Nov 2015

451 Research highlights cost benefits of taking multi-provider approach to cloud

Latest 451 Research cloud pricing report suggests buyers could get a better deal, if they're prepared to shop around Continue Reading
News 19 Nov 2015

Fujitsu UK CEO calls for more Stem on TV

Fujitsu’s UK and Ireland CEO Regina Moran argues for promoting science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem) subjects and careers in the mainstream media Continue Reading
E-Zine 19 Nov 2015

CW Nordics – November 2015 Edition

IT is becoming more important to businesses, in part due to the digital revolution, and the women and men who lead IT are now increasingly coveted. Continue Reading
News 18 Nov 2015

George Soros backs IT services in eastern Europe

George Soros is investing in an IT company that delivers services to global companies from Ukraine Continue Reading
Feature 16 Nov 2015

Acquire new skills for technology management

The age of the customer requires organisations to focus on both the business technology and IT agendas Continue Reading
E-Zine 16 Nov 2015

How Taiwan is building the internet of things

In this week's Computer Weekly, we meet the Taiwanese companies that are developing the technology building blocks for the internet of things. Our latest buyer's guide looks at the skills needed for modern IT leadership. And we examine the technology options to take superfast broadband speeds even higher. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
News 11 Nov 2015

Placing unemployed women in the IT industry could solve skills gap, says Martha Lane Fox

Speaking at the Microsoft Future Decoded event in London, Martha Lane Fox said giving unemployed women digital skills and IT jobs could solve the skills gap Continue Reading
E-Zine 09 Nov 2015

Meet the men helping women succeed in IT

In this week's Computer Weekly, we meet the men that have mentored some of the leading women in tech to find out how men can help tackle the diversity gap in IT. We examine how restrictive software licensing is hindering firms' ambitions for digital transformation. And where can CIOs turn to for advice? We look at the options. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
News 05 Nov 2015

Mayor of London launches tech fund for digital skills

A programme has been launched by the mayor of London to ensure young people in the capital are learning digital skills Continue Reading
E-Zine 05 Nov 2015

CW Europe – November 2015

Cloud computing has huge benefits to businesses in Europe, but data protection rules have been different for organisations in different parts of Europe. This is about to change with the final version of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) expected soon. All 28 EU member states will have one set of rules to follow. Continue Reading
News 02 Nov 2015

CIO interview: Torben Høeg Bonde, Vestas

The CIO at Danish wind turbine company Vestas is playing a key role in turning the company into a software supplier Continue Reading
News 29 Oct 2015

Retailers will never have pure play, says Watchfinder founder

Founder of luxury second-hand watch reseller Watchfinder explains that retailers will never have an entirely online or offline business Continue Reading
News 29 Oct 2015

Using open data to solve social challenges

The Open Data Institute has spent the past two years funding startups to build applications that could solve socio-economic problems Continue Reading
News 27 Oct 2015

More than 70% of teachers still think students are better at using tech

Teachers are still struggling to adapt to the new curriculum, and more than 70% believe their students are more technology-savvy than they are Continue Reading
News 26 Oct 2015

Yakult uses data analytics to boost growth in the Netherlands by 20%

Probiotics maker Yakult is using analytics and data visualisation tools to boost its sales in the Netherlands Continue Reading
News 23 Oct 2015

German rail and transport group turns to virtual reality in war for talent

Deutsche Bahn claims to be the first company in Germany to use virtual reality as a recruitment tool Continue Reading
News 22 Oct 2015

How the Cabinet Office is using open data to tackle youth unemployment

The Cabinet Office invited IT professionals and young people to a Job Hack event with the aim of using open government datasets to help more young people into work Continue Reading
News 21 Oct 2015

Infosec pros should start preparing for the future, say experts

Information security professionals need to grow their skills, engage with the business, increase security awareness, set business goals and tailor their messages, says a panel of experts Continue Reading
Opinion 20 Oct 2015

The problem of smart cities and connectivity in the UK

Only once leaders develop a framework for local economic and societal development can the “smart city” buzz can evolve into “intelligent communities” Continue Reading
Feature 19 Oct 2015

How CIOs can raise their 'IT clock speed' as pressure to innovate grows

CIOs are facing pressure from the board to roll out IT projects increasingly quickly. How can they do that without running unacceptable risks? This article, based on cutting-edge research among leading businesses, offers some answers Continue Reading
News 13 Oct 2015

How easyJet uses digital to drive competitive advantage

The CIO and head of digital at easyJet tell Computer Weekly price is not the only way to gain competitive advantage in the airline industry Continue Reading
News 09 Oct 2015

UK digital economy needs 2.3 million digital workers by 2020

The UK will need the skills of 2.3 million digital workers by 2020 if it hopes to power the promised digital economy, according to research from O2 Continue Reading
News 08 Oct 2015

Travelex rewrites its digital strategy

Travelex’s digital transformation is based on short-term wins, long-term goals and disruption, according to its chief digital officer, Sean Cornwell Continue Reading
News 08 Oct 2015

Apprenticeships could stop potential employees falling through the net, says Bellrock

The chief technology officer of facilities management company Bellrock explains why apprenticeships should be used to stop potential IT workers moving to other industries Continue Reading
Feature 02 Oct 2015

Netherlands uses female role models to encourage girls into IT industry

The Netherlands needs to shake up its education system to attract more girls into IT, as only 10% of its IT workforce are women Continue Reading
Feature 01 Oct 2015

How technology is helping deliver aid to Syrian refugees in the Middle East

The Syrian refugee crisis has engulfed the Middle East, but technology is proving to be an essential tool to help aid organisations support displaced people Continue Reading
News 01 Oct 2015

JLab’s 2015 startups explain how the accelerator has helped them

Finalists of the John Lewis JLab accelerator explain what experience they have gained on the programme Continue Reading
News 25 Sep 2015

Government Digital Service readies for change as its chief Mike Bracken prepares to leave

GDS is setting up executive training for senior civil servants and looking to work closely with departments to continue the digital transformation of Whitehall Continue Reading
News 21 Sep 2015

MPs launch inquiry into the UK's digital economy

Business, Innovation and Skills Committee investigation will examine the challenges facing digital industries Continue Reading
News 21 Sep 2015

More than half of 12-year-old girls say Stem subjects are too hard

Accenture finds more than half of 12-year-old girls in the UK and Ireland think science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem) subjects are too hard Continue Reading
Feature 15 Sep 2015

Case study: Philips takes agile approach to building bridges between business and IT

Dutch technology giant talks up the success of its attempts to embrace agile IT delivery methods, and how it's shaping future customer engagements Continue Reading
E-Zine 15 Sep 2015

Opening doors to open source

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we look at the growing acceptance of open source software among corporate IT leaders, especially for developing digital business strategies. Our latest buyer’s guide examines the emerging best practice in next-generation service management. And we find out how organisations should be preparing for the forthcoming changes to EU data protection laws. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
E-Zine 11 Sep 2015

CW Europe – September 2015 edition

Find out the winners of the Computer Weekly European User Awards 2015. The awards aim to shine a light on businesses across Europe that have excelled in their approach to using technology. You can find a full list of winners in this issue and we have highlighted a few through in-depth case studies. Continue Reading
News 10 Sep 2015

UK CIOs lament lack of IT support for cloud services

Research from ElasticHosts suggests most cloud users are unhappy with the level of tech support they receive from their providers Continue Reading
News 08 Sep 2015

The Data School: Former Facebook employee launches training programme for future data analysts

After working at Facebook as a data analyst, Andy Kriebel explains why he moved to the UK and launched a training programme for data scientists Continue Reading
Opinion 04 Sep 2015

The importance of e-leadership in meeting digital challenges

Henley Business School identifies ICT trends that will alter the demand of e-skills, especially those needed by e-leaders Continue Reading