One in Four Students Pivot to Tech Careers Post-Pandemic

Tech Dreams: 22% of Teens are Tapping into the Digital Future

Since the pandemic hit, almost a quarter of kids aged 16‑17 across the UK have decided to chart a path into tech. A fresh study by Talent Works—the proud backbones of emerging UK startups—highlights this shift. The research scoured the minds of 400 students and early‑career tech professionals, peeling back the layers of their education and how they slipped into the digital realm.

Key Take‑aways from the Study

22% “Tech‑Luthiers” – One in five tweens are planning to build careers in the silicon sphere.
Age 16‑17s are the newest social buzz: “I want to code, not just code for a living!”
People say the pandemic made the playground of tech shine brighter, offering more doors.
Over 400 participants: 200 students, 200 budding professionals—so the view isn’t limited to a single corner.

Why the Numbers Matter

The figure isn’t just a trivial statistic; it’s a signal that the next generation is itching to dive into the computer world. When more teens launch into IT, the tiny skills that help businesses grow are already being cultivated. Developers, designers, data nerds… the pipeline is filling up faster than a laptop’s battery during a coding marathon.

ScaleUp Week: The Celebration of New Ideas

Coincidentally, this research rolled out hand in hand with the launch of ScaleUp Week. It’s a gathering where UK scale‑up leaders stare at the key challenges growing companies wrestle with. Think of it as a startup jamboree where ideas are exchanged, problems dissected, and mentors sprinkle their magic dust. The knowledge shared there gets heartbreakingly useful for those 16‑17-year-olds eyeing careers in the tech trenches.

What’s Next?

With nearly a quarter of teens eyeing tech, the next sprint should be focused on mentoring, skill‑building, and real‑world projects that ignite the imagination. The challenge for universities and private enterprises is to match this enthusiasm with the right resources—and maybe a cup or two of espresso, because coding at night is exhausting.

Large vs small organisations

Why Fresh Tech Talent Is Still Swayed By Big‑Name Companies

A recent survey by Talent Works throws a spotlight on how most young tech professionals are being nudged toward big, box‑sized firms when they step out of university.

Key Takeaways

46% of graduates get a gentle (or not so gentle) push from their desks to jump straight into a mature company.
Only 23% of these bright minds are left without any career guidance at all.
The advice that follows? “Skip the smaller, up‑and‑coming startups. Stick with the giants.”

It’s a classic case of the “big house” myth still eating up dreams of nimble, fast‑growth ventures.

But Look At the Numbers

Even though the advice stacks up favoring established firms, the UK’s startup scene was a roaring success in 2020. Tech startups across the country pulled together a whopping £422.55 bn in valuation.

So while the mainstream narrative pushes young talents toward the safe path, the underground market is pulsing with opportunities that some might be missing out on.

Different experiences for male and female talent

Finding Your First Tech Gig? It’s a Lot Harder Than You Think

When fresh grads are asked how easy—or not easy—spotting a tech job was, only 7 % say it felt “very easy.” 81 % wrestle with a chase that feels, well, hard. Women lead the struggle: 31 % find it tough, compared to 21 % of their male counterparts.

Also, 1 in 5 respondents (21 %) feel that the tech classes inside university walls are stuffed and offer little insight once they step into the real‑world jungle. The gap between lecture halls and landing a job feels wider than a museum gap year.

Who Sparks the Tech Flame?

Parents – 27 % (though for women, it dips to 21 %)
Teachers & pre‑uni education – 24 % overall, with a whopping 54 % of women citing this source
University professors – 18 %
Role models – 15 % (again, less for women at 29 % vs 44 % for men)

So looks like teachers hold a lot of the torch—especially for the ladies.

Do the Courses Live Up?

When judging their tech education, men are the cheerleaders: 26 % rate it “very good,” whereas only 17 % of women do. More than half of the women (54 %) say the guidance they received was “poor–neutral,” compared to just 41 % of the guys.

Comments from the Experts

Adam Hale, Chair of the ScaleUp Institute, calls it a crucial moment. “Thoughts about where we place our girls… from the very start, they’re missing out,” he says. He points out that computing is a 19th‑ranked A‑Level subject overall but sneaks to 28th for women. The message: Encourage girls in the classroom and pave the road to STEM.

Paul Newnes, Head of Innovation at Talent Works, adds a launchpad twist: “Tech roles are exploding, yet we need fresh talent to fuel the growth. Encouragement starts in schools, but we must hand them the right compass to navigate their careers. And, hey, startups and scale‑ups are where the next wave will ride—so don’t just look for giants.”