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If you love computing, have an interest in coding and software development, then why not consider a career as a software engineer? As a software engineer, you could be working on app or web development so if you have a passion for computer science and a strong attention to detail, then you’ll have a strong foundation for a successful career.

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What does a software engineer do?

As a software engineer, you’ll be a part of the creation of new products and services right from its conceptualisation to its release and even beyond. You’ll work in sprints to meet requirements and release new versions of the products you’re working on. Initially, you’ll be a part of the early stages of the development of the product, bringing designs and ideas to life. Then, you’ll be responsible for testing the product, identifying any bugs or issues and resolving them. After the product’s release, you’ll likely continue to work on it, refining its features or adding new ones.

What’s it like to work as a software engineer?

In your day-to-day role, you’ll have a range of responsibilities to manage. You might have to

• Communicate with the client to clarify their requirements
• Meet with other engineers and designers to discuss technical requirements
• Write, edit and fix computer code
• Perform software tests to identify and solve any issues
• Maintain support systems
• Refine and revise the software according to feedback from stakeholders
• Keep a record of updates and changes made

What skills do you need to be a software engineer?

In order to be a successful software engineer, you’ll need to master the following skills:

• Ability to come up with new and innovative ideas and solutions
• Ability to write compute programs
• Analytical and critical thinking
• Attention to detail
• Communication
• Knowledge of different coding languages
• Problem-solving skills
• Strong understanding of computers and different operating systems
• Understanding of programming

How much does a software engineer earn?

An early career software engineer can expect a starting salary of around £28,000. However, the salary for software engineers can go up to around £70,000 with experience.

How to become a software engineer

Traditionally, this career path required an undergraduate degree in a related subject, such as software engineering or computer science. Now, however, you do have more options than just an undergraduate degree. Some of the common routes into this career path include:

Study a software engineering degree

The traditional method, and one of the most popular ones. Typically, the course will take three years to complete, though you may be able to extend this to a four-year course by adding a foundation year, or a year in industry. You might even have the chance to extend your degree by studying abroad for a year.

Most software engineering courses ask for between 112 and 128 UCAS points, and you might also need to have an A-level or equivalent in a related subject such as maths or computer science.

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Apprenticeship

An apprenticeship is an ideal way to combine work and study, and there are opportunities to do a degree apprenticeship in software engineering or computer science. If you choose this path, it’ll typically take three years, but you’ll earn a salary while you study. You’ll be working for an employer, who will both pay your salary and your tuition, so you won’t need to worry about student loans.

On this route, you could expect to be working for your employer four days a week and spending one day a week on your studies.

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Postgraduate study

Completing a master’s degree in software engineering or computer science is a great way to stand out from other applicants and to deepen your knowledge gained from your bachelor’s degree. Most employers will want you to have studied software engineering or computer science at the degree level, so this route is a great way into the career if you studied a related degree and want to make your education more specialised to your career path.

Typically, master’s degrees take one to two years to study, and you’ll need to have studied a related subject at the undergraduate level.

Top universities for computer science

Want to know where you could learn to become a software engineer? Check out the top five unis on Complete University Guide's Computer Science Subject League Table...

• Univeristy of Cambridge
• University of Oxford
• Imperial College London
• University of St Andrews
• University of Warwick

Next: Read our Software Development Professional Career Guide