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IT career paths

What each role really involves, what you would learn, and how you will know you are ready. Switching paths later keeps every lesson you have finished.

Web Development

Build the websites and web apps people open every day.

What people in this role do

  • Turn a design into pages that work on phones and laptops.
  • Write HTML for structure, CSS for layout and look, JavaScript for behaviour.
  • Connect pages to data from a server, such as a login or a product list.
  • Fix layout and behaviour bugs reported by users or testers.

Beginner skills

  • HTML
  • CSS and responsive layout
  • JavaScript basics
  • Git and GitHub
  • Reading browser developer tools

Tools you will learn

  • A code editor (VS Code)
  • A web browser and its developer tools
  • Git and GitHub
  • GitHub Pages or a free host to publish

A sample practical project

A personal profile page

A one-page site about you, your skills and your projects, that works on a phone and is published online with a real link.

Entry-level job titles to search for

  • Junior Frontend Developer
  • Web Developer Trainee
  • UI Developer (fresher)
  • Frontend Intern

Useful to know before you start

  • Using a computer or phone browser comfortably
  • Basic English reading (code keywords are English words)

How readiness is assessed

  • Two or three published projects with readable code on GitHub.
  • You can build a small page from a picture of a design without a tutorial.
  • You can explain what your code does, line by line.

What you would learn, stage by stage

Your own roadmap is planned from this and your answers, so it may skip, merge or add stages.

  1. 1.How the internet and the web workBrowsers, servers and URLs · Requests and responses in developer tools
  2. 2.HTML fundamentalsYour first HTML page · Headings, lists, links and images · Page structure and accessibility
  3. 3.CSS and responsive layoutColours, fonts and spacing · The box model · Flexbox layouts · Making pages work on phones
  4. 4.JavaScript basicsVariables, conditions and loops · Functions · Changing the page with the DOM · Responding to clicks and forms
  5. 5.Git, GitHub and publishingSaving work with Git commits · Pushing to GitHub · Publishing with GitHub Pages
  6. 6.Working with data and APIsWhat JSON looks like · Fetching data from a public API · Showing loading and error states
  7. 7.Projects and job readinessPortfolio projects · Resume · Interview practice · Applying safely

Software Development and Programming

Solve problems by writing programs, from small tools to large systems.

What people in this role do

  • Break a problem into steps and write code that solves it.
  • Read and change code that other people wrote, which is most of the job.
  • Write tests so a change today does not break something tomorrow.
  • Work with a team using Git, code reviews and task boards.

Beginner skills

  • One programming language (Python is a good first choice)
  • Variables, conditions, loops and functions
  • Basic data structures (lists, dictionaries)
  • Problem solving
  • Git

Tools you will learn

  • Python
  • VS Code
  • The terminal (command line)
  • Git and GitHub

A sample practical project

A student marks calculator

A program that reads marks from a file, calculates totals and grades, and prints a clear report, with tests that prove it is correct.

Entry-level job titles to search for

  • Graduate Engineer Trainee
  • Associate Software Engineer
  • Junior Python Developer
  • Software Developer Intern

Useful to know before you start

  • School-level maths (logic matters more than advanced maths)
  • Patience with trial and error

How readiness is assessed

  • You can solve easy coding problems on your own in 20 to 30 minutes.
  • Two projects on GitHub with tests and a README.
  • You can explain your approach out loud before you write code.

What you would learn, stage by stage

Your own roadmap is planned from this and your answers, so it may skip, merge or add stages.

  1. 1.Thinking in stepsBreaking a problem into steps · Writing pseudocode · Tracing steps by hand
  2. 2.First Python programsInstalling or opening Python online · Printing, input and variables · Numbers and text
  3. 3.Conditions and loopsif, elif and else · for and while loops · Solving small problems with loops
  4. 4.FunctionsWriting and calling functions · Parameters and return values · Breaking a program into functions
  5. 5.Lists, dictionaries and filesLists · Dictionaries · Reading and writing files · Handling errors
  6. 6.Testing and GitWriting simple tests · Debugging step by step · Git and GitHub for your code
  7. 7.Projects and job readinessPortfolio projects · Resume · Interview practice · Applying safely

Software Testing and QA Automation

Find problems before users do, and automate the checks.

What people in this role do

  • Read what a feature should do and design test cases for it.
  • Test apps by hand to find bugs, then write clear bug reports.
  • Write automated tests that click through a website or call an API.
  • Work with developers to confirm a bug is really fixed.

Beginner skills

  • Writing test cases
  • Writing clear bug reports
  • Basic HTML (to understand web pages)
  • Basic programming for automation
  • API testing basics

Tools you will learn

  • A browser and its developer tools
  • A bug tracker (Jira or GitHub Issues)
  • Postman for API testing
  • Selenium or Playwright for automation

A sample practical project

Test plan and automated checks for a demo shop

Write test cases and bug reports for a public practice website, then automate the five most important checks.

Entry-level job titles to search for

  • QA Engineer (fresher)
  • Software Test Engineer Trainee
  • Manual Tester
  • QA Automation Intern

Useful to know before you start

  • Careful attention to detail
  • Clear written communication

How readiness is assessed

  • A test plan and five clear bug reports for a real practice app.
  • An automated test suite on GitHub that runs with one command.
  • You can explain how you decide what to test first.

What you would learn, stage by stage

Your own roadmap is planned from this and your answers, so it may skip, merge or add stages.

  1. 1.How software is built and testedWhat testers do · The software development life cycle · Types of testing
  2. 2.Test cases and bug reportsWriting clear test cases · Boundary values and edge cases · Writing a bug report developers can act on
  3. 3.Web basics for testersHTML and the page structure · Using browser developer tools to find problems
  4. 4.Manual testing practiceExploratory testing · Testing forms and logins · Testing on phones and different browsers
  5. 5.API testingWhat an API is · Sending requests with Postman · Checking status codes and responses
  6. 6.Programming and browser automationJavaScript or Python basics for testers · Your first automated browser test · Running tests with one command
  7. 7.Projects and job readinessPortfolio projects · Resume · Interview practice · Applying safely

Cloud and DevOps

Run software reliably on servers and automate how it is delivered.

What people in this role do

  • Set up servers, networks and storage on cloud platforms like AWS or Azure.
  • Automate how code is built, tested and released (CI/CD).
  • Watch systems with dashboards and alerts, and fix them when they break.
  • Write scripts and configuration files instead of clicking by hand.

Beginner skills

  • Linux command line
  • Networking basics
  • Git
  • One scripting language
  • One cloud platform's basics

Tools you will learn

  • Linux
  • Git
  • Docker
  • A cloud free tier (AWS, Azure or GCP)
  • GitHub Actions

A sample practical project

Deploy a small website automatically

Put a simple site in a container and set up a pipeline that publishes it every time you push to GitHub.

Entry-level job titles to search for

  • Cloud Support Associate
  • Junior DevOps Engineer
  • Systems Engineer Trainee
  • NOC / Operations Engineer (fresher)

Useful to know before you start

  • Some programming or web basics first makes this path much easier

How readiness is assessed

  • A project that builds and deploys automatically from GitHub.
  • You can explain what happens between a git push and a live website.

What you would learn, stage by stage

Your own roadmap is planned from this and your answers, so it may skip, merge or add stages.

  1. 1.How servers and the web workWhat a server is · How a website reaches your phone · What 'the cloud' really means
  2. 2.The Linux command lineMoving around files and folders · Users and permissions · Installing and running programs
  3. 3.Networking basicsIP addresses and ports · DNS and domain names · HTTP and HTTPS
  4. 4.Git and scriptingGit basics · Your first shell script · Automating a daily task
  5. 5.Containers with DockerWhy containers exist · Running a container · Writing a Dockerfile
  6. 6.CI/CD pipelinesWhat CI/CD means · A GitHub Actions workflow · Deploying a site automatically
  7. 7.Cloud basics and monitoringFree-tier accounts and staying within limits · Virtual machines and storage · Logs, dashboards and alerts
  8. 8.Projects and job readinessPortfolio projects · Resume · Interview practice · Applying safely

Data and Analytics

Turn raw numbers into answers that help people decide.

What people in this role do

  • Collect and clean data from spreadsheets, databases and files.
  • Ask questions with SQL and summarise the answers.
  • Build charts and dashboards that explain what is happening.
  • Present findings clearly to people who are not technical.

Beginner skills

  • Spreadsheets (formulas, pivot tables)
  • SQL
  • Basic statistics
  • Python for data (pandas)
  • Charts

Tools you will learn

  • Google Sheets or Excel
  • SQL (SQLite or PostgreSQL)
  • Python with pandas
  • A dashboard tool such as Looker Studio

A sample practical project

Analyse your district's rainfall data

Download a public dataset, clean it, answer five questions with SQL or Python, and present the answers in a simple dashboard.

Entry-level job titles to search for

  • Data Analyst Trainee
  • Junior Business Analyst
  • MIS Executive
  • Reporting Analyst (fresher)

Useful to know before you start

  • Comfort with school-level maths and percentages

How readiness is assessed

  • Two analysis projects with a clear question, method and answer.
  • You can write SQL to answer a business question without help.

What you would learn, stage by stage

Your own roadmap is planned from this and your answers, so it may skip, merge or add stages.

  1. 1.Spreadsheets for analysisFormulas and cell references · Sorting, filtering and cleaning · Pivot tables
  2. 2.Thinking with dataAsking a clear question · Types of data · Spotting mistakes and missing values
  3. 3.SQLSELECT and WHERE · GROUP BY and totals · Joining two tables
  4. 4.Statistics basicsAverage, median and spread · Percentages and growth · Why correlation is not cause
  5. 5.Python for dataPython basics for analysts · Loading a CSV with pandas · Cleaning and summarising with pandas
  6. 6.Charts and dashboardsChoosing the right chart · Building a simple dashboard · Presenting findings to non-technical people
  7. 7.Projects and job readinessPortfolio projects · Resume · Interview practice · Applying safely

Cybersecurity

Protect systems and people from attacks, and respond when something goes wrong.

What people in this role do

  • Watch alerts and logs for signs of an attack, and decide what is real.
  • Find weak settings, outdated software and risky passwords before attackers do.
  • Help people avoid phishing and scams with clear advice.
  • Follow a plan when an incident happens, and write down what was learned.

Beginner skills

  • Networking basics
  • Linux command line
  • How the web and logins work
  • Common attacks and defences
  • Reading logs

Tools you will learn

  • Linux
  • Wireshark (to see network traffic)
  • A password manager
  • Practice labs such as TryHackMe's free rooms or OWASP Juice Shop

A sample practical project

Security check of a practice web app

Test a deliberately vulnerable practice app (never a real site), write up three issues you found, how they work and how to fix them.

Entry-level job titles to search for

  • SOC Analyst (L1, fresher)
  • Security Operations Trainee
  • IT Security Associate
  • Vulnerability Assessment Intern

Useful to know before you start

  • Curiosity about how things break
  • Some networking or Linux first helps a lot
  • Only ever practise on systems you have permission to test

How readiness is assessed

  • Write-ups of three practice-lab exercises explaining what you did and why it worked.
  • You can explain a phishing email, a weak password and an unpatched server to a non-technical person.

What you would learn, stage by stage

Your own roadmap is planned from this and your answers, so it may skip, merge or add stages.

  1. 1.Security basics and ethicsWhat cybersecurity protects · Confidentiality, integrity and availability · Legal and ethical rules: only test with permission
  2. 2.Computers and networksIP addresses, ports and protocols · How DNS and HTTP work · Seeing traffic with Wireshark
  3. 3.Linux for securityCommand-line basics · Users, groups and permissions · Reading system logs
  4. 4.How the web and logins workCookies and sessions · Passwords, hashing and two-factor sign-in · HTTPS and certificates
  5. 5.Common attacksPhishing and social engineering · Malware and ransomware · Web attacks: SQL injection and XSS
  6. 6.Defence and monitoringUpdates, firewalls and least privilege · Alerts and logs in a SOC · Responding to an incident
  7. 7.Projects and job readinessPortfolio projects · Resume · Interview practice · Applying safely

Mobile App Development

Build the Android and iPhone apps people use every day.

What people in this role do

  • Build app screens from a design, with buttons, lists and forms.
  • Store data on the phone and load data from a server.
  • Test the app on different phones and screen sizes.
  • Publish updates and fix crashes users report.

Beginner skills

  • Programming basics
  • One app framework (Flutter or React Native)
  • Layouts for small screens
  • Working with APIs
  • Git

Tools you will learn

  • Flutter (Dart) or React Native (JavaScript)
  • Android Studio or an online editor
  • An Android phone or emulator
  • Git and GitHub

A sample practical project

A daily expense tracker

An app where you add expenses, see the total for the month and keep the data after closing the app.

Entry-level job titles to search for

  • Junior Flutter Developer
  • Android Developer Trainee
  • Mobile App Developer (fresher)
  • Mobile Intern

Useful to know before you start

  • An Android phone helps for testing
  • A computer is needed for most of this path; start with programming basics on a phone if not

How readiness is assessed

  • Two working apps on GitHub with screenshots and a README.
  • You can build a screen from a design and explain how its data flows.

What you would learn, stage by stage

Your own roadmap is planned from this and your answers, so it may skip, merge or add stages.

  1. 1.Programming basicsVariables, conditions and loops · Functions · Lists and objects
  2. 2.How mobile apps workAndroid and iOS apps · Screens, widgets and state · Choosing Flutter or React Native
  3. 3.Your first appSetting up the tools · A screen with text, an image and a button · Responding to taps
  4. 4.Layouts and navigationRows, columns and lists · Forms and input · Moving between screens
  5. 5.Data and APIsSaving data on the phone · Loading data from an API · Loading and error states
  6. 6.Testing and publishingTesting on different screen sizes · Finding and fixing crashes · Building an APK and what publishing involves
  7. 7.Projects and job readinessPortfolio projects · Resume · Interview practice · Applying safely

UI/UX Design

Design apps and websites that are easy and pleasant to use.

What people in this role do

  • Talk to users to understand what they need and where they get stuck.
  • Sketch screens, then build clickable prototypes in a design tool.
  • Choose layouts, colours and text so screens are clear and accessible.
  • Work with developers so the built product matches the design.

Beginner skills

  • Design basics (layout, colour, type)
  • User research basics
  • Wireframes and prototypes
  • Accessibility
  • Figma

Tools you will learn

  • Figma (free plan)
  • Paper and pen for sketches
  • A phone and browser to study real apps

A sample practical project

Redesign a local service's booking flow

Pick a real task such as booking a bus ticket, talk to three people about it, then design and test a simpler flow in Figma.

Entry-level job titles to search for

  • Junior UI/UX Designer
  • Product Design Intern
  • UI Designer (fresher)
  • UX Research Assistant

Useful to know before you start

  • Interest in how people use things
  • Drawing skill is not needed

How readiness is assessed

  • Two case studies that show the problem, research, designs and what you changed after testing.
  • You can explain why each design choice helps the user.

What you would learn, stage by stage

Your own roadmap is planned from this and your answers, so it may skip, merge or add stages.

  1. 1.What UI/UX design isUI versus UX · The design thinking process · Studying apps you use every day
  2. 2.Visual design basicsLayout, spacing and alignment · Colour and contrast · Choosing and using fonts
  3. 3.Understanding usersAsking good interview questions · Personas and user journeys · Finding the real problem
  4. 4.Wireframes and FigmaSketching on paper · Figma basics: frames, shapes and text · Components and auto layout
  5. 5.Prototypes and testingMaking a clickable prototype · Running a simple usability test · Improving a design from feedback
  6. 6.Accessibility and handoffDesigning for everyone · Mobile-first and responsive design · Handing designs to developers
  7. 7.Projects and job readinessPortfolio projects · Resume · Interview practice · Applying safely

AI and Machine Learning

Teach computers to find patterns in data and make useful predictions.

What people in this role do

  • Collect and clean data so a model can learn from it.
  • Train and compare models, and check how often they are wrong.
  • Build small apps that use AI models, including large language models.
  • Explain a model's limits and risks honestly to the people who use it.

Beginner skills

  • Python
  • Working with data (pandas)
  • School maths: averages, graphs, probability
  • Machine learning basics
  • Using AI models through an API

Tools you will learn

  • Python
  • Google Colab (free, runs in a browser)
  • pandas and scikit-learn
  • Public datasets such as Kaggle or data.gov.in

A sample practical project

Predict crop yield from rainfall

Use a public dataset to train a simple model, measure how accurate it is, and explain where it goes wrong.

Entry-level job titles to search for

  • ML Engineer Trainee
  • Data Science Intern
  • AI Application Developer (fresher)
  • Junior Data Scientist

Useful to know before you start

  • Comfort with school maths
  • Python first: this path starts with it
  • Most AI jobs also expect strong programming and data skills

How readiness is assessed

  • Two notebooks or apps on GitHub with a clear question, data, model, results and limits.
  • You can explain overfitting, train and test data, and accuracy in plain words.

What you would learn, stage by stage

Your own roadmap is planned from this and your answers, so it may skip, merge or add stages.

  1. 1.Python for AIPython basics · Lists, dictionaries and functions · Using Google Colab
  2. 2.Working with dataLoading data with pandas · Cleaning and exploring data · Charts to understand data
  3. 3.Maths you needAverages, spread and probability · Graphs and straight lines · What 'learning from data' means
  4. 4.Machine learning basicsTraining and test data · Your first model with scikit-learn · Classification and regression
  5. 5.Checking modelsAccuracy and its traps · Overfitting · Improving a model step by step
  6. 6.Building with AI modelsHow large language models work, simply · Calling an AI model from code · Bias, privacy and responsible AI
  7. 7.Projects and job readinessPortfolio projects · Resume · Interview practice · Applying safely

IT Support and Networking

Keep computers, networks and users working, every day.

What people in this role do

  • Help users fix problems with computers, printers, email and Wi-Fi.
  • Set up laptops, user accounts and software for new staff.
  • Install and look after office networks, switches and routers.
  • Log every issue in a ticket system and write simple how-to guides.

Beginner skills

  • Computer hardware basics
  • Windows and Linux
  • Networking basics
  • Troubleshooting step by step
  • Clear communication with users

Tools you will learn

  • Windows and Linux
  • Cisco Packet Tracer (free network simulator)
  • Remote support tools
  • A ticket system such as GitHub Issues for practice

A sample practical project

Design a small office network

Plan and simulate a network for a 10-person office in Packet Tracer, with Wi-Fi, a printer and internet, and write a troubleshooting guide for it.

Entry-level job titles to search for

  • IT Support Engineer (L1)
  • Desktop Support Technician
  • Network Support Trainee
  • Help Desk Analyst

Useful to know before you start

  • Patience and a calm way of explaining
  • No programming needed to start

How readiness is assessed

  • A simulated office network and a written troubleshooting guide.
  • You can solve common computer and Wi-Fi problems by following a clear method.

What you would learn, stage by stage

Your own roadmap is planned from this and your answers, so it may skip, merge or add stages.

  1. 1.Computer hardwareParts of a computer · Assembling and upgrading · Diagnosing hardware faults
  2. 2.Operating systemsInstalling Windows and Linux · Users, files and permissions · Updates and drivers
  3. 3.Troubleshooting methodA step-by-step troubleshooting process · Common PC and printer problems · Writing a clear ticket
  4. 4.Networking basicsIP addresses and subnets · DHCP and DNS · Fixing 'no internet' problems
  5. 5.Routers, switches and Wi-FiSwitches and routers · Building a network in Packet Tracer · Setting up secure Wi-Fi
  6. 6.Users, security and supportAccounts and passwords · Backups and recovery · Helping users clearly and calmly
  7. 7.Projects and job readinessPortfolio projects · Resume · Interview practice · Applying safely

Job titles are examples of what to search for on job sites. Openings, requirements and pay vary by company and city, and no course can guarantee a job.