IT is wider than programming
Many students hear "IT" and think only of software developers. In practice, companies also need people who connect business processes with technology: configuring enterprise systems, turning data into decisions and managing projects.
Three families of roles
Enterprise systems (SAP and other ERP)
SAP and similar platforms run finance, supply chain, HR and sales for large organisations. Roles split into:
- Functional consultants, who understand a business area (say, finance or procurement) and configure the system for it.
- Technical consultants, who build integrations, reports and extensions.
SAP lists its current learning paths and certifications on SAP Learning (checked 2026-10-28).
Data and analytics
Analysts clean, combine and interpret data to answer business questions. Typical tools include spreadsheets, SQL, a visualisation tool and, increasingly, Python. Roles range from business analyst to data analyst and, with deeper statistics and programming, data scientist.
Business technology and project roles
Business analysts, product owners and IT project managers translate what the business needs into what technology teams build.
Skills that carry across all three
- Structured problem-solving.
- Comfort with numbers and logic.
- Clear writing and explanation for non-technical colleagues.
- Curiosity about how a business actually makes money.
Choosing your path
Ask yourself three questions:
- Do I enjoy understanding business processes, or building things, or finding patterns in data?
- Am I happier with clients and meetings, or with focused solo work?
- Which subjects have I genuinely enjoyed, not just scored well in?
Your answers point more reliably to a role than salary headlines do. A short, structured conversation with a mentor can help you test those answers against real role demands.