5 Entry-Level Tech Roles to Kickstart Your Career with No Experience
Are you looking to break into tech but have no prior work experience and are usure where to start? I’ve broken down five entry-level tech roles that can help you get your foot in the door, explaining the qualifications that’ll help you get them, their typical salaries, and their key responsibilities.
In the tech sectors, getting a job with no experience might feel impossible in 2026. With an ever-evolving digital landscape and increased implementation of AI, it can feel difficult to know where to begin and how to match your skills to industry demand.
Fear not, I’ve done the hard work for you and broken down five entry-level roles within different tech sectors, complete with salary indicators and potential progression pathways.
With no prior experience required, these job roles can help you kickstart a long and rewarding career in tech.
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Adam is a Senior Career Consultant at Learning People, specialising in helping people move into IT, Project Management, Cyber Security, Software Development, and Cloud Computing roles through personalised 1:1 consultation. He understands well which skills and certifications employers value most in today’s fast-evolving tech landscape.
1. IT Help Desk/Service Desk Analyst
Overview and responsibilities
This is the most accessible and popular gateway into tech. Help desk Tier 1 roles are usually open to those with little or no prior experience. In fact, many employers will actively consider candidates with customer service backgrounds or general technical interests for their transferable skills.
Typically, these roles respond to IT help requests, record details of issues, find and fix faults, install new IT systems, set up and manage user accounts and train people on how to correctly use software.
Success story
Jamil previously studied to become a Graphic Designer but switched to a cybersecurity pathway with us and now works as a Service Desk Analyst for The Royal Household. Watch his story below.
From Graphic Design to Cybersecurity – Jamil's story
Certifications and salary
Completing your CompTIA A+ qualification can boost your chances significantly for roles like this, and with salaries ranging from $55,000-$70,000 AUD and $50,000-$65,000 NZD, it’s a great starting point for your IT career.
Progression
Progression for this role is vast, with opportunities spanning across network engineering, database administration, systems analytics and even into IT security.
2. Junior Cybersecurity Analyst/SOC Analyst
Overview and responsibilities
This is one of the best-paid entry points in tech. Entry-level junior cybersecurity roles, such as SOC Analysts or Trainee Security Analysts, are accessible to those without prior industry experience but who demonstrate the right skills.
A Junior Cybersecurity/SOC Analyst acts as the first line of defence, responsible for 24/7 monitoring of security systems, analysing alerts, and conducting initial triage of potential threats. Key duties include phishing analysis, vulnerability scanning, documenting incidents, and escalating complex issues to senior analysts.
Success story
James wanted a change from teaching, and after enrolling on our cybersecurity pathway, he successfully landed a role as a SOC Analyst, putting his new skills to practice.
From Teaching to Cybersecurity
Certifications
The best way to start your cybersecurity career with no experience is to learn networking fundamentals, like CompTIA Security+. Building home labs and having a portfolio which showcases your skills will help you stand out in the job market.
Salary and progression
With salaries in the UK ranging from $65,000-$80,000 AUD and $60,000-$80,000 NZD, this is an excellent and rewarding career starting point with potential to move into higher-paying roles such as SOC Team Lead, SOC Manager, or Director of Security Operations.
3. Junior Data Analyst
Overview and responsibilities
A job in demand across virtually every sector, this entry-level role is the perfect stepping stone to your data career.
You'll clean, analyse, and visualise data to help teams make decisions.
Success story
Ashton enrolled with us with no prior IT or data experience, but with dedicated help from our StudentCare and Career Services teams, she is now confident enough to pursue her dream role in data analytics.
Kickstarting her Data Career
Certifications
CompTIA Data+ or Azure Data Fundamentals are the best certifications if you're starting from scratch, plus a few solid projects in your portfolio will boost your CV and job hunt.
Progression and salary
With salaries ranging from $60,000-$75,000 AUD and $55,000-$70,000 NZD a year, and with plenty of global demand, this is a fantastic starting position. Want to develop your career? Data analyst roles can develop into more specialist senior roles such as Data Scientist, Data Engineer or even Chief Data Officer.
4. Junior Cloud Support/Cloud Operations Associate
Overview and responsibilities
As cloud adoption accelerates, entry-level cloud roles are booming. Cloud roles are consistently among the highest-paying positions in the UK IT market, reflecting the acute shortage of cloud-certified professionals.
These roles are primarily responsible for monitoring, maintaining, and troubleshooting cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, or GCP) to ensure high availability, performance, and security.
Certifications
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, AWS Certified Solutions Architect and CompTIA Cloud+ are all fantastic entry-level certifications specifically designed for beginners with no experience.
Progression and salary
Developing your cloud skills can grow into some incredibly interesting careers with senior roles and specialisms, including Cloud Architect, Cloud Security Specialist, or even Data Engineer (Cloud).
Salaries for entry-level cloud positions range from $65,000–$85,000 AUD and $60,000–$80,000 NZD.
5. Junior Software Developer/Junior Software Engineer
Overview and responsibilities
A fantastic role for coders. You'll write, test, and maintain code under the guidance of senior developers; most roles require a coding or software certification.
Success story
Jose enrolled with us in 2020 with no prior experience in code. He now has a fruitful career, which he loves as a Back End Developer.
From Account Manager to Backend Developer
Certifications
As someone with no experience, we recommend starting with Front-end PLUS or ISTQB® Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL). These courses are designed to give you a comprehensive understanding of coding and its core principles.
Key languages to learn for these roles are Python, JavaScript, or C#, depending on the sector. A portfolio of personal or bootcamp projects can easily substitute for work experience.
Progression and salary
Salaries for junior roles sit between $69,000–$102,000 AUD and $56,000–$74,500 NZD a year, with the opportunity to specialise and develop into more senior roles such as Senior Software Engineer, Senior Developer, Lead Developer and Principal Engineer.
Opening the door to your tech career
Still not sure which tech career is best suited to you? Don’t worry, we have just the tool. Our career matching quiz is a quick and free way of pairing your skills, personality and future goals to a career in tech or project management. In as little as five minutes, you’ll have a clearer idea of the routes you can go down and how to start your new dream career.
The best route to getting bespoke advice for your career is to arrange a free, no-obligation call with one of our Tech Career Consultants who are experts in this field.