New year, new career – how to best prepare yourself for 2026
This is your go-to guide for preparing for a fresh start, understanding your options, and seeing how Learning People can support you every step of the way.
If you’re looking for a sign that its finally time to change careers, this is it. With a new year on the horizon, it’s the perfect time to pause, reflect, and think seriously about your future. If you’ve been feeling ready for a change, whether that’s stepping up in your current field or moving into something completely new, 2026 could be the year everything changes for you.
At Learning People, we believe a new and exciting career doesn’t have to be years away. In fact, if you start your studies now, you could be qualified and ready for a new role by Spring. With the right guidance, support, and training, a career in tech or project management can be closer than you think.
Written by
Sophi Barnes is an experienced Careers Services Consultant with a strong background in career coaching and deep expertise in the tech and project management job markets. She's passionate about supporting people through career transitions and into roles where they can thrive.
Choosing the right career path with confidence
One of the biggest challenges when changing career is knowing where to start. With so many roles in tech and project management, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.
That’s why we created My Career Match. A simple and free quiz to help guide you to a new career based on your interests, strengths, and long-term goals. In just a few minutes, you’ll be matched to a new sector and career recommendations to help you move forward with confidence.
Alongside My Career Match, our team of experts have pulled together a range of in-depth career guides to support people at different stages of life and work. Whether you are considering next steps after redundancy, are looking to transition from a background in nursing or education or are looking to pivot at a later stage in life, our guides are here to assist you with your decision. Each guide is designed to address common concerns, highlight transferable skills, and potential career paths into tech and project management.
Our career change guides cover:
- What to do after redundancy
- Career changes for nurses
- Transitioning from education
- Making a change at 30, 40 and even 50
Managing expectations, your new career in Project Management
Project management roles are vital for sectors such as IT, construction, healthcare, finance, and digital. The role, put simply, is to deliver change in a structured way. The core skills for the role are planning, people management, risk management and communication, a lot of these you may already possess from previous jobs.
Did you know, project management salaries within the UK are on the rise?
The mean salary for project management roles is £59,379 which represents an 8.2% YoY increase, exceeding the national average salary
Starting your career in project management could see you in a junior role such as project coordinator leading up to more senior roles such as programme manager or project director with salaries reaching over £100,000.
Get qualified in as little as 30 hours
If you have a passion for organising and planning, are a great communicator and like to work in teams, then a future in project management could be awaiting you and studying with Learning People means you are aligned with a trusted and globally-recognised official PMI® Authorised Training Partner with the Project Management Institute.
Don’t just take our word for it
Watch Lizzie’s story who transitioned from teaching to Project Management, landing a role at her dream company.
Breaking into Data, a career for the future
In a nutshell, data analysts collect, process, clean and analyse data to guide decision making and help solve business issues to save money and increase productivity.
Data roles continue to grow as organisations rely more heavily on data-driven decision making. In fact, due to increasing demand, we have recently introduced two new data pathways, helping learners enter this fast-growing field with confidence.
Did you know, almost half of UK businesses need more data professionals?
48% of UK businesses are actively recruiting for roles requiring data skills
Many data roles focus on practical tools and analysis, that go hand in hand with soft skills such as analytical thinking, communication and a learning mindset. A career in data would likely start with a junior position such as Data Analyst, moving into more senior roles like a Data Scientist or Data Manager with salaries reaching over £110,000.
Get qualified in as little as 60 hours
If you are a numbers-driven individual and love making a story out of data, then this could be the perfect pathway for you.
Deep diving into a career Cyber Security
One of the biggest issues facing businesses globally, cyber security roles are pivotal in protecting digital systems and data by identifying vulnerabilities and responding to incidents to prevent data breaches.
Cyber security is one of the fastest-growing areas in tech. As cyber threats increase, so does the demand for skilled professionals. In fact, 86% of organisations surveyed by Fortinet experienced one or more cyber-breaches in 2024 naming lack of IT security training as the main cause.
Get qualified in as little as 80 hours
To ensure we offer the best training possible, we have aligned our Security+ training to the UK Cyber Security Council’s skills framework to the Associate level. This means our students are aligned with the UK’s official cyber career and skills framework.
A starting cyber security role could be something like a Junior Cyber Security Technician working towards a senior role such as Cyber Security Engineer reaching salaries of over £100,000.
Not sure you can get into a cyber security career with no experience?
Watch Kaleb’s story, who kickstarted his career with no prior cyber roles.
Cracking the code to Software careers
From app development to building websites, software development and coding roles are at the heart of designing, developing, testing and maintaining applications, systems and websites.
With Adzuna recording over 78,000 new job postings in the first three quarters of 2025, it’s certainly a career with plenty of demand. Understandably, the industries with the highest demand for these roles are IT (e.g. sales, hospitality, PR, advertising), financial and insurance activities, professional, scientific and technical activities, and manufacturing.
Did you know? Salaries for coding and development jobs are 56.5% above the national mean salary
The mean salary for these roles is £65,063 which is a 5.8% YoY increase
Get qualified in as little as 84 hours
Coding roles suit problem solvers who enjoy building and improving digital products with challenges along the way. Kicking off your career in roles like Junior Developer, you can move towards becoming a Senior Backend Developer bringing in as much as £90,000 a year.
Not sure about the longevity of a career in coding?
Watch Jose’s story, who first enrolled with Learning People five years ago on a full stack course and is now deep into a fruitful career that he loves.
Support that goes beyond the course
Learning People is about more than qualifications, we are here to help you get into new careers, with ongoing support throughout your learning journey from StudentCare which includes:
- Dedicated 1:1 support in your studies
- Access to industry insights and job market advice
- Exclusive student webinars with industry figureheads
- Flexible learning designed to fit around your life
Our offering goes even beyond that with access to our Career Services team where you will receive more dedicated expert support to help you with:
- Building your professional profile
- Networking
- CV and cover letter guidance
- Job application assistance
- Job interview preparation
“Learning People's career services have been immensely helpful in boosting my confidence and belief in myself. I was able to perfect my CV and perform excellently in interviews, leading to great job offers. Now, I'm in the career position I've always wanted, thanks to their superb guidance and support.”
A Spring awakening and a fresh start in April
A new career in tech or project management could be just a few months away. By starting now, you give yourself the opportunity to be qualified and ready for new roles by Spring, setting you up for long-term success in 2026 and beyond.
With Learning People, you’re never navigating your career change alone. When signing up to one of our Pathways, you sign up to bespoke, industry-led support from our team of experts, for as long as you need it, ensuring you get the best result possible.
If you’re ready to take the first step, try My Career Match to explore your options, or book a free, no-obligation call with one of our Career Consultants. Your future career starts with a single decision – and there’s no better time than now.
Related Articles
ITMost in Demand IT Certifications (December 2025)
By combining our globally-recognised expertise and the latest industry reports, we have identified the top five certifications for IT professionals.
Read More
Women in TechRising demand for women in tech
Growing awareness of the gender gap in STEM professions is spurring a rising demand for women in tech.
Read More
TechWhy IT skills are your ticket to global career success
Unlock a world of opportunities with IT skills. From remote work to cross-border collaboration, these skills are your gateway to a thriving career in tech.
Read More
CodeWhat is blockchain used for? Real-world technologies that utilise blockchain
Let’s examine some of the most prominent and promising uses of Blockchain technology.
Read More