The pathway
How you actually get there, here
How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.
- 1
Operations Administrator / Coordinator
1-2 yearsSkills to master
- Strong understanding of daily operational workflows, basic system transaction processing, data entry accuracy, and identifying common user pain points.
You're ready to move on when
- You're the 'go-to' person in your current team for system questions.
- You've shown initiative in trying to solve system issues before escalating.
- You have a knack for spotting data errors or process inefficiencies.
- 2
IT Helpdesk / Service Desk Analyst
1-2 yearsSkills to master
- Excellent troubleshooting skills, incident management, customer service for technical issues, and understanding of IT infrastructure basics.
You're ready to move on when
- You've consistently resolved L1/L2 tickets within SLAs.
- You're good at explaining technical issues to non-technical users.
- You've shown an interest in understanding the business context behind the IT issues.
- 3
Recent Graduate (Business/IT/Supply Chain)
0 years (direct entry)Skills to master
- Foundational knowledge of business processes, analytical thinking, ability to learn new technologies quickly, and strong academic performance in relevant modules.
You're ready to move on when
- You've completed relevant projects or dissertations focusing on business systems or operations.
- You're eager to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world operational challenges.
- You've demonstrated strong problem-solving skills through academic or extracurricular activities.


