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Sideways Is Still Progress
What non‑linear careers are teaching us about skills and capability in tech
Anyone working in tech has felt this firsthand: careers don’t move in straight lines anymore. Roles shift faster than job descriptions can keep up, new technologies appear halfway through a project, and people often enter the industry from completely unexpected backgrounds. But even with all this change, the way we describe, hire, and develop talent still quietly relies on old, linear assumptions.
The interesting part isn’t just that careers are evolving — it’s what non‑linear paths consistently reveal about how skills and capability actually develop in tech.
What shows up in practice
Across technology, digital transformation, accessibility, and AI-enabled programmes, some of the most effective practitioners I’ve worked with didn’t start in “tech”.
They arrived from retail, logistics, sales, admin, education, or operations. Their CVs weren’t neat, but their judgement was strong. They were comfortable translating between stakeholders, navigating ambiguity, and learning tools quickly because they’d already had to adapt repeatedly.
Those sideways moves weren’t detours. They were where capability and some of these core skills was formed.
Skills accumulate, even when careers don’t align neatly
When people move across sectors, they often carry forward skills that are difficult to teach in isolation:
- Communicating across technical and non-technical audiences
- Working within constraints
- Spotting risk early
- Adapting to unfamiliar systems
- Learning through application rather than theory
These skills don’t always show up clearly on CVs, but they show up very quickly in delivery. In practice, they’re often what makes the difference between someone who knows a tool and someone who can use it effectively in a live environment.
Learning pathways that mirror real work
This is where apprenticeships and work-based learning tend to align well with tech roles, not because they are entry-level, but because they mirror how capability develops in fast-moving environments:
- Learning happens alongside delivery
- Knowledge is applied immediately
- Feedback is continuous and contextual
- Progression is based on live evidence, not confidence
For people who don’t thrive in purely academic settings — including many neurodivergent individuals this approach often unlocks capability that would otherwise remain hidden.
A note on neurodiversity and performance
One pattern that shows up repeatedly in tech teams is that some of the strongest problem-solvers don’t necessarily perform best in traditional recruitment or even educational settings.
Highly structured interviews and abstract questioning can favour presentation over practical reasoning. When assessment shifts closer to real work scenarios, tasks, live problems different strengths surface. This isn’t about lowering the bar. It’s about seeing performance more clearly.
What this means for the future tech workforce
As AI and automation continue to reshape roles, technical skills will remain essential, but they will also date faster.
The more longer-term capabilities are:
- Learning agility
- Systems thinking
- Ethical and contextual judgement
- Collaboration across disciplines
These tend to be well developed in people whose careers haven’t followed straight lines. Sideways experience doesn’t dilute technical capability it often strengthens it.
In tech, progress rarely happens in straight lines. Products iterate. Systems evolve. Skills stack. It makes sense that careers do the same.
Sideways isn’t a failure of direction, it's often where the most useful capability and adaptability are built.
If you are interested in finding out how the programs we offer can help your workforce please connect with me on Linkedin.
About the campaign
techUK’s TechTogether campaign, taking place throughout March, is a collection of activities highlighting the UK’s technology sector pursuit to shape a more equitable future. In 2026 we are exploring: Inclusive AI, investing in diverse founders and entrepreneurs, the power of allyship and mentorship, and empowering young people.
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Authors
Dimple Khagram
Dimple is an experienced education practitioner and entrepreneur. She has worked in the vocational education sector for more than 15 years in various roles, She has led teams of delivery, business development and setting up & running two successful training companies in the U.K.
