From selling saucepans to stacking shelves: IT leaders reveal their first jobs

But programming roles were rare

In the midst of the talent crisis, tech executives need to look to new markets for skilled workers - and perhaps they should consider their own first roles when doing so.

Intriguingly, most of the members of the IT Leaders 100 began their careers pulling pints, jumping in skips or selling shoes, rather than coding and calculating.

While some were lucky enough to head straight into tech, they were the exception to the rule. The majority began where most teenagers start: Saturday paper rounds and - maybe, if they were lucky - making tea.

Clearly even today's top CIOs and CTOs weren't always destined for a career in tech, despite being fascinated by it from a young age. Your next hire, and future CIO, might well come from your local garden centre.

Here we've collected some of the most outstanding, funniest and interesting jobs cited by the people leading modern tech.

Find out more about Computing's IT Leaders 100 list here.

Richard Corbridge, CIO, Boots UK & Ireland

Working in a video shop (Video Magic), becoming the advisor on all things Sci-Fi to the good people of a Nottingham suburb.

Find Richard's full profile on the IT Leaders 100 list here.

From selling saucepans to stacking shelves: IT leaders reveal their first jobs

But programming roles were rare

In the midst of the talent crisis, tech executives need to look to new markets for skilled workers - and perhaps they should consider their own first roles when doing so.

Jane Deal, IT Director, The Law Society

VAT Control Officer in HM Customs and Excise during a gap year between school and uni. Most people go backpacking and see the world - I was posted to Grimsby. I know how to live!

Find Jane's full profile on the IT Leaders 100 list here.

From selling saucepans to stacking shelves: IT leaders reveal their first jobs

But programming roles were rare

In the midst of the talent crisis, tech executives need to look to new markets for skilled workers - and perhaps they should consider their own first roles when doing so.

Nick Hodder, Assistant Director of Digital Transformation, Imperial War Museums

I was a ticket office clerk for British Rail. A lot of the trains were late or cancelled. Sometimes I thought, "It can't get possibly get any worse than this." I think I may been proven wrong.

Find Nick's full profile on the IT Leaders 100 list here.

From selling saucepans to stacking shelves: IT leaders reveal their first jobs

But programming roles were rare

In the midst of the talent crisis, tech executives need to look to new markets for skilled workers - and perhaps they should consider their own first roles when doing so.

Steve Woodward, Head of Blockchain, AngloAmerican

I've always been a computer geek, and my first paid job was over the summer breaks at uni writing a VB6 front end to a school swipe card registration system.

Find Steve's full profile on the IT Leaders 100 list here.

From selling saucepans to stacking shelves: IT leaders reveal their first jobs

But programming roles were rare

In the midst of the talent crisis, tech executives need to look to new markets for skilled workers - and perhaps they should consider their own first roles when doing so.

James Lomas, Group CTO, Bionic

Technically, selling saucepans at Lewis's department store in Leicester... My first 'proper job' was an Analyst Programmer at The Coca-Cola company.

Find James' full profile on the IT Leaders 100 list here.

From selling saucepans to stacking shelves: IT leaders reveal their first jobs

But programming roles were rare

In the midst of the talent crisis, tech executives need to look to new markets for skilled workers - and perhaps they should consider their own first roles when doing so.

Lesley Salmon, Global CIO, Kellog Company

Helping my dad on his milk round - early starts, cold fingers, working with my hero!

From selling saucepans to stacking shelves: IT leaders reveal their first jobs

But programming roles were rare

In the midst of the talent crisis, tech executives need to look to new markets for skilled workers - and perhaps they should consider their own first roles when doing so.

Ian Hill, Director of Information & Cyber Security, Upp

I left school in 1980 at the age of 16 to become an apprentice telecoms technician at Post Office Engineering, which soon after became British Telecom. I spent my first two weeks learning how to make a cup of tea, and from that point onwards was subject to all the apprentice pranks. Sent to stores for a left-handed screwdriver, or a long weight; was left stranded up a telegraph pole for hours; told to pour buckets of fresh air down a manhole. You name it, I fell for it - but I did learn a lot and met some wonderful people.

Find Ian's full profile on the IT Leaders 100 list here.

From selling saucepans to stacking shelves: IT leaders reveal their first jobs

But programming roles were rare

In the midst of the talent crisis, tech executives need to look to new markets for skilled workers - and perhaps they should consider their own first roles when doing so.

Steven Capper, Group CIO, SNC-Lavalin

Printing, photocopying and taking 35mm films for processing!

Find Steve's full profile on the IT Leaders 100 list here.

From selling saucepans to stacking shelves: IT leaders reveal their first jobs

But programming roles were rare

In the midst of the talent crisis, tech executives need to look to new markets for skilled workers - and perhaps they should consider their own first roles when doing so.

Mark Ridley, Director, Ridley Industries

First real job? That I got paid for? It's a little lost in the mists of time, but it was either working as a porter at the Wish Tower hotel in Eastbourne (I recall I was too young to pull pints, but old enough to hose out the empties bin), or working at a garden centre, jumping in skips to flatten the rubbish. First job after university was as a web developer.

Find Mark's full profile on the IT Leaders 100 list here.

From selling saucepans to stacking shelves: IT leaders reveal their first jobs

But programming roles were rare

In the midst of the talent crisis, tech executives need to look to new markets for skilled workers - and perhaps they should consider their own first roles when doing so.

Laura Meyer, angel investor and former HarperCollins CIO

I had a Saturday job checking Spot The Ball entries at Vernons Pools.

Find Laura's full profile on the IT Leaders 100 list here.

From selling saucepans to stacking shelves: IT leaders reveal their first jobs

But programming roles were rare

In the midst of the talent crisis, tech executives need to look to new markets for skilled workers - and perhaps they should consider their own first roles when doing so.

Juan Villamil, CIO, Imperial College London

I had various casual roles as a waiter and cleaner - I even cleaned the MoD office in 100 Parliament Street, so my connection to the public sector goes all the way back to my late teens! But I guess my first 'proper' job was at Barratts Shoe shop next to Selfridges on Oxford Street, where I reached the dizzy heights of managing the children's shoe department. Barratts is not there anymore! But I remember it fondly because it led to my first job in IT when someone came and complained about their kids' shoes, and I told them I was hoping for a career in tech. That conversation ended up with me going to an interview at his firm - where I got a great first job in IT, and I never looked back since.

Find Juan's full profile on the IT Leaders 100 list here.

From selling saucepans to stacking shelves: IT leaders reveal their first jobs

But programming roles were rare

In the midst of the talent crisis, tech executives need to look to new markets for skilled workers - and perhaps they should consider their own first roles when doing so.

Kris Kupilas, R&D Digital Transformation Lead, ArcelorMittal

My first job was a programmer of industrial systems (PLC and SCADA systems that manage production facilities). One of my first projects was to design and implement a control system for a power plant serving the steel plant that today is an ArcelorMittal production facility! Who would have known almost 30 years ago that I would work for the very company I designed and deployed my first control system in late '90s?

Find Kris' full profile on the IT Leaders 100 list here.

From selling saucepans to stacking shelves: IT leaders reveal their first jobs

But programming roles were rare

In the midst of the talent crisis, tech executives need to look to new markets for skilled workers - and perhaps they should consider their own first roles when doing so.

Andy Caddy, CIO, PureGym

My first ever job was a Saturday job working in retail, but the far cooler answer is that my first career choice was to be a music journalist and I had a column in the local paper through college. I then found out it was really tough to get into as a profession and I ended up choosing IT quite randomly!

Find Andy's full profile on the IT Leaders 100 list here.

From selling saucepans to stacking shelves: IT leaders reveal their first jobs

But programming roles were rare

In the midst of the talent crisis, tech executives need to look to new markets for skilled workers - and perhaps they should consider their own first roles when doing so.

Charles Ewen, CIO, The Met Office

I was raised on a farm in Devon and so my four siblings and I were put to work as soon as we were useful! My first real job was in a mechanical engineering factory making top links for tractors - you can take the boy out of Devon, but you can't take Devon out of the boy!

Find Charles' full profile on the IT Leaders 100 list here.

From selling saucepans to stacking shelves: IT leaders reveal their first jobs

But programming roles were rare

In the midst of the talent crisis, tech executives need to look to new markets for skilled workers - and perhaps they should consider their own first roles when doing so.

Marina Brilleman, Global IT Manager, British American Tobacco

Babysitting my brother, who is five years younger than me, and getting an apple from my mum for playing with him for an hour. Fun!

Find Marina's full profile on the IT Leaders 100 list here.