Definition: A technical career path lets people progress into more senior roles while staying hands-on, as an alternative to moving into management. Organisations that offer both a technical path and a management path are said to have a dual career ladder.
So what? Many testers want to grow without managing people. A technical path rewards deep testing skill and keeps experienced practitioners close to the work, instead of forcing them into management to earn promotion.
Examples: A senior tester progressing to a principal or staff-level testing role with no line management. An organisation where testers choose between a test manager track and a technical testing track at a certain level.
