What made you decide to join the Professional Pathway scheme?
I decided to do the Professional Pathway scheme because I knew out of my year group knowing there were hundreds of people in my year group doing Computer Science, and then knowing this isn’t the only university in the country, and then there’s competition from abroad; I knew I had to stand out.
Going to university wasn’t my first choice, it was actually an apprenticeship - however not being successful, City provided a way to do Computer Science and work through the PP scheme. Who doesn’t like to make some money on the side.?
What roles did you do whilst on the Professional Pathway scheme?
I worked as a Trainee QA and Support Analyst at KAI Consulting. I worked as a Junior Developer and then a Developer at Glasswall. I also worked as Chief Design Officer (Product Execution) at Societe Generale Corporate and Investment Bank.
How did the scheme help you find work on graduation?
Massively. If not for my PP experience I wouldn’t make it past interview stages, let alone have the content for my CV, LinkedIn, Blogs. PP allowed me to relax at university when work got too tough. It’s a great intro to the work environment. It also allowed me to have some form of student life fun.
Describe your career journey since graduation.
After graduating I continued to work at Glasswall – I left with regrets but desire to grow and get promotions and pay rises and rise up the ranks. I then worked at Accenture, Capgemini, worked in small companies such as Datapharm. My journey involved still trying to find a role I enjoy and a small company, as my times at Accenture and Capgemini made me realise how large organisations are not for everyone.
Are there any lessons you want to share with current Professional Pathway applicants?
Put your foot in every application possible, apply for everything. With my placement at Glasswall, I had applied the year before, applied again the next and succeeded. The following year I was told they wanted more people like me, and I secured a role for a friend. Nothing in my career has matched my years at Glasswall where I’ve worked with my friends.
Working and completing university work should not be taken lightly. It is still difficult and hard to time manage. Like me I did everything last moment, easier said than done, but don’t do that.
Any final message about the Professional Pathway scheme?
If you don’t succeed in finding a PP placement in your first year, or even if it’s a placement you don’t particularly enjoy, that first year of placement will get you exactly where you want to be on your next step or two. Open up to messaging small companies for pro bono work to get your foot in.
Software Engineering, Business Analysis etc. are all people businesses, so just be a person who people would love to work with. Smile, share a personal story, have fun and most importantly show you want to learn and can learn yourself.
At the start of your career take every opportunity possible, even if pay is low at first. It will go up and you will have more experience who have not gone down the PP route.