Previous School / college:
New College Durham
Why did you pick the IT course?
I picked this course because I’ve had an interest in technology for as long as I can remember. The variety of the modules really helps when choosing where you want to go next and finding where your passion lies, and introduces you to a lot of different aspects of the industry that you otherwise may not encounter when undertaking other vocational qualifications.
What attracted you to Darlington College?
I was attracted to Darlington College because of the specific course offered. The Cambridge Technical qualification is really up to date and reflects where the industry is at now.
What are your career aspirations?
I hope to work in cybersecurity or take my skills into engineering, but the sky’s the limit. I can’t wait to see how far this will take me.
What is the next step in your education or work?
Foundation degree
How did this course prepare you for your next step?
This course prepared me for my next step as I gained a lot of knowledge and experience surrounding lots of areas of the industry. I felt like I had a foundation that could prepare me for anything, and a focus on the quality and structure of my assignments will help me when heading into higher education.
What did you really like?
I loved hands-on learning. Instead of just reading about different components, I was actually putting them together. The lab is fantastic and well equipped, and I really liked that I was learning about virtual reality, elements of project management, the Internet of Things and building a PC all on the same course – the modules and content are really diverse.
Write a pen picture / profile of yourself?
At the beginning of 2020, I was working as a barmaid and I left school with few qualifications. I’ve always loved technology, but I didn’t envision myself going back into education at 21 years old. Every time I thought about it, I didn’t think I was intelligent enough and was worried about my confidence levels. I’m really glad I took the leap and enrolled at Darlington College to study IT. Now I can’t see myself doing anything else and this has opened so many doors for me. My confidence has increased and I don’t sit back and wait for things to happen organically anymore, I want to make things happen!
