Sean

Why did you decide to study Information Technology?
I have enjoyed working with computers for as long as I can remember. I liked the idea of studying Information Technology because I wanted to get a good understanding of how we use IT in the business world as opposed to learning the science behind computing. I chose Leeds as one of my options because of its reputation as a great university but after visiting the city for an open day, I was so impressed that it instantly became my first choice. Leeds is a fantastic city with a great student community and I definitely feel that I made the right choice.

What was the best aspect of the course so far and why?
I have enjoyed the entire course so far but my personal favourite has been the web development module. I only had a very basic understanding of writing web sites before starting the course but since then I have learned such a huge amount. I also enjoy being creative so this module is great fun for me.

Tell us about any projects you have completed so far.
I have taken part in many projects at this university. I have given multiple presentations in front of an entire lecture theatre, completed some modelling and simulation techniques, written a program in the python programming language and much more. There are many times when we are required to work with a group to complete a project. The biggest one so far was to create an 18 page website with many technical specifications. This required the entire group to take part in many hours of planning, implementing and testing but it was great practice for IT projects in the real world.

What are your ambitions for the future? Do you have specific career plans?
I do not have any specific career in mind so far, but that is mainly because there is so much to choose from. At Leeds, there are lots of great opportunities to meet employers such as guest lectures and career fairs which give you an idea of some of the careers that you could potentially go into. There are some areas that interest me more than others but as the course goes on I find new interests and change my mind. I have decided that I definitely want to work for a large IT company but I have yet to decide on a particular speciality.

What experiences at Leeds so far do you think will particularly help you with your future career?
We get to take part in many group projects as part of our coursework so I think that will be a big help in terms of a career in IT, working as a team or even leading a team are great skills to have in this field. I also feel that my confidence has greatly improved especially with taking part in presentations. I am now a much more confident speaker than when I first started the course which is an important skill to have.

What other activities outside your studies did you get involved with whilst you were at Leeds?
While at Leeds I have met lots of friends who I enjoy socialising with. Leeds has a great nightlife so I enjoy going out to pubs and clubs with friends to relax from studying. I also joined the computing society which allowed me to meet lots of great people with similar interests as me and enabled me to take part in activities and events such as paintballing, bowling, clubbing and much more.

What would you say to students thinking about coming do the same course?
A big concern of mine at the start was that it would be difficult to find a good career at the end of the degree. Leeds University has many links with IT companies, big and small, who regularly visit to give presentations and advice on your future career. After listening and speaking to many of these companies, I now know that this is a great degree to have and that there is no reason why I shouldn’t get a good career at the end of it. I think that if you enjoy computing and IT and are aiming for a career in this field, then this course is definitely for you.