Tim tells us how he’s combined his interests in electronic engineering and computer science with his degree, and how his year in industry as an electronic engineer landed him a job offer…

Name: Tim Chapman
Course: Computer Systems Engineering with a year in industry
Institution: University of Kent

‘At A-level, I chose to take maths, physics and computing. I already had a keen interest in computing, but it was my physics teacher who first sparked my interest in electronic engineering. After a lot of thought, I decided to choose a course which involved both computer science and electronic engineering.  This had the benefit of keeping my options open, which was particularly important, as I was unsure of which field would most interest me.

Although there were a number of courses which provided a combination of these topics, very few institutions ranked well in both areas. At the time, the University of Kent scored highly in the teaching rankings for both and always stood out as the best candidate.

The course itself covers a wide range of topics, but for me, the most important aspect has been the optional year in industry. When I applied for my industrial placement in the second year, I was fairly certain that I would most enjoy working in the software sector. I applied for lots of jobs, but was ultimately offered a place as an electronic engineer at a BAE Systems site in Rochester. Thanks to my progress over the course of the placement, I was given a conditional job offer and sponsorship for the final year. In addition, I organised a sponsored final-year project, which utilised the knowledge and experience that I had gained.  I emerged from the placement with a greater understanding of my subject and of myself. I had the chance to experience a job with which I had relatively little experience; as it turned out something which I have enjoyed immensely.

The industrial placement year is an invaluable experience that should not be missed. If you have the option, I highly recommend that you make use of the opportunity. At worst, you will come away with experience to enhance your CV for future job applications and have some idea what work is like. At best, you will gain an understanding of your chosen subject and what aspect of this most interests you. This is something that cannot be taught, you must learn this lesson for yourself.’