William Ledwith

Could you tell us a bit about yourself, your background, or anything you think is relevant?

I’m a programmer by trade. I’ve been interested in doing computer programming, from Python in school to more complex Java programs in adulthood. I originally started my degree in Edinburgh, but due to circumstances outside of my control with family I had to leave during third year, so I left Edinburgh with a Level 5 qualification. I took a couple of years off, played the job field, but then I found out about the Computing (Top-Up) course at Newcastle College University Centre and decided to take advantage of it to complete my full Honours Degree.

Why did you choose to study a degree at Newcastle College University Centre?

Because I left Edinburgh with a Foundation Degree, but I wanted a full Honours Degree, the University Centre was a fantastic opportunity to top up my qualification without having to directly enter into a final year of a multi-year university degree. I did some research before I enrolled on my degree top-up course and spoke to friends at Newcastle College, who told mee how welcoming Newcastle College University Centre was to new students, how accessible it is in terms of transport and additional student support, how willing the staff are to help any students with issues (e.g. joining late on in a cohort), so I decided this was the best place for me.

What was it about this course that made you want to study a degree at Newcastle College University Centre?

The course, particularly its software engineering stream, really appealed to the part of computing I most enjoy: programming. The degree course has loads of practical elements, and the lecturers are all industry experts, which is a massive selling point for me. The tutors are incredibly welcoming and helpful with any issues I’ve had with my programming, so it’s an incredible programme of study in general – the degree is taught very well, it’s always kept up to date with current coding practices and languages, and the staff teach us using the latest techniques, unlike some university courses which aren’t quite as current. By contrast, Newcastle College University Centre focuses on making sure their course content is up to date with current industry trends, and the staff have absolutely prepared me for going into industry after my graduation.

What benefits do you think there are in studying at Newcastle College University Centre?

The benefits at of studying at Newcastle College University Centre are incredibly good teaching staff, support and resources which are second to none, top-tier HE-only learning spaces with high-spec computers (e.g. the HE HUB or Parsons 10) which are great because they’re quiet and so offer more opportunities for collaborations with students.

What are the facilities like at the University Centre for your course, and more broadly as a student?

The computing facilities are second to none! All our classrooms (and all the HE-only study spaces) come with incredibly high-spec computers, dual monitors, ample equipment to be borrowed out to students, ID support and all necessary programs pre-installed with as up-to-date licences as possible to take advantage of programs. There are plenty of food venues and places to socialise on campus, as a cohort or as a wider college, which promotes engagement with the entire University Centre community.

What do you enjoy the most about your degree?

I enjoy the practical aspect of my degree. My degree is incredibly structured so I’m always encouraged to use my time productively, buy I’ve also got ample opportunity to get stuck into any challenge beyond the curriculum, which the teaching staff are more than willing to support with, so if I ever hit a stumbling block, I can take advantage of their extensive practical and theoretical industry experience to ask for their help. Since I’m quite a practical learner, I appreciate that the theory modules are taught not just in massive blocks of theory classes where all you do is listen to a lecturer for hours on end but hit that balance between being taught theory and immediately going to apply it in practice to compound my learning.

What inspires you?

What inspires me is just the ability to produce work that evokes a response. I can be stuck on a certain part of a program for weeks, then resolve the issue and see my coding work properly… that feeling of accomplishment, of being able to solve a problem, really inspires me. I’m also inspired by accruing knowledge, understanding it and being able to impart it in my own way, so being able to collaborate with people of different skillsets to produce an even better end result.

Tell us about how you have worked with industry whilst studying your degree (i.e. talks / live briefs / projects).

In terms of working with industry during my degree, the course content is heavily based on industry standards, so all the programming languages and content and modules we study are accredited by the British Computing Society and are designed to provide the skills that current employers need. The lecturers at Newcastle College University Centre have all worked extensively in the computing industry, so they understand what skills employers are looking for and can impart knowledge in such a way that we’re all set to enter industry when we graduate. The University Centre also has many links with local and national industries, and individual staff have contacts in different areas of the computing sector which they’re all more than willing to share to facilitate networking with some of their more niche industry contacts if anyone asks.

How do you think learning from industry-experienced tutors has benefitted you?

It’s helped me massively! I had a little bit of experience in industry between leaving Edinburgh and completing my degree here, and a lot of current industry employers assume you’re aware of certain practices, like how to work with project management software or how to collaborate with other people, which isn’t taught in a lot of universities with software development courses, since they teach from quite an individualistic standpoint and focus on providing a qualification rather than truly training someone for a career. However, at Newcastle College University Centre, there are units specifically designed to teach collaboration with other people and to create necessary documentation for working in industry, which is really helpful when you’re starting out in a computing job. Having industry-experienced tutors available to encourage you to be a well-rounded employee and work in industry, rather than a fish out of water by who doesn’t know what to expect from a job or how to work with other employees, is also a massive advantage to studying at Newcastle College University Centre.

How would you describe the staff at the University Centre?

Amazing. The specific teaching staff for my degree are second to none, they’re all very knowledgeable and are excellent teachers. All my tutors can identify the times to leave us alone when we need to get on with our task and solve a problem ourselves, but they also know when to step in if we need extra support. Lessons are put together in such a way as to be incredibly engaging and informative, but also interesting by incorporating activities to include in lessons rather than just listening to lecturers over and over again with no practical learning involved. Wider HE support staff are also very nice – I’ve mainly dealt with academic support staff, since their systems are incredibly helpful in supporting us to produce the best CVs possible, or to get to grips with (e.g.) academic referencing, proofreading, sourcing dissertation resources or any number of other helpful jobs! In short, every staff member I’ve met at Newcastle College University Centre has been more than willing to help in whatever way they can, and their enthusiasm for helping us to reach our full potential is amazing.

Have you overcome any challenges either before or whilst studying for your degree?

The main challenge I overcame was being out in industry for a couple of years before I returned to education. This meant I had to transition back into a structured educational setting and mindset (e.g. static deadlines, juggling multiple assignments simultaneously, using academic practices and Harvard referencing as much as possible), but I overcame my challenges with support from and in collaboration with the academic support team, who were more than willing to help me re-engage that side of my brain and get back to grips with academic practice.

What kinds of support have you received during your studies?

I’ve received support from all of my tutors with regarding to my work, including any issues surrounding being able to use certain unfamiliar programming languages. The academic support team also helped me with developing good academic practices, while other HE staff helped me get back into education and fit in with my cohort by integrating into the community of Newcastle College University Centre – it was a really great transition experience!

What has been the highlight of your time studying at Newcastle College University Centre?

I have a few. The first highlight was when I handed in all of my assignments – I felt this rush of accomplishment that I’d managed to complete everything to a really good standard, and that I’d overcome my anxieties regarding coming back into education to finish my degree. Th other highlight was getting the opportunity to work at the University Centre as an Undergraduate Technician in the Computing department – they only offer it to a couple of students each year, but thanks to the faith my tutors put in me to perform this role, I understood more of how Newcastle College functions and how the institution imparts knowledge to students. That insight is what enabled me to realise that teaching computer science is what I want to do as a career after I graduate.

What’s Newcastle like as a student city, in your experience?

I think Newcastle is an amazing student city. I lived here for most of my life, and while I’ve lived in a couple of other student cities, Newcastle is without a shadow of a doubt the most welcoming. It’s really east to get around, the people are more than willing to help you out with anything, and with so many students from Newcastle University, Northumbria University and Newcastle College University Centre in the mix, it allows for collaboration and networking between young people from different backgrounds and courses who are all so willing to speak to and work with you – which, based on my experiences elsewhere, is a rarity.

In what ways do you think your degree at Newcastle College University Centre has prepared you for employment?

The degree here has absolutely prepared me for the employment I’m looking for. My degree course has let me gain the knowledge, skills and understanding of industry practices to more than prepare me for entering the computing industry; however, I’ve decided that my career is as a teacher at Newcastle College, and so my job as an Undergraduate Technician, everything I’ve learnt on my degree and the experiences I’ve had have prepared me to enrol onto a PGCE in the School of Education at Newcastle College University Centre, which will then hopefully progress onto a teaching position in the Digital Technologies department here at Newcastle College.

What are your plans after you graduate?

I’ve already had my place confirmed for the next full-time PGCE Teaching cohort at Newcastle College University Centre, so I’ll be doing my placement in the Digital Technologies department. Once that’s done, I’m going to start teaching in the Digital Technologies department, since everything I’ve learnt so much from the department staff in terms of support, knowledge and teaching styles, so I really want to give back to future students and to the University Centre itself by imparting my own knowledge to the students, while also developing my own teaching style.

Describe your student experience in three words.

Engaging. Comprehensive. Interesting.

What are your top five tips for studying at Newcastle College?

1. Don’t in any way, shape or form be afraid to speak to your tutor – whether it’s an issue with one unit or the entire course, they’re able to assist you in a multitude of other ways and can point you in the direction you need.

2. Take a moment when you get your key documents through to read the student handbook and guide – they’re invaluable information on what the University Centre can offer you and where you get it from.

3. Don’t underestimate how much the academic support team can help you – they won’t judge or belittle you if you’re struggling to write academically, they’ll go out of their way to help you grow.

4. Take advantage of the fact you get your assignments at the beginning of the modules - never leave completing your set tasks to the last minute, because if you read properly and identify what you don’t know, you can take on a bit of further research that will only help your final mark.

5. Take full advantage of all the facilities available on campus – the Library can order any books they don’t already stock for you, the HE-only spaces like the HE HUB or Parsons 10 are great for studying, meeting as a group or just socialising!