Austin James-Atkins

Austin James-Atkins
BSc (Hons) in Computing and Systems Development

University Centre Rotherham (UCR) is part of the South Yorkshire Institute of Technology which aims to promote key course areas and careers such as in digital, construction, engineering and health alongside kite-marking the high-quality, higher-level technical education and training provision in the region of which University Centre Rotherham is one of them.

We caught up with a student on one of the courses Austin James-Atkins, aged 42, studying a BSc (Hons) in Computing and Systems Development, to hear all about his experiences.

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Austin, why have you chosen this course?

I chose this course because I wanted to learn the fundamentals of computing and associated systems and their architecture at degree level. The further purpose was to supplement my already existing knowledge and also to improve my overall hard and soft skills.

Why at University Centre Rotherham?

It was the closest option for me and also because of the high standards that Rotherham College and University Centre Rotherham strive for.

What were you doing before this course?

Before the course I was self-employed as a computer and mobile phone technician. My role was to repair a wide range of devices and also configure and optimise them for a broad range of customers.

What aspects of the course most interest you?

The networking and cyber security elements most interest me. It is by far the biggest passion that I have, and it is an emerging and growing industry especially within AI. For this reason, I chose the course.

What will be your next step when you finish this course?

The next stage is to progress on to a MSc Degree at Sheffield Hallam University, and also to take other industry recognised certifications like the CISSP, CompTIA CySA+ and CEH

Do you have a career path in mind?

Most definitely yes. I would be keen on pursuing a career within cybersecurity and specially to attain accreditations with the NCSC (National Cybersecurity Centre).