Georgina Keller

“Essex gave the foundational knowledge I needed to prepare for an industry role.”

I originally chose Essex as it was near family. I had been living abroad for a few years and felt living with family would help me settle back into the UK. My original plan was to complete my foundation year, and transfer elsewhere but I enjoyed it so much that I decided to stay. I'm very glad I did as the following three years really shaped who I am.

There is a diverse number of modules available that provide insight into things like software design and project management. This has given me the foundational knowledge I needed to work within the industry. My favourite part about my studies was the programming assignments: I enjoy being able to solve problems through code and I was given many opportunities to do so during my time at Essex. The most important thing Essex taught me was learning how to learn. University didn't teach me everything but it gave me the tools I needed to learn as I go within my job.

There are lots of opportunities to get involved with the university through volunteering. During my time here I was a student rep and a peer mentor. My role as a student rep gave me insight into how decisions are made within the School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, and allowed me to get student voices heard.

Societies are a huge part of the Essex experience. I was a member of both the climbing club (which led to some cool trips!) and the Computer Science and Electronic Engineering Society. I got involved with the CSEE society in my first year, and took on the role of the society president in my final year. The CSEE society really shaped my time at Essex; it gave me a sense of community and provided a space to give and receive guidance from peers. Join a society! It really enhances your experience and allows you connect with others through a shared interest.

I would also encourage others to seek internships. I did two during my time at university: I interned at Google during my first summer, and Tradeweb my next. As a result, I had secured a full time graduate role by the time I started my final year. I really enjoyed both of my internships; they gave me a feel for what it would be like when I graduated and really cemented in my mind that software engineering was the correct path for me.

Since graduating from Essex, I began working full-time as a developer at the fintech company Tradeweb. I landed an internship there during my penultimate year at university which led to them offering me a full-time role upon graduation. The transition from education to my first industry role was initially daunting, but I'm learning so much and I'm looking forward to seeing where my career goes!

I got my role via my internship which I found on LinkedIn. My advice to someone looking to get a similar role would be to look for internships you can do during your studies. Even if it doesn't lead directly to a role, it will strengthen your CV in the eyes of prospective employers.

Real-world systems are much larger than anything I worked on at university. It can be daunting trying to figure out how everything works together, and sometimes progress can seem slow. It's important to know when to ask questions, and to not be afraid to admit you don't understand something.

Right now I just want to keep getting exposure to the different parts of a tech company. I think in the future, I might aim towards a team leader role but it's still early in my career so who knows!

My degree is relevant to my job. I knew I wanted to be a software engineer, I didn't know which sector I'd end up in. Essex gave the foundational knowledge I needed to prepare for an industry role. I undertook two internships while studying, and although I didn't source them via Essex, I did use what I'd learnt during my studies to help pass the interviews.