Edward Garthwaite

Edward Garthwaite studies Computer Science (Digital & Technology Solutions) BSc and found so far, the placement opportunity with PwC has given him a real insight into working life.

Why Leeds

Edwards was attracted to Leeds as he wanted to be able to study a degree while also having the opportunity to gain valuable experience from a placement year. He said “Leeds was close enough to home and was one of my 5 options initially due to its high ranking in Computer Science. The open day I attended gave me great insight into what University life would be like at Leeds and it was perfect for me, the open day led me to my course as it was being showcased as a new style of degree, a degree apprenticeship.”

“This was the main reason I chose Leeds, it was an incredible opportunity, being able to study and get a degree while also gaining valuable experience in a working environment at a top firm.”

Computing at Leeds

In the School of Computing, you have the opportunity to specialise in topics that interest you the most while also discovering new ones. We asked Edward what the aspect of Leeds had been for him so far. He said “On my course it would be the different modules, being able to learn about so many different topics to figure out what I enjoy the most and what I could pursue as a career.

At the university it would be the amount of support that is available, any work issues that I had would get resolved by the appropriate staff who were readily available in person or via email. There were also plenty of help sessions as part of my timetable making sure I understood the modules.”

Placement at PwC

Life on placement at PwC is great, the environment is extremely welcoming with everyone being so friendly and available.

While studying our Computer Science (Digital & Technology Solutions) BSc you will spend time on placement with PwC. We asked Edward to tell us a little bit about it. He said “Life on placement at PwC is great, the environment is extremely welcoming with everyone being so friendly and available. There are huge amounts of opportunity to get involved with many different things that might interest you whether it be work related or as a hobby such as sport, there is a community for everything. There is continuous support throughout the placements so you will never feel lost or alone.”

He Continued “My first 10-week placement was in the summer of 2019, I worked in the Consulting line of service and my overall experience was great. The project I was on saw me mainly working on a piece of software called SAP and I used this to help create a deliverable for a potential client.

I thoroughly enjoyed this experience and it gave me real insight into the working life, there was many opportunities to show my skills that I have learnt which followed up with some great recognition. The placement gave me the opportunity to travel to London a few times, I got to experience working in a different city and got to explore the city in my own time which normally I wouldn’t have done myself.

Working for PwC has greatly increased my confidence and ability to speak in front of people in a professional manner and build up some of my other soft skills along the way. The staff I have worked with were extremely welcoming and approachable if you ever had an issue, everyone was happy to take time to talk to you.”

Project work

Not only does the course allow you to gain valuable skills through a placement year but also from getting hands on with project work. Edward discussed projects he’s worked on saying, “I had a group project in second year where we were given a specification about a leisure centre who needed a new website and a way to become digital. Within the specification were the requirements for the website, they had a scale on whether they were necessary or a desirable.”

He continued “As a group we had to provide a solution, this gave us great experience to real work and working as a team. It was a relevant module as it gave us exposure to using an agile approach to work, splitting weeks up into sprints and setting short but achievable deadlines. I have gone on to use this experience and knowledge in my work placement. There were also large amounts of freedom with how you provided the solution, although if you were unsure, they provided recommended tools and software as well as support sessions to help you.”

Student life

A great nightlife, plenty of different activities to do, plenty of jobs including graduate jobs, easy and affordable travel, shopping centres, and overall, it is a very welcoming city especially for students.

Our campus is just a 10-minute walk from the vibrant city centre, which offers a wide range of places to visit, eat and shop. We asked Edward what Leeds has to offer students. He said “A great nightlife, plenty of different activities to do, plenty of jobs including graduate jobs, easy and affordable travel, shopping centres, and overall, it is a very welcoming city especially for students.”

Looking forward 

Studying a degree in the School of Computing enables you to develop the key skills for a successful career in all kinds of exciting industries and our faculty employability team are always on hand to support and guide you. We asked Edward about the skills he’s gain while being Leeds and his ambitions for the future. He said “I want to own a business focused around technology, I want to create something new and innovative but also necessary.

I would also love to work abroad, potentially in America, to see a different culture and experience different cities and working environments.’

The knowledge I have gained through my course with the vast number of different modules I have studied. I have also gained a lot of soft skills which have come from my course but also from living independently.The placements on my course will have a big impact on my future career as it has prepared me and given me experience to working in my area of study. The placements were part of my style of degree which gives me large amounts more experience than a typical student which will help me with job seeking in the future.”

Advice and tips

We asked Edward if he had any advice or tips for future students. He said “Consider a degree apprenticeship in the course, the benefits are unparalleled. I’d recommend joining a society as it is a great way to meet people. Use the University resources to the maximum.”

Find out more about our Computer Science (Digital & Technology Solutions) BSc here.