From Kent Graduate to Technology Professional at telecommunications company BT

Alumnus Abdullah Iqbal (BSc Computing with a Year in Industry) chatted to us about his experiences on his degree, his placement year, and his career path since graduation from Kent.

Why did you choose to study at Kent?

Analysing the course structure , I found that several modules would enable me to gain skillsets useful for my future aspirations. The support mechanisms, the atmosphere and aura surrounding the university were factors that allowed me to decide that I wanted to spend the next four years of my student life here.

What do you think of the facilities on campus?

I was at the Medway campus, which is built on an old naval site , therefore there is history as well as culture around the campus. The Drill Hall library is quite big; there are many places for you to study on your own or collectively.

Tell us about your Year in Industry!

I did my Year in Industry at BT based in Ipswich. My role was of a Project Manager, it empowered me to gain a deeper understanding on different aspects of project delivery and how telecommunication companies operate. I collaborated on delivering a network automation tool for BT's partners such as Cisco, Nestle, American Express and Unilever.

I also worked on other different projects such as deploying network connectivity from a private network campus and branch locations to one or more cloud instances using Amazon AWS or Microsoft Azure.

Due to my experience at BT, I was able to secure a graduate job before my final year exams at Kent. The experiences I gained during my placement supported me to gain knowledge about my skillsets and become a well-rounded individual.

How did your degree course lay the foundations for your chosen career path?

My degree helped me to obtain knowledge and skills that are required for my chosen path. Currently, my role at BT includes many skills which I had learnt through doing many modules at the University of Kent.

Could you describe your career path since leaving Kent?

Since graduating with a First class honour, I secured a position in BT's graduate scheme as a Technology Professional. This role includes work in AI automation, Security compliance, Software Engineering and much more with BT's graduate scheme.

What advice would you give to current students?

I would say to make sure you pick a course which includes a placement year. The experiences that I achieved during my placement year were the most valuable and allowed me to be ready for the job market.