My name’s Ted Cairns-Fuller, I’m 20 years old, and I’ve been in full-time education non-stop since school (i.e. I didn’t take a gap year). Alongside my studies at Newcastle College University Centre, I work two jobs (one as a barman and another as an Undergraduate Technician here at Newcastle College) but enjoy rock climbing, working out at the gym and gaming in my spare time. I got into the cybersecurity field due to my dad: he works in a government IT role, so he introduced me to Python and basic programming software as a hobby long before I decided to study it as a career path. Cybersecurity, but particularly ethical hacking, appealed to me because I quite enjoy being nosey and getting into places where people don’t want me to be. I’m finding it really interesting studying at Newcastle College University Centre because it’s quite a niche course at a small university, so didn’t expect to enjoy my degree as much as I have! The extracurricular opportunities I’ve gained while here have definitely made it worth my while: I’ve been student representative for three years, and I was the curriculum and faculty representative for Computing students last year; I was the designated lead for a project task; and I’ve been doing (more or less) any volunteering the faculty needed for publicity to promote the organisation and my course. 

My cybersecurity course is pretty niche, but it’s also the only course like it in the North East. I didn’t get amazing grades at A Level (COVID), but my tutors and the admissions staff here at Newcastle College University Centre took a leap on me and challenged me to prove my worth to them. My dad is the reason I got into the cyber side of this sector, since he introduced me to programming languages and taught me the basics (as much as he could, since computing is always evolving so it’s hard to stay cutting-edge). Now I’m doing a dissertation on hacking cameras alongside a group project where we set up entire networks that talk to each other while remaining secure. For me, cybersecurity is really interesting because when you think about how society will expand with new technologies, making them interrelate will be really important to future industries. 

For me, a big factor that appealed to me was the ethical hacking module offered on my degree course. I grew up watching Mr Robot, so cottoned onto the fascination with hacking in the media and how it will affect society in the future, and I wanted to make sure I had the skills to make my contribution to that field. I’ve always liked the idea of being able to be useful to my community, but also of being ‘the good guy’ in a hacking context – because hacking has so many negative connotations linked to scams or doxing, but there are so many positive applications of ethical hacking too, like identifying fraudsters or other criminals or finding missing people, and I really want to be involved in that new wave of progress. 

I think the main benefit for me is how efficient the operation is here. The way my contact hours are structured, I only have a day and a half of reading and independent study per week, but the timetable is flexible enough for me to hold down a side-job so I can pay my bills while finding a work-life balance, whereas other universities throw as much as they can at you and just want you to get on with it. Newcastle College University Centre is definitely efficient, and works to the same standards as other universities, but I definitely prefer the flexibility and freedom studying here offers compared to spending half the time in a lecture hall at (e.g.) Northumbria, since it lets me have a proper work-life balance and manage my own workloads much better.  

The main facilities I use are the HE Hub and the Turnbull Suite, which are both great HE-only spaces. I spent more time than I care to admit studying in there with my laptop! It’s great – I can get away from the louder college students for a bit, knuckle down and focus on my academic work and essay assignments, which also means I have more time to spend on work for my Undergraduate Technician position! The Turnbull Suite is also great, since it has great resources with PCs and borrowable laptops, so it’s the perfect space to get your head down. The Library is also good in terms of literature and learning resources for most courses. 

My friends. When I started my course, it was slightly awkward in classes since we didn’t know each other. Quickly though, I made my first friend: she’s good at keeping a conversation going, we have common interests, and from there we added the rest of the class to our group! Now, our entire group go out for drives together, we hang out and have a good time. I’m also friends with my course tutor, which I don’t think I could have said if I’d studied elsewhere, since other universities don’t have that luxury of speaking regularly to lecturers, let alone befriending them! I consider myself really lucky to be in a small class of seven or eight students, where we all get one-to-one support and the opportunity to ask loads of questions, which has really helped me to learn.

I feel like there’s an element of wanting to prove myself. I look up to my dad and his career, so I want to prove myself to him and show that when I put the effort in, I can get the rewards I deserve. If not for him, I wouldn’t have chosen to go into cybersecurity and computing careers, since he introduced me to this field; because of that, I want to say, ‘I got a first, and it’s because of you’, which would make both of us very proud. I also want to do it for my mam, since she’s a teacher and I know what it’s like to bring a student up and guide them on a journey through life, and my Mam does it better than most. I appreciate what she does so much, and I want to reflect my gratitude by achieving the best results I can, to show both parents that all their efforts are worth it. 

There was one module of working with industry on my degree course, but it fell through as the companies never responded. Newcastle City Council came in and provided opportunities with workshops and seminars with industry professionals, so I feel I’ve had some experience of the computing sector, so maybe one day I’ll be able to give back and guide others in their own professional pathways.

I’m not sure where to start! My lecturer has spent years in industry and in teaching, and what we’ve learnt thanks to his experiences and his trial-and-error road to success in the industry as technologies have developed means we’ve had one of the best viewpoints of the wider computing sector. He has a really good outlook on what’s good or bad practice in the sector, so thanks to his advice I won’t need to do as much exploration of the industry to figure out my career path, since he’s already made the mistakes which I’ve been able to learn from and will avoid making in my professional career.  

Amazing! I’ve never had a bad experience with any of them. If I’ve ever had an issue with my work, my course tutors have always sat me down and walked me through the problems. Likewise, if I ever feel I’ve been mismarked, they would sit me down and ask why I felt that way, then go through a mark scheme without any ego and help me review my answers – I once got an additional 11 marks on an essay with their help! I really value that kind of support since at high school, my other teachers never took that type of time or care to support my learning. Here at Newcastle College University Centre, the teaching staff see us as equals, not just pupils, and they’re all so happy to share their decades of knowledge and experience freely without any sense of judgement or competition, so we’re equipped with all the tricks of the trade we need to go straight into industry and build our dream careers once we graduate. 

My two main challenges are me being Type 1 diabetic, which makes it hard for me to be 100% present in lessons, since it’s hard to concentrate when I’m having a hypo. My lecturers are more than happy to be there, repeat any content they’ve covered and make sure I’m on top of our targets for the lesson so I can go and do my best that day. Another big challenge for me has been balancing two jobs with my studies; initially I struggled, but since I’ve rolled with the punches I’ve learnt how to balance work with my other commitments – I can’t take every shift, I make sure I take a set amount of time each week to keep on top of my academic work and submit my assignments early and to a high standard. I feel like my work’s improved because I’ve learnt my academic, professional and personal limits. 

In terms of literal support, I receive a Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA). I applied (and am eligible) for funding due to my Type 1 Diabetes, through which I got the laptop I use for all my independent studying when I’m off-campus. I completed my dissertation on that laptop, but I also used it for ethical hacking, networking, console work and other areas. For any mental health concerns, while I know there are support staff available to help with counselling or just a quick chat, my main support network is my friends - we support each other when we’re low and spiralling, and they check in with me, talk through my issues and help bring me back down to earth. That support is a two-way street, since I’ve also supported my friends through their rough spots, so we’ve developed a real community and a family over the years, which has been really important for me. 

I have two highlights. The first highlight of my time studying at Newcastle College University Centre was my acceptance as the Undergraduate Technician, which allowed me to return the favour by supporting the staff who had treated me so well throughout my degree. My second highlight is when I was made the curriculum and faculty representative for all of the Digital Technologies students, which was a massive boost to my confidence because that just confirmed in my head how much my classmates and peers believed in me, in my ideas, and in the value of what I had to say – to the point where all other Digital Technologies students trusted me to make sure their voices were heard! The friends I’ve made along the way also helped me to succeed, since if I hadn’t had them, and if I didn’t have such a strong relationship with my tutors, I wouldn’t have asked as many questions, or been as present in classes, or been as successful during my time as a Newcastle College University Centre student.  

Oh God… it’s amazing! As a city, nowhere is quite like Newcastle. Look at Grainger Street alone: buskers, culture, great little bars tucked away in all corners, right on Bigg Market (the club capital of the North) so if you end up there on a night out, you know you won’t have a story to tell when you come home at 5am the next morning! Honestly, with all the nightlife, museums, galleries, cinemas and places to eat in town, if you run out of things to do, I’d be really impressed! We’re all really friendly, this misconception of Geordies as big scary northerners with tattoos up our arms is a total fallacy, we’re all just getting by, and as a city, we’ve got the closest community you could find in the North of England. 

I feel like my degree has taught me a good amount of everything. I appreciate that it doesn’t restrict me into a particular pathway within the cybersecurity sector, so I can try everything to feel out areas which I feel gel the most with me. I get the most satisfaction professionally, but I’ve also taken personal and professional development classes through my course (one lesson per week) which means I learnt more about who I am as a young professional, what I should and shouldn’t do in industry, and analyse exactly what I enjoyed about each module of the course to help me secure a career or higher apprenticeship in whatever field I can most see myself entering. 

Taking a break. I’m relaxing! Obviously, being at Newcastle College University Centre has been the best time I’ve had in the entire education system, but I’ve been in full-time education my entire life now, without any gap years or breaks, so I’m going to earn this degree, savour my achievement and find professional fulfilment in cybersecurity somewhere down the line; but for now, I’m happy being a barman, working alongside some great mates, so I want to relax a bit by keeping on doing that. I’ve been constantly trying to maintain a work-life balance for too long – I just want to get a break right now! 

There’s a lot I want to say and I’m unsure how to condense it down! Rewarding. Socialising. Fantastic. 

• Knuckle down – take your studies seriously, otherwise you’ll reach the end of the year, realise your projects are too late to do well, and undersell yourself with your degree.
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions – too many people get stuck and get self-conscious about not knowing the answer, but there’s no such thing as a stupid question.
• Remember to speak to your lecturers – they’re always available and happy to answer any questions you might have, and they treat you like an equal, so it’s definitely worth asking! 
• Maintain a work-life balance as much as you can – building friendships and knowing when to work and when to switch off can make a real difference to your wellbeing here and in life. 
• Have fun while you’re here!