Beating more than 400 other hopefuls has landed Adam Sergent a sought-after job with the biggest rail network company in England.
Taking a selfie at Denver's Mile High Stadium, during a #DMUglobal trip
Graduating with a First in Computing from De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) this week, Adam is set to start his IT and Business Services graduate position with Network Rail in September, after being offered the role in mid-March.
Over the course of two years, he will have the chance to explore different areas of the business including IT strategy, service delivery and finance, as well as web and app development.
The 24-year-old from Quorn in Leicestershire said: “It’s a really big achievement, as the selection process was really thorough and only four of us were offered a job.
“I’m proud of myself and it’s a relief knowing what I’m doing after graduation.
“I’m really looking forward to working for such a large organisation. Around four and a half million people use the UK railways every day, so knowing that the work I will be involved in impacts the daily lives of so many people feels great.
“The role will also give me a chance to travel around the country, and relocating to Milton Keynes means meeting new people and doing new things.”
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Applicants were put through their paces, completing a number of tests before successful candidates were invited to an assessment day where they worked in groups, presented work independently and had individual interviews.
For Adam, being able to draw on examples from his year-long work placement at City of Leicester College was invaluable.
As a digital resources technician he developed his knowledge of IT infrastructure through a wide range of duties including replacing computers, cables and printer network systems, as well as sharing best practice with students and staff.
He even got to rub shoulders with royalty when the Prince of Wales visited the college, saying: "A lot of preparation went into the royal visit from cleaning PC monitors to locking down our doors and issuing urgent ID cards for HRH's entourage."
Adam credits #DMUworks - a programme aimed at giving students the necessary skills and qualities that employers look for - for opening his eyes to the benefits of a year in industry.
"They gave an informative presentation in my second year about the importance of getting a placement and I also attended DMU's careers fair which was useful," he said.
"Before I started applying for placements, the team supported me with my CV and covering letter, and they helped prepare me with mock interviews questions.
"My advice to anyone is to make sure you take up a placement – it’s how I managed to get a job so soon before graduating.
Adam joined DMU after completing a Computing HND at Leicester College. He said: “The final year of my studies has been the best by far.
“At DMU I got to pick modules that really interested me like how computers fit into the wider society and how the police use technology to solve crimes.
“For my final project I explored delivery drones and my work included visiting country parks and a drone organisation to collect thoughts about this new concept.”
Thanks to his data mining module, Adam also got to travel to Denver with #DMUglobal for the SAS (Statistical Analysis System) Global Forum 2018.
“It was a fantastic experience. We met industry experts and students from all over the world. We heard talks from leading brands and platforms like Macy’s and LinkedIn and we also heard about how the NFL uses data analytics to predict team performances,” he said.
Posted on Tuesday 17 July 2018