Cian Fish

Why did you choose Solent?

I've picked Solent due to its niche courses such as the BSc (Hons) Computer Systems and Networks Engineering, which most other universities don’t offer. Other reasons include the teachers I've met at the open day, the quality of the lab and the equipment, and the potential certificates you can gain on top of your degree.

Finish this sentence: network engineering and computer systems at Solent is for you...

...if you have an interest in IT and want to learn how the internet works and how big companies use technology to their advantage - an example would be Docker.

What about the facilities?

The facilities for my degree are some of the best that I’ve seen. The racks networking equipment is very useful to work in a real-life lab situation, which helps you to learn so much better, as you are getting hands on experience.

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned so far?

How the real-world works, as lecturers try to show us how the big companies operate when it comes to technology. This has helped me with my internships and a couple of my lecturers helped me perfect my CV to get a network engineer intern position at Cisco.

I would strongly recommend doing a summer internship after the first year of your degree or a part-time job in a field you are studying in. Not only does it help you learn about the subject and the industry, but it also shows employers your enthusiasm.

What’s life like as a Solent student?

Life, so far, has been amazing as a Solent student. From making best friends to collecting amazing memories – things that I wouldn’t have been able to do anywhere else is just incredible. And Southampton is a great city! There are lovely coffee shops, pubs, restaurants and so much more. So, if you want to study or have fun, you have so many options to do so.