James Sillett

How did your degree at the University of Chester prepare you for your current role?

Exposure to the three key disciplines of development: art, design, and code; which helped me get a feel for the type of roles I could work towards.

Throughout my final year I had the flexibility to specialise, to focus on developing both my skills and the portfolio I needed to apply for entry level positions after I graduated.

What support did you receive during your degree?

Outside of the core academic team, the most impactful department was without a doubt the Informatics Centre. They ran a six-week, team-based, development module in second year that's a fantastic taster of what it's like to participate in development in a professional environment. I still use some of the skills I developed during that time daily and the project made it onto my portfolio.

What do you feel are the top transferable skills that you use in your role?

• Spatial mathematics
• Communications
• Continuous personal development
• Project planning
• Mechanical problem solving