Victor Ohason

Tell us a bit about yourself and your background.

Contrary to popular belief, I grew up somewhere where there wasn’t a lot of technology available. Back home, we only had two phones with an internet connection. I stumbled onto YouTube by accident one day and was fascinated by the innovation, which is where I got my love of computing from. I’ve always enjoyed working with computers, and that passion has helped me whenever I’ve looked for opportunities to work with people who have technological experience, but it’s also helped me with softer skills like being punctual, listening well and working hard. 

How did you hear about Newcastle College? Did you attend an Open Day prior to starting at the College? If so, did you find it useful?

When I was finishing my GCSEs, I was told I had to choose a college to study at until I was 18, and most of my classmates were going to either Newcastle College or Gateshead College. I decided to do some research and realised Newcastle College was more popular, bigger and had better computing facilities, so I came to an Open Event to check it out for myself. Everything I saw during the Open Event confirmed what I was already thinking, so I put in an application to study here. 

What made you decide to come to the College and enrol on your chosen course?

Primarily, I was caught between three T-Level courses: my current T-Level in Digital Software Development, the Digital Software and Cybersecurity programme or a T-Level in Laboratory Sciences. As good as I am at computing, I was also very good at science in school and couldn’t make up my mind, so I applied for both Computing and Science T-Levels and waited to see who would respond. I heard back from the Computing programme really quickly and the staff were very helpful when I had any questions, so I committed to the Digital Software Development T-Level and never looked back! It was definitely the best choice I could have made.  

How would you describe the advice and support you've received from the College staff and your tutors? Have you had any support from our Central Support Service?

The best advice I’ve received has been to be as consistent and as hard working as possible. To me, that’s important advice because most people (or at least some of us) want to live a life that’s ‘OK’, but if we don’t push ourselves then we miss out on opportunities to improve, to shine and to become someone greater than we are. I hold onto my own code of hard work and dedication as much as I can, whether that’s in my studies or in anything else I do, because working hard and being dedicated will make you a better person over time.  

Do you have any tutors with industry experience? If so, how has this helped you?

A lot of my tutors have real experience and insights into the computing industry. Two of my tutors are  involved in the industry now, so I usually ask them a lot of practical questions because I want to prepare myself to go into industry as early as possible. Meanwhile, a third tutor has really helped my professional development, so I always go to them for advice or to plan ahead. 

Have you overcome any challenges while on your course? If so how has the college helped you?  

Yes. As part of my first year studies, I had to learn Python and other web development programmes. I didn’t know a lot of Python by the time I left high school, but then when I first started at the College I was immediately given a Python project to work on! I wasn’t sure how to make up for my lack of Python experience at that point – I could watch YouTube videos, online tutorials or courses, but I wanted a hands-on learning experience, so I went to my teachers and asked for their help. They suggested I use a website called W3Schools, which gave me a summary of the syntax of each piece of the coding together, which meant I didn’t need to spent a lot of time on tutorials or courses which might not have been as effective for my learning, thanks in large part to my tutors and their support.

What do you enjoy the most about your course?

Everything! The tutors, my classmates, the environment at college – everything and everyone here is really conducive to me and massively help my learning and my lifestyle here as a student. 

How do you feel that the course is benefitting you?

For a long time now, I’ve wondered how easy it is to be a software developer, since I’ve seen a lot of people making online games or websites back when I was in high school. I remember going onto YouTube and looking for videos on ‘A Day in the Life of a Software Developer’, and when I watched those videos the people in them mentioned specific technical skills that I would need to make a career in the computing industry. This factored into my choice to choose a T-Level, since the modules cover all the knowledge I’ll need to progress into work in the future, and any work placements give me hands-on experience practising all the technical skills I’ll need as well. I’m really grateful for how my T-Level course is tailor-made to ensure I have all the content and training I’ll need for my future working life.  

Have you done any work experience or a work placement as part of your course?

I’m about to! I’ve reached out to a few software development companies I worked with in high school, like Open Cast Software and Bede Gaming, and I’ve had some positive feedback from them so I should be starting my 315 hours work placement shortly. 

What would you like to do when you finish your course? Would you consider studying a degree at Newcastle College University Centre?

Right now, I’m still deciding between going straight into the workplace or starting a degree apprenticeship in Digital and Technology Solutions at Newcastle College University Centre. I’m learning more towards working at the minute, because I’d love to get even more hands-on experience while getting paid, but I know I can’t go wrong with a degree apprenticeship either! 

What are your ambitions for the future?

It depends on what professional path I choose. If I get a job in industry straight away, I’d like to stay working for at least five years, then move on and found my own tech start-up or software company; on the other hand, if I applied for a degree apprenticeship, I’d go to university after that to make sure I’m as qualified as I can be, so that when I apply for big, competitive tech companies like Meta or Amazon, I’ll have a strong application. Afte that, I’d still like to set up my own company eventually and hire as many people as I can! 

What would you say to anyone thinking of studying a course with Newcastle College?

Don’t overthink it – don’t worry about what might go wrong, because if you avoid risk, you avoid the possibility that something will go really right! You can never go wrong trying something out, you might make a mistake, but you’ll learn from the experience and move onto new options, a new plan and a new chance in life. So don’t hesitate, because the longer you wait is the more time you waste before you can really achieve your goals. 

What are your top tips for being a student at Newcastle College?

Apply for your course as early as possible. 

Make as many friends as you can in your class or learning environment together – those people will be with you for a long time in that same environment, so if you’re moving in the same industry at the same time, sometimes it’s a matter of who you know, not just what you know. 

Never settle for average.