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Challenging yourself is key to career success

Interview with UCL Alum, Ming Liang Siew, MEng in Computer Science, shares his career journey and encourages you to challenge when exploring your options.

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4 November 2021

Degree programme: MEng in Computer Science 
Graduation year: 2018
Current job role: Software Developer, DataSpartan

What did you study at UCL?

I completed a MEng in Computer Science at UCL. When it comes to my job, perhaps the most useful skill that my degree equipped me with are my research skills.

Within my field, my peers and I need to consistently keep up-to-date with current and pressing developments as well as learning how to use and optimise the existing tools we have at our disposal.

My top tip would be to always be ready to challenge yourself and believe in yourself to become a better version of yourself – that is the only way to improve yourself!

How did you get from UCL to where you are today?

With the invaluable help from UCL Careers, I managed to secure an internship with my current boss over at DataSpartan. It was through this internship I gained real-life experience and insight into how my industry works – plus, I was also introduced to DataSpartan.

My boss and I kept in touch after my internship, and when it came to applying for graduate jobs, he encouraged me to submit an application to work at DataSpartan. The rest was history!

What is the biggest lesson you have learned?

Communication is key! Sharpening my communication skills has undoubtedly allowed me to foster good relationships with my colleagues, and it also eliminates any room for confusion during our brainstorming sessions.

What does a working day look like for you?

My day kicks off with a morning meeting where we discuss progress on our work. Then, I’d go about my day getting stuck into my project work, where the odd meeting or two would crop up if we needed to get our heads together to solve a certain problem.

Outside of work, we also meet up for dinner and/or drinks once a week.

What is the most rewarding part of your work?

My favourite part of my job is seeing a program I made with my own bare hands running perfectly.

On the flip side, I also find it difficult when I have to fix any issues I come across in my own programs, mainly because I’d be clouded by my own judgement and bias.

What are topical issues of your industry? 

One of the hottest topics at the moment is leveraging artificial intelligence in optimising efficiency in our own projects.

Personally, I believe it will inevitably be industry-standard to incorporate some form of artificial intelligence in our everyday working lives.

Looking for a summer internship? Head on over to myUCLCareers jobs board to search for live vacancies spanning across all industries.