I, like many people in the UK went to a school, multiple schools in fact, though I’m only going to focus on the last one because it seems most appropriate. The Wavell School was, broadly speaking, a good school though it’s social structure was quite a challenge. I’m glad that the school provided me with a good grounding in math, science, art, design and IT.
Farnborough College of Technology was a liberating experience. DDuring college, I completed a GNVQ in ICT and Business Studies in my first year, and focused on psychology, philosophy, sociology, and fine art in my second and third years. I cherished my time in the common room, where I made great friends and enjoyed pizza and movies. Exploring new ideas and discovering more about myself was a highlight of my college experience.
If I had found college liberating, then London South Bank University was doubly so. My BA (Hons) in Game Cultures provided a thrilling exploration of video game design and development, blending cultural and media studies. It covered graphic design, 2D/3D modelling, animation, critical analysis, programming, and collaborative work. I also gained insight into marketing, advertising, perception, and textual analysis. Studying in London offered me culturally enriching experiences, including visits to art exhibitions, museums, pubs, arcades, and theatres.
We had inspiring guest speakers, including Disney artists who gave us drawing tips, and industry professionals who shared their expertise. Our end-of-year shows, featuring films about our projects, were a highlight. Co-hosting the successful winter show was a particular thrill. Working in multidisciplinary teams with students specializing in sound design and video recording and editing was rewarding. University required us to write 12 academic papers per year, each requiring extensive research, triangulation, and analysis, honing our skills in these areas.
During this time I also worked on other projects. in 2009 I was nominated for a Golden Joystick Award at Bafta for a game I developed independently called Bogus Bunny. Additionally, I worked on a Flash-based game development project for BBC China and another for Kinetika.
After graduation, I had a tough time finding my footing. Transitioning from academia to the workforce can be challenging, as there are no longer set goals with milestones. However, I managed to find sporadic work such as developing interlinked spreadsheets for Powerstax, taking on various freelance roles, and even working as a security guard at the Olympic Velodrome. Though the job market was tough, I gained valuable office skills and earned several NVQ certifications, including first aid at work.
I landed my first permanent job at iSat LTD, a small company specializing in RF telecommunications infrastructure in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. This opportunity allowed me to gain diverse experience in areas like trade show planning, art asset creation, web development, social media, copywriting, procurement, sales, tendering, financials, customer relations, database management, and Python development.
