Case Study
Anthony McQuaid; With Belfast Met you are given the skills and expertise to learn at your own pace.
My journey...
“Before Belfast Met, I was just a regular student with a love for IT. I studied GCSE IT and A-Level Digital Technology learning the fundamentals of daily use. However, I still felt that I hadn’t scratched the surface of the ever-changing world of IT. From early on, I’ve always pictured myself having a job with Computers.”
After some research...
Anthony found our full-time foundation degree in Cyber Security and Networking Infrastructure. Anthony started the programme in September 2020.
“I found the course to be amazing value, significantly cheaper than other IT courses available. At a glance, the modules were very intriguing and aimed toward a specific field. Unlike other courses I found, which were in my opinion, too vague, broad, and not aimed at a specialised area.”
My career with Graham Construction...
Anthony is currently completing his Degree in Cyber Security and Networking Infrastructure as an apprenticeship through Graham Construction.
“Graham Construction are highly skilled individuals who have been working in the IT sector for decades. I applied for a job on the spot as I saw an opportunity to learn from the best. I went through the interview process and was hired in January 2022 gaining a full-time permanent contract with company perks. I count myself as being extremely lucky as Graham far exceeded my expectations.
Since joining, I have been mentored by the kindest people who are experts in their fields and I have had real-world experience with what I was learning in class.
Graham Construction have been incredibly supportive in both my career and education, in my time there I have been promoted to a new role. Currently, my latest project involves working on the annual cyber essentials audit, carrying out threat and vulnerability mitigation to meet compliance standards.”
Anthony has been able to take his classroom study and skills into the real-world environment, while not racking up student debt.
“With my Apprenticeship, I’ve been able to become financially independent and I have less than a year to go until I graduate.
With Belfast Met, I am given access to free vendor qualifications that are recognised by the IT industries all over the world that could have cost me a fortune.”
"I could not recommend Belfast Met more."
"You are given the skills and expertise to learn at your own pace. One thing I’ve noticed when looking at good IT roles, they typically want a good education with years of experience. Separately, this can take years to achieve. With Belfast Met, you get both at once.”