George, a third-year computer science student, is currently on a one-year placement at CENTRIC (Centre of Excellence in Terrorism, Resilience, Intelligence and Organised Crime Research).

George chose to study BSc Computer Science since he started tinkering with his family computer when he was 10 years old. 

'I really like the cause and effect nature of computer science, knowing that any problem is solvable if I can work out the steps.'

'I picked Sheffield Hallam due to its practical focus. The course focuses on the practical and employability skills needed, which really appealed to me.'

George is working as a placement student with CENTRIC, allowing him to put the theory into practice during his third year of study. CENTRIC was established in 2011 and has 46 dedicated research staff. They have successfully implemented 11 security sensitive projects worth £28 million.

'Roles in CENTRIC are somewhere between being an academic and a software developer. Many of my computer science peers sit firmly in the software development camp, solving programming problems and technical challenges. My role is somewhere in between the two. I still write code daily, but I also look at larger research problems.'

'My placement has allowed me to work across multiple projects at once. I found the adjustment difficult at first, but now my organisational skills are much better, and it has given me the chance to develop my skills quickly'

'I've worked with interesting people from across the world. Working at CENTRIC has allowed me to contribute to EU projects, government organisations such as South Yorkshire Police and Europol. The team has been great to work with and have really allowed me to develop my skill set.'

'The best advice I can give future students is that computer Science is driven by passion, so look at the things that really interest you.’