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Since leaving Ada, Shane has enjoyed a diverse start to his career. Initially, he enrolled in a finance apprenticeship role at Deloitte. Although Shane enjoyed his time in finance, he wanted to focus more on what he studied while at Ada, which was much more technology oriented. He is currently working for Amazon Web Services, an account manager in the transport vertical department and looks forward to what the future may hold.

“The mix of technology and business is really fulfilling for me”. 

Shane’s interest in tech was ignited through playing video games from a young age. He said his dad offered some advice, 

“Instead of playing these games, why don’t you create something like that?” 

Shane began looking into where someone should begin if they wanted to build their own video game. This is where he discovered programming and coding. 

“I was around 11 or 12 at the time and I started to learn how to code, creating little games…like hangman games.” 

Shane had always been good at science, but it was studying IT at GCSE that made him think about going down the tech route. Yet he still wasn’t sure which college he wanted to go to and what exactly he wanted to study. 

“One day my secondary school had a college fair, that’s where I met Mark Smith (CEO of Ada). He pitched Ada, and it was from that moment I knew what I wanted to do.” 

Shane speaks about the clear differences between Ada and other educational routes, 

“It’s the focus on industry related skills, skills that can really be used in the real world. Working with companies like IBM, Deloitte, Bank of America. If I really want to have a career this is where I need to be.” 

Before he formally enrolled at the college, Shane was invited by Ada to take part in a Hackathon sponsored by Google. He was inspired by the opportunities on offer, explaining:

“Everyone is working, everyone gets to be creative, everyone is working at a fast pace, everyone has a similar mindset.” Shane notes that the team experience involved two prospective students and university students which provided a conducive atmosphere to engage with tech learning. 

Shane’s advice to young people aspiring to a career in tech route would be to not limit yourself.

“When you’re 15, 16, even 17…you have the idea that you can’t start on projects that people older than you are doing…if you want to start a website… don’t let your age limit you. There are so many resources on the Internet that you can utilise, there’s really no barrier to exploring your passions.”

Shane speaks enthusiastically about what Ada can give young people,

“School is really theoretical. At Ada there are a lot of projects that you can get involved with, working in a team, with real life skills that you can use.” Shane says the skills that Ada gives you are transferable. This makes the transition from an education to a vocation much smoother. 

Shane is keen to point out that Ada can be a place of inspiration to an individual’s own personal development. He started an e-commerce business while studying, selling jewellery. He explains that this was part-down to the help he received in lessons such as graphics and computer science. Shane notes that young people can build on what they learn in the classroom to pursue their own ideas and dreams. 

Shane also explains that a tech education can de-mystify what is seen as a complex sector. 

“When people think of programming they think you have to be a genius to do it, but when you start you realise that it's not that difficult.” 

Shane wants to persuade not just young people, but parents as well, of the benefits to pursuing a tech career.

“Parents have a lot of influence on the careers that their kids go into…careers like doctor, lawyer, nurse…those careers are seen as the best careers. Communicate that technology can be a well-paid career, a respectable career. I feel like if that was better communicated then that could get younger people into it.”