Level 3 IT Course Leads Oskar to Higher Education Pathway

When Oskar Dudgeon (21), from Bangor left school at 16, he wasn’t sure what to do next. Several friends were studying IT, which prompted him to explore this as an option. Oskar says: “When I left school, I didn’t really have any direction, and I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I already had an interest in IT and had friends who were enjoying the IT courses they were enrolled in, so this encouraged me to sign up for the Level 3 National Diploma in IT at SERC Bangor Campus.” 

He continues: “As soon as I started to study IT, I knew it was the right course for me. It all spiralled from there – after completing the Level 3 course, I signed up for the Foundation Degree in Cyber Security and Digital Forensics (Validated by The Open University). It’s been a whirlwind and it’s amazing!”  

Oskar says that his favourite part of the course is network security, but he has also enjoyed unleashing his creativity by learning to design and build a website. He is looking forward to undertaking a work placement in January, where he will work with an estate agent to manage all their devices, gaining valuable real-life experience. He says: “I love the practical side of the course, the tutors at SERC have so much knowledge and can answer any questions.” 

After completing the Foundation Degree this year, Oskar hopes to continue his studies at SERC and has already applied to top-up his qualification to the BSc (Hons) in Cyber Security and Digital Forensics (Validated by The Open University). His dream job is to become an ethical cyber security hacker that “breaks into” an organisation’s IT security system, helping them to identify and correct weaknesses. 

Of his education journey at SERC, Oskar says: “I would 100% recommend SERC to anybody. I have a great relationship with all my tutors and can honestly say they are some of the best teachers I have ever had. I have been given so many opportunities for hands-on learning compared to a traditional university setting. There are also fantastic opportunities to take part in competitions and I had the opportunity to study abroad with a trip to Tenerife as part of the government’s Turing scheme.” 

He adds: “Coming to SERC will also save you money as it’s so much cheaper than going to university!”