Graduate Student Profile: Sarah McCardle

Sarah McCardle from Buckinghamshire, came to Manchester after studying A levels in Maths, Physics and French. She now works at the investment bank Morgan Stanley as a Java Programmer.

"I have always been interested in computing and wanted to learn more, so the Computer Science programme seemed to be a good way to combine my A level knowledge with gaining an employable skill. I also liked the programme because there is a good coverage of all the basics as well as the opportunity to specialise. I chose Manchester because it is a suitably long distance from where I live and it's a red-brick university. I went to an Open Day to have a look and was impressed by how pleasant all the people I met were.

One of the most important things I gained from the degree programme was the ability to learn fast and to pick up new skills. Also the basic understanding of computers that I gained means that whether or not the current programming language changes, I can still keep up. The best thing about the School of Computer Science is the sense that you are at the cutting edge of computing technology - you are surrounded by so much history of achievement. It's easy to get involved with current staff projects so you really do get a sense of advancement and achievement.

The best thing about The University of Manchester is the location - it is a fantastic city full of great people. There are a lot of students around in Manchester which is great as it means that there are loads of things going on related to students: plenty of cheap nights out, part-time jobs, support networks and choices of accommodation.

At the Manchester graduate careers fair, I met representatives from the investment bank Morgan Stanley and was told about their graduate programme. I joined the company after graduating and am still there! I work as a Java programmer, developing intranet sites and tools."