Newbury College student Ibrahim Evans has gained vital experience in the workplace during his industry placement with College Skills Partner Lifecycle Software Ltd.
During the placement, Ibrahim moved beyond training exercises to apply his technical skills to real business challenges. One of his key projects involved carrying out a vulnerability assessment of a customer relationship management (CRM) system.
Using security tools that were new to him, Ibrahim analysed the system, identified potential vulnerabilities and reported his findings. He then presented the results to members of the Lifecycle Software team, providing both him and the company with valuable insights.
The project was one of the highlights of the placement for Ibrahim, alongside attending an all-hands company meeting. Being included in a meeting with colleagues from across the business helped him better understand workplace culture and made him feel part of the team.
Ibrahim said: “The placement gave me a really good insight into the working environment and helped point me in the right direction”.
Working alongside experienced professionals also helped Ibrahim develop wider employability skills. He improved his teamwork, problem-solving and independent research skills and learnt when to ask colleagues for support.
Lifecycle Software tailored the placement around Ibrahim’s interests and career ambitions. Before students begin their placements, the company discusses their areas of interest and uses this information to identify suitable projects and learning opportunities.
For a student interested in cybersecurity, this meant giving Ibrahim the opportunity to work on penetration testing and security-related projects alongside the wider technical curriculum.
Ross Devereux, Professional Services Director at Lifecycle Software Ltd, said Ibrahim quickly became a productive member of the team and made a positive contribution through his security work.
He said: “Using security tools he had not encountered before, Ibrahim identified genuine vulnerabilities, produced a detailed report and formally presented his findings to the team. This allowed us to directly strengthen our software security.”
For Lifecycle Software, placements are also an opportunity to identify and develop future talent. Students bring new perspectives and current technical knowledge into the workplace, while giving existing employees opportunities to develop their own mentoring, leadership and coaching skills.
The partnership also allows the business to support the development of future digital professionals while introducing young people to its products, systems and workplace culture.
Industry placements are a key part of T Levels and give students the opportunity to put their technical knowledge into practice with an employer. They also help students understand the range of career opportunities available within their chosen sector. Employers interested in offering industry placements and supporting the next generation of professionals can contact Newbury College at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Ibrahim’s experience reflects Newbury College’s ‘Careers, not courses’ ethos, connecting classroom learning with meaningful industry experience and helping students develop the skills, confidence and knowledge needed for their future careers.
To find out more about T Levels and career-focused study at Newbury College, visit newbury-college.ac.uk