Age 16-18
Jelena Scegolevatiha’s journey with New City College saw her rise from an ESOL student who spoke no English at all, to securing a job as an IT Apprentice in the City.
When Jelena moved to the UK from Latvia, she enrolled on an ESOL and entry level IT course at New City College Tower Hamlets Campus in order to learn how to speak, read and write English. With the friendly classroom environment, a determination to succeed and great support from her teachers, she quickly progressed.
Jelena said: “I couldn’t speak English at all when I first arrived, but during my first year, one of my IT teachers noticed how well I worked with Excel and that teacher’s encouragement changed everything for me.”
Recognising Jelena’s potential, her teacher suggested she try a Level 2 IT course, and Jelena embraced the opportunity even though she initially wasn’t sure what she wanted to do.
“I thought I wanted to be a dentist or an architect, but when the opportunity came up, I decided to give the IT course a try, and I haven’t looked back.”
Jelena then progressed to a Level 3 Computing course where she discovered her passion for networking and cybersecurity. Alongside the Level 3 course, she sat her GCSE Maths, achieving a grade 9 and her GCSE English, gaining a grade 6.
She said: “From the first year, we covered topics like network infrastructure and cybersecurity, using software like Cisco Packet Tracer and I realised that I really enjoyed them. Now, in my apprenticeship, I’m using everything I learned, configuring hardware and working with networks every day.”
Made the most of every opportunity
During her time at college, Jelena made the most of every opportunity and gained in confidence. She applied for university and was offered places at Queen Mary and UCL but she was hesitant about taking up these offers because of the financial implications.
“I still needed to pay my rent so I thought I can’t go to university full-time for three years and only have a part-time job.”
It was actually through attending a careers fair held on campus that she secured her job. At the fair she spoke to apprentices from Exponential-E, a network solutions provider based at Aldgate East. They inspired her to apply for the apprenticeship scheme, which she thought would be the perfect route for her, rather than going to university. She was given an interview and offered a job as a Networking Apprentice, which she started in the summer of 2023.
Jelena credits her time at New City College for preparing her for the demands of her current role. “Everything I learned at college, from networking to programming, has been so beneficial. Even courses I didn’t think I’d use, like app development, have helped me understand the bigger picture of how systems work.”
Her commitment and the support she received from her teachers were key to her success and enabled her to achieve a Triple Distinction* – the highest grade possible.
She said: “I’m so grateful for the teachers who believed in me. They didn’t just teach me – they supported me every step of the way, staying after class to explain things and recommending resources to help me improve.”
Now working in Exponential-E’s Network Operations Centre, with the chance to work at home three days a week, Jelena is thriving in her role and hopes to stay with the company after completing her apprenticeship this year, possibly transitioning into cybersecurity.
Jelena’s advice to other students is simple: “Just go for it. Even if you don’t understand everything at first, you’ll learn, and you might discover you love it. I didn’t think I’d end up in IT, but I’m so happy I took that chance.”
