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Coding her way to success
From opening her bursary letter, writing her first piece of code in Year 7, and gaining a place on one of the most sought after computer science degree apprenticeships, Sharmalyne Joseph is coding her own way to success.
Taking time out of her busy university life and undeterred by another grey morning in January, Sharmalyne looks back to her days at Blackheath High School. It was here that her love for all things computer science began, writing her first piece of code, ‘Hello World’, in Year 7.
She describes joining Blackheath and starting computer science lessons as feeling like a game. “Lots of the things we did in lessons were code, mini-games, and apps,” she explains. And by Year 8, everything started to click. “I felt like [computer science] was something I was weirdly good at. I understood what I was doing, and it all made sense. That had a positive impact on me because it felt like, ‘Oh, this is something I can actually do!’”
“I definitely felt nurtured throughout my time at Blackheath,” she continues, and describes her sense that all ideas – whatever they were – would be welcomed, and should be shared.
Sharmalyne was awarded a full bursary on the HSBC scholarship scheme. “This might sound a bit of a cliché, but receiving a bursary opened a lot of doors for me.” Taking us back to the moment she opened her letter, “I sort of joked around that I’d probably got 100%. I was a bit full of myself back in Year 6!”
Joking aside, Sharmalyne talks about the many opportunities and support her bursary provided, including the “unparalleled” career advice she received. “Without bursaries, people like me wouldn’t be able to join the school. The bursary is evidence that you definitely belong and deserve to be there. It really helped me get to where I am – a degree apprenticeship at a Russell Group University – which is a huge achievement and couldn’t have been done without the support of the bursary.”
“If anything, the bursary is evidence that you definitely belong and deserve to be there.”
So, what advice would she give a bursary recipient starting out now? “Don’t let it hold you back. Some people might feel nervous or have a bit of imposter syndrome because they feel like they don’t belong. But, if anything, the bursary is evidence that you definitely belong and deserve to be there.”
Sharmalyne is a second-year degree apprentice at the University of Birmingham and PwC. Unlike other degree apprenticeships, which typically divide the week between university and the workplace, Sharmalyne studies full-time and then goes on a ten-week placement with PwC every summer. “They ask you what skills you’d like to develop that summer to figure out which area of the business would be best,” she says, an approach that has given Sharmalyne the chance to explore new areas of computer science such as data analysis.
To close our conversation, she shares her hopes for the future. “The kind of impact I want to have on the world is to leave a legacy of helping people. I want whatever work I end up doing to matter, and to better someone else’s life.” Sharmalyne continues, “The world needs more people who aren’t scared to speak their minds and just be their true selves.”
The future certainly looks bright for Sharmalyne, and we look forward to seeing where her journey takes her in the years to come.
Bursaries at GDST
Sharmalyne Joseph is one of over 6,600 women who have benefited from the lifechanging opportunity of a GDST education thanks to the bursary programme, which has been in place for over 25 years. GDST bursaries are not just about providing financial assistance: students are given the chance to flourish, to learn and to discover on the same terms as their peers. Bursaries benefit not only the recipient but also their family and networks, along with the entire school community, by ensuring that our learning environments reflect the diversity of the world beyond the school gates.
Learn more about GDST BursariesGDST Life Alumnae Magazine 2024/25
Sharmalyne is featured in our 2024/25 edition of GDST Life alumnae magazine, where you will find a whole host of features and articles including stories, tips and viewpoints from a range of alumnae contributors, GDST and school news, our latest alumnae book listings, and how you can keep in touch.
