My UWI Experience Pt.3 : Last Lap and Next Steps

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2021-2022 : Smaller Classes, Harder Work

My final year was one of the most challenging years for me at UWI, surpassing even my first year. 


This was mainly due to the fact that I chose more difficult elective courses such as Intro to Data Analytics and Intelligent Systems, despite having no background knowledge in those domains.

 Although the first and second years laid the foundation for programming, it did not prepare me for the complexities of the Horizontal Apriori Algorithm (used in Data Mining).

Each programming course in the final year was densely packed with foreign concepts that were not always easy to grasp in class, which meant that I had to spend a lot more time studying and preparing for exams. 

Even the lecturers would often say, "Today's topic should be an entire course on its own."
Group projects carried more weight, with Human Computer Interaction being an entirely group-based course.

Additionally, I contracted COVID-19 during the semester, which made attending all those group-related meetings a challenge.

However, my final year was not all doom and gloom. In April 2022, I attended the World of Work Recruitment Fair, which brought a glimmer of hope. 

It was then that I began applying for jobs and became aware of all the opportunities that the field of technology had to offer.

My final year at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine taught me the five following lessons:


Get the Course Outline in Advance 

To finish your degree with strong grades in your final year, it's beneficial to obtain the course outline ahead of the semester.   

You can ask anyone you know who has taken the courses you're interested in, or even reach out to the lecturers who teach the course during academic advising and ask them for the topics.  

This will put you in a better position to prepare for the semester as you can now read on the subtopics and be prepared for your first class. 


Choose Your Electives Wisely

Computer Science is a broad area of study, so it's important to choose electives that are prerequisites to the courses you're interested in.  

Remember, to be awarded a degree, you must complete 93 credits with the correct combination of courses.  

Your final year offers the most freedom to choose, so take the time to plan the career path you'd like to focus on.

Participate in the 6-Credit Internship 

I highly recommend signing up for the 6-credit internship program as it offers valuable experience and the opportunity to network with professionals in your field.  

Moreover, if you successfully complete all your courses, you'll only need to take four courses in your final year instead of five. 

Take this internship seriously as you may be offered a job at the same company in the future. 


Start Building a Portfolio

After finishing all your exams, consider working on meaningful projects that solve problems you're passionate about, either in a group or on your own.  

Document your work and publish it on LinkedIn, a personal website or GitHub.  

This will come in handy during interviews with prospective employers, as they often ask about your previous work.  

It's easier to discuss something you've recently worked on than an assignment you completed two years ago.

Attend Recruitment Fairs

One of the perks of going to university is the direct access to recruiters of well-established companies. 

This is a space for networking, interviews, and information that is exclusively offered to you as a student, so make the most out of this opportunity. 

I think that UWI does a great job with the overall preparation of students for the world of work, from optimizing your LinkedIn profile to mock interviews. 



Resources   
 

 An Article on the Apriori Algorithm

 A Good Video on Data Projects

 Book Recommendations

 

 

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