Worried about juggling sport commitments with study? James Thompson did it with help from Massey University
In his last year of high school, James was doing A LOT of snowboarding – he even competed in Europe to represent New Zealand. Despite his love for learning, this meant uni wasn’t always a certainty. “I was in this toss-up, you know? Do I dive into more snowboarding adventures, or do I give university a shot?” James says.
In the end, it was Massey University’s Academy of Sport that tipped the balance in favour of study for James, who was impressed with the uni’s well-developed online learning environment.
James was able to both compete and train while studying his Bachelor of Science majoring in computer science. And, he says, the support system went well beyond what he expected. “It’s tailored to meet the needs of athletes already deeply involved in their sports,” James says.
“There are designated academic support workers who help with organising schedules and arranging special permissions for exam adjustments, especially when competitions clash,” he adds.
Now with his degree and some experience under his belt, James is carving his own path as a freelance software developer and data scientist.
James’s study and career pathway to becoming a freelance software developer
- Bachelor of Science (Computer Science), Massey University
- System administrator and developer, Telefund NZ
- Freelance software developer and data scientist
This profile was produced in partnership with Massey University and a version of it appears in Careers with STEM: Technology 2024.
