An evaluation of the job market which revealed a high demand for computer practitioners, coupled with a natural flair for computers, were the deciding factors which led 22-year-old Caliph Cole to enrol for the BSc Computer Science degree in 2012. Mulling over job opportunities, he was lured to pursue the degree because of its relevance in today’s world and the growing demand for expertise in the field. “A look at the practical side of life led me to consider a Computer Science degree. Computers are a need nowadays, not a want. So, it makes sense to pursue computer studies but, like Math, you have to have an aptitude for it. If you can’t reason problems well, it’s not for you,” he said. The former head boy of Trinity Primary School, St. Mary, was always a no-nonsense, high achiever. He excelled while at St. Mary and Happy Grove High Schools, entering The UWI on a scholarship from the Ministry of Labour. Subsequently, he was awarded The UWI Open Scholarship to continue his second and third years. His award of a First Class Honours degree and the attainment of a 3.65 GPA were gained by nothing short of consistent, hard work. “I never lost my momentum when studying; I read widely to keep up-  to-date with current trends in the field,” he explained.

 Business Prospects

The two courses he found most appealing were Computing and Society and Discrete Mathematics in Computing. “I liked Discrete Mathematics in Computing because I’m naturally good at Math and it pushed my reasoning ability. In Computing and Society I learnt the origins of computing, leading up to where it is at now and the varied opportunities in the field. I also enjoyed learning about the giants in the computer world and how they achieved their success, such as Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft and Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, founders Apple Computers,” he said.

An entrepreneur at heart himself, Cole’s business acumen has led him to consider starting his own computer science company. His final year group project - a mobile transportation application called JA Transit - could form the basis of his business. He worked on this project with classmates Antoinette Todd; Herbert McNeil; Anthony Scott, and Percival Reid from the Western Jamaica Campus, supervised by lecturer, Carl Beckford. The app was designed to monitor transit buses for residents of the Kingston Metropolitan Area. It has features including one which allows the user to know when a bus will arrive to a nearby bus stop to his/her location, and also a trip planner by which a user can know what bus to take to get to a particular location. As an option to his business prospects, Cole has also applied to pursue the MSc. in Computer Science degree.

Positive Attitude

Cole reads extensively on successful people and particularly admires business mogul Donald Trump. “Trump is my mentor. His method is positive thinking. He says ‘the harder you work the more luck you have. Don’t lose your momentum’. I believe in that,” he said. Cole exudes a positive attitude and believes that you have to be able to sell yourself and your ideas for others to believe in you. He also prides himself in his belief in National Hero Marcus Garvey’s philosophy: “Without confidence, you are twice defeated in the race of life”.