Steve Chan

Co-Founder & CTO, Stealth Labs

Tell us about your current job. Describe what you do on a typical day.

I've recently launched my own AI start-up, Stealth Labs, after about 14 years working in the industry, including five years at Microsoft as an AI Specialist. I've nominally taken on the Chief Technology Officer role, but the reality of being a co-founder is that your role changes by the hour. One minute I'm working on financing, the next I'm in the weeds on delivery for a client. It's brilliant and incredibly varied, though I won't lie, I'm looking forward to growing our headcount so we can start introducing a bit more structure!

What were the best things about your course?

Computer Science was a fantastic course, and a lot of the concepts we studied felt genuinely cutting edge at the time. But the best thing, without a doubt, was the community. Being part of the School of Computer Science meant you were surrounded by people who were just as passionate and curious as you were, and that made the whole experience something special.

How do you feel your degree helped you get a job after graduation?

I think the degree was brilliant at teaching me to think analytically as a computer scientist. I really noticed this when I started comparing myself to others at the same level after graduation. A lot of other computer science degrees seemed to prepare people to write code in a specific language, whereas mine gave me a deeper understanding of language, logic and foundational concepts in a way I could apply to any programming language. That flexibility has been invaluable throughout my career.

What skills from your degree do you think you use most in your current job?

That critical thinking, without question. The ability to take a problem, think about it through the lens of system architecture, and then build a solution around it. That's something I use every single day.

What are your top tips for securing a job in the United Kingdom or your home country?

Have a growth mindset and don't sell yourself short. Being able to grow, think and learn is a genuinely valuable asset, and the University of Birmingham helps you develop exactly that. When you're speaking to employers, demonstrating your keenness to learn and your ability to adapt is no bad thing at all. In fact, it's often what sets you apart.

How has your career developed since graduating from the University of Birmingham. Did you need to take additional training on top of your degree?

If I'm being honest, I graduated and didn't look back. I didn't take any additional formal training, although professional qualifications and certifications are quite common in the tech industry. My career took me from BAE Systems into Microsoft and eventually into founding my own company, and I'd say the learning never really stopped, it just happened on the job rather than in a classroom.

What advice would you give to current and prospective students looking to work in your sector?

I think for the first time in a long time, students and graduates are actually in a more knowledgeable position than experienced hires when it comes to concepts like Artificial Intelligence. That's because they're curious, they experiment, and they have a wide peripheral vision of what's happening in the space. Use that to your advantage. Don't assume the person across the table in an interview knows more than you do, because increasingly, they might not.

What advice would you give to current students studying on your degree programme?

Computer Science is brilliant, but think about the softer skills too. Understandably there's a mountain of technical concepts you want to study and master, but don't forget about presentational and personal skills. Being able to communicate an idea clearly or present confidently in a room will take you just as far as your technical ability. Perhaps think about picking up some of those modules if they're available to you.

What would you recommend students should do at University, over and above their academic study, to make them more employable in the graduate market?

People are launching entire product businesses by themselves with the use of AI these days. My advice would be to make sure you have a portfolio on GitHub or some sort of technical demonstrator available for employers to see. It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to show that you're building things and thinking creatively outside of your coursework.

Did you take advantage of support services offered by the University?

I attended multiple careers fairs put on by the Careers Network, which were really useful for seeing a wide range of employers in one place and understanding the types of roles they could offer. It's one of those things that's easy to skip, but I'd really encourage people to go along.

What are your fondest memories of the University and what would you say to anyone currently considering studying at Birmingham?

All the people I met along the way. I'm 14 years post-graduation and some of my closest friends are still the ones I met at university. Don't underestimate that part of the experience. The socialising is just as important as the studying, and the friendships you build there can genuinely last lifetime.

What were your favourite things about Birmingham the city?

I'm biased because I'm from Birmingham, but Birmingham City FC have got to be the best thing about the city, surely?! In all seriousness though, it's a fantastic city to be a student in, and it's only got better since I graduated.

What extracurricular activities did you get involved in as a student?

I feel like the community within Computer Science was so strong that I didn't really need to look far beyond it. I was part of the Computer Science Society, which was heavily social, but most of my time was spent creating our own activities with my group of friends. Sometimes the best experiences are the ones you make for yourself.

Please tell us about your experience studying and living away from home.

I was in a weird middle ground because I was from Birmingham but chose to move out from home. I had some home comforts, like being able to drop my washing off, but I loved the independence of living away. Looking back on it, the thing I cherish most is having that "Friends" experience where everyone is walking distance away and you just know you can go round someone's place and people will be there. That's an experience you don't really get again after university, so I'd say make the most of it while you can.

Why did you originally apply to Birmingham?

I was from Birmingham but didn't really know what I was doing when it came to applying for universities. I had pretty severe anxiety from something that had happened a few years prior, and nobody in my family had been to university before, so there wasn't really anyone to guide me through the process. I knew Birmingham was a good university, but it was really things like their focus on local students, the Access to Birmingham scheme, and how welcome they made me feel that pushed me towards staying locally. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I've ever made.