My journey to Undergraduate of the Year with TargetJobs

“If not you, then who?”

Honestly, that was the quote that stopped me from closing the email. The TargetJobs Undergraduate of the Year Awards sounded prestigious and a little out of my league! But thankfully those words from a previous finalist shifted my whole perspective, and I decided to give it my best shot.

Fast forward a few months to April, and I was standing on a stage in London, feeling a mixture of joy and disbelief, being named the Software Engineering Undergraduate of the Year 2026. So, if you’re reading this thinking these kinds of awards are only for “other” people, I hope I can convince you to hit ‘apply’ anyway.

From practicing coding questions, to behavioural interview prep, to mock assessment centres, a lot of preparation went into making this journey possible, and the University were incredibly helpful and supportive at all stages. Particularly helpful was the Employability Series run by the School of Computer Science, offering numerous talks and workshops from industry professionals. The insights I gained from these sessions were invaluable in the assessment process and gave me real direction and clarity in my career aspirations.

Furthermore, some of the best advice I received throughout my application came during my video interview, where I had the chance to ask about the qualities that made an award winner. I was given a great, and very comprehensive, answer but the part that stuck with me was right at the end when I was told “and just be a good person”. And though this may sound trivial, in a world and industry that is becoming more automated and reliant on technology day by day, it is truly the people that make the difference. Technical skills can only be effective if they are built on top of a strong foundation of interpersonal skills.

And over the course of my journey with Skyscanner (who were the fantastic partner for this award), which included coding tests, video interviews, a ‘Discovery Day’/Assessment Centre, and the TargetJobs Grand Final in London in April 2026, I learnt an enormous amount about myself. Impostor syndrome featured quite heavily in my journey, especially being surrounded by so many talented people, but in the end it taught me to trust my preparation and embrace the discomfort that is inevitable when pushing ourselves beyond our comfort zones. I learnt that it’s not a requirement to have everything figured out before we can get started, and that we have to take that (sometimes scary) first step otherwise we will never know what we’re capable of.

So why did I choose to study at University of Birmingham? Besides the technical excellence that Birmingham offers in the field of Computer Science, it was truthfully the opportunity the University offers to become a well-rounded person that brought me to Birmingham. Throughout my degree I have had so many incredible opportunities and experiences, from picking up a new sport and being on the American Football Committee, all the way to the Birmingham Award and being a Teaching Associate in the School of Computer Science. The sheer range of societies and sports clubs available is incredible, and I truly believe that they have played a huge part in my development.

And just before I finish up, here are a couple of tips I would give to anybody applying for awards or similar opportunities:

1. Be curious – Always be interested and enthusiastic, both in your field and in the people there too. Don’t be afraid to ask that question or take on that extra opportunity, because you never know where it could take you!

2. Believe in yourself – While humility is paramount, it doesn’t need to come with self-criticism. Always give your best and trust in your ability. So often you are capable of far more than you could know.

Finally, my journey doesn’t end with the trophy. I am incredibly excited to be joining the team at Skyscanner this summer as a Software Engineering Intern, where I can’t wait to apply all of the things I have learnt along the way!

So, to the first-year version of me, and anyone else doubting themselves, I ask you: If not you, then who?

You can also read the news story which was published to celebrate James' achievement.