“A place I had grown to love”: How the University of Northampton helped me to where I am today
In our new Digital Northants Story, Dennis Bijo describes his journey from growing up in southern India and studying at the University of Northampton to a career in technology.
I was born in Kerala, a state in the southern part of India. The first time I moved away from home was to attend a school in Navodaya, which was located in a beautiful mountainous area, near one of the largest arch dams in all of Asia. It was an amazing place, truly picturesque.
Growing up, I was fascinated by nature, always wondering how trees grow, how seeds sprout, and other such things. I used to watch birds and animals like crows and cats in the neighbourhood, and I’d often find myself thinking about what’s going on under the surface of things..
I had a happy childhood and during those golden days, I was glued to the TV, laughing hysterically at Tom and Jerry's epic chases, tweaking my imaginary BeyBlade for the ultimate showdown, and trying to catch 'em all in the Pokemon universe.
My home was a battleground for cartoon adventures, all while my parents tackled the real-world baddies as dedicated hard workers.
My close friends were like wise old sages, guiding me with their vast experience—likely because they were much older than me. And let's not forget my younger sister, the only one who had a legitimate claim to the TV remote after me.
My district, Idukki, isn’t just any place—it’s known as the "High-Range" for a reason. Perched way up in the hills, where the air is cooler and the views are endless, you'll find my new school nestled right in the heart of it all: Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Idukki. It was like living in a postcard, except instead of tourists, it was just us—students who had cleared the entrance exam and were now ready to take on the world, or at least the hills, one step at a time.
Navodaya was more than just school—it was a whole chapter of my life packed into five unforgettable years. Picture this: I was 11, nervous, leaving my home and family, and about to dive headfirst into a world where everyone of my age from every corner of my district was gathered in one dorm. Imagine the chaos, the friendships, and the occasional Tamil lesson thrown in (thanks, Idukki district's proximity to Tamil Nadu!).
We were a melting pot of languages, dialects, backgrounds, and stories, but somehow, we just clicked. I think it was in that dorm, sharing everything from bunk beds to snacks, that I first realised people could be wildly different on the surface but, deep down, we're all the same.
Then, at 16, it was time for the next chapter—a technical higher secondary school in Muttom, just a stone's throw from home in Thodupuzha. It was a new start, but a part of me always carried those Navodaya days, and the realisation that we're all connected at the core.
At this school, I was exposed to electronics engineering and computer science and I had two brilliant teachers teaching both the subjects. I was introduced to programming languages like C and C++, and I found them easy as I could connect my thinking to lines of syntax. I discovered that each programming problem was just another mischievous mouse to outwit, another BeyBlade battle to win, or another Pokemon puzzle to crack. Coding was a delightful mix of fun, logic, and a whole new world with a different language.
Electronics, on the other hand, seemed more tedious—getting circuits to work was such a pain. So I knew computer engineering was the right path for me.
Later, I went to Mahatma Gandhi University, which had a college just 13 kilometres from my home. I thought if I had to move away for a job later on, I might never get the chance to spend time with my family again. So I decided to do my bachelor's in computer science at a college near my hometown. After finishing my Bachelor of Technology degree in Computer Science and Engineering, I received a couple of job offers—one from a bank, one from a service-oriented software company, and another from a product software company.
I chose the product software company Vanenburg (rebranded as Rappit) because I’ve always been curious about how things work and liked to find solutions if things didn’t work.
Soon after completing my degree, I joined Vanenburg in Coimbatore, which meant moving to another state. That’s where I picked up learning a new language, Tamil, a language similar to my mother tongue, Malayalam, but with a different script and slang. It wasn’t too difficult to pick up because both languages have roots in Sanskrit.
I spent two and a half years there, working on Google Cloud Platform and with clients like Valeo, a French auto parts manufacturer. I met some fantastic people who mentored me and pushed me to grow in the computer science field.
After finishing my course in 2017, I joined the company the same year and worked there for two and a half years before getting another offer, this time from a bus booking company in Hyderabad, a different state with yet another language and culture. This was around 2019. I like learning languages and I’m actively learning Spanish and German on Duolingo these days.
Three months into the job, the pandemic hit. Like many others, I had to move back home. Unfortunately, the bus booking company struggled with cash flow issues due to the lack of buses running during the pandemic, and our salaries were cut. It was a tough time financially, so I started looking for another job. I found myself juggling multiple job offers, but ultimately, I chose HashedIn Technologies for my next adventure.
Hashedin, which had been recently acquired by Deloitte, offered me a Senior Software Engineer role, and that turned out to be a great learning experience. I was leading a team, working with clients like Indeed, and getting a front-row seat to how different companies operate. HashedIn had this incredible culture—collaborative, dynamic, and just plain fun. Building software products for a diverse range of clients, thanks to the Deloitte connection, was a real eye-opener. It was a ride worth taking.
That’s when I decided I wanted to travel. Once the lockdowns were lifted, I travelled around India, firstly travelling through my own state and then visiting the north, northeast, west, and a bit of central India. It felt liberating, especially after being stuck at home during the pandemic. I have always wanted to see Europe and different parts of the world and this experience ignited a desire to explore further, leading me to consider studying abroad.
I applied to multiple universities in the UK and eventually got an offer from the University of Northampton. It was a no-brainer, really. I had other options but I chose Northampton and made my way to England.
Once in Northampton, I started looking for jobs and found my first one as a health and social care worker. I did look for software engineering jobs, but as a full-time student, I couldn’t get into a full-time role. It was tough balancing everything—working 12+ hour shifts at the care home, cooking, cleaning, staying in touch with family, and handling university assignments. It took a toll on me. But then, four months into the job, I found out about a recruitment opportunity with Barclays through the university. I managed to secure an interview and was offered a Java Software Engineer role.
Two months later, I joined Barclays' amazing Fraud Technology team, rubbing shoulders with some sharp undergrad students who were working full-time. Since I was still deep into my course, they brought me on part-time, and the best part was they let me work from home for part of the week. That flexibility was a game-changer, helping me juggle my studies but also making it easier to handle the financial commitments of moving to a new country. Balancing both worlds felt a lot more doable.
I completed my course in February with a distinction in my master’s programme. By then, I was considering extending my stay in the UK. While Barclays initially said they could sponsor my visa, a hiring freeze at the organisation meant they couldn’t proceed with the visa sponsorship. I was on a fixed-term contract, which added to the uncertainty.
So I started looking for other opportunities and landed a Senior Software Engineer role with Capital One, which was fully remote. I was part of a team that transformed their communication channels, optimising the emails and letters sent to customers. We did some solid work on building a cloud alternative for an on-premise communications server.
At Capital One, I primarily worked with Java, AWS, and APIs, though I also had experience with Python, JavaScript, and C++ from my master’s and previous roles. Learning new languages and technologies has always come naturally to me, so picking things up quickly became second nature. Now, at my current company, SecureWorks, I’m diving into Golang—a bit of a departure from Java, but it’s been a fun and rewarding challenge to learn something so different!
I’m really happy at SecureWorks, working on cybersecurity, which has been a part of the company’s focus for over 20 years. We have our cyber security product called Taegis, which I’m involved with as a Detection Platform core member. At SecureWorks, partnered with Dell, we have a diverse global customer base. We handle an immense volume of data, ingesting billions of telemetry and other data from organisations around the world. Our job is to scan and hunt for threats, ensuring that our customers' missions remain secure. The challenges here are on a whole new scale compared to anything I’ve tackled before, and solving problems at this level has been an incredibly rewarding experience. It’s an exciting chapter in my career, and I’m looking forward to what’s next.
Reflecting on my time at the University of Northampton, I feel truly blessed. The support I received there was incredible. I remember the machine learning professor, Dr. Mohammad Bahja, who made a huge impact on me. His classes were fascinating, blending theoretical concepts with practical applications. I’ll never forget when he explained why motorways in the UK are always congested—it’s not just accidents, but the ripple effect of one car slowing down that causes traffic to build up. It never made sense to me until I started driving here, and now I see it every time I’m on the road.
One day, Dr. Bahja came to class and mentioned a career event happening for the bachelor’s students. He encouraged us to join the session instead of attending his lecture. Many of my classmates were busy with assignments, but I decided to join the call. It turned out to be a crucial decision.
Towards the end of the session, the hiring manager from Barclays shared her email for those interested in graduate roles. I sent my CV immediately and forgot about it. A couple of weeks later, I was invited to apply through their official link, which led to an assessment centre and, eventually, my job at Barclays. I’m so grateful to Dr. Bahja for encouraging us to attend that session.
Another aspect of my time at Northampton that stands out is the community support. I found a charity initiative called FISH (Friendship International Students and Hosts) through some friends at the Hindu Society of UoN. Every Monday evening, there was a meet-up called “Global Cafe”, above the Market Café in the Learning Hub. I used to have classes on Mondays, so I’d stay over after class and attend the meet-up. It was a wonderful opportunity to connect with people from Northampton and other international students, and I felt very welcomed.
FISH is connected with St. Giles Church, and through that, I was introduced to the Students and Young Adults group. They’ve been, hands down, the most amazing group of caring, loving, and supportive people I’ve met in the UK, all around my age. They really looked out for me, inviting me to parties, camping trips, and all sorts of soulful and fulfilling adventures in and around Northampton. The camaraderie I found with them has been nothing short of heartwarming.
At one point, I had a car crash during my first winter in Northampton. It was a tough time—I had no money, no permanent job, and visa issues to sort out. But the people I met through FISH and St.Giles helped me put things in perspective. They reminded me that the most important thing was that I was healthy and alive, and that everything else could be rebuilt. Their support made a huge difference in my life.
I also had the privilege of working closely with Dr. Suraj, who leads the computing department at the university. After I got the job at Barclays, I had a great conversation with him about my experience, and he even invited me to share some tips with current students. I talked about my job hunting experiences and shared advice on using AI tools like ChatGPT to enhance their CVs and prepare for interviews. It felt good to give back and help others make the most of their opportunities.
Lastly, my dissertation professor Dr. Amir Minai provided invaluable guidance as I navigated job offers. When SecureWorks came through with a fully remote offer, I was thrilled. It meant I could stay in Northampton, a place I had grown to love. Everything just seemed to fall into place, and I’m truly grateful for the opportunities I’ve had.
Looking back, I feel incredibly lucky to have been a part of the University of Northampton. The campus, the people, and the opportunities I encountered there have all contributed to where I am today.