Researching Careers in Artificial Intelligence

At the age of 16, Brett Drury left secondary school and enrolled with Huntingdon Technical College, now Cambridge Regional College Huntingdon Campus, to complete his A-level studies. Upon graduation, Brett progressed to the University of Plymouth where he read Law, specialising in Employment Law.

Brett said, “My father was a lecturer at Huntingdon Technical College, so I knew that the course was of a high standard, with lecturers who had industry experience. I had a very good time at the College because I was treated like an adult, and consequently my attitude quickly changed, and I became an independent learner.

While studying at Plymouth University, I helped to create a Free Representation Unit, a scheme in which students took on live cases, along with two other students and the founder Jeanette Stapleton. Unfortunately, I graduated in the middle of a recession, and could not find work as a solicitor, so I changed tack and converted to a career in technology, taking a postgraduate course at the University of London (Queen Mary College).”

Following his postgraduate studies, Brett moved into the industry as an IT Consultant, before emigrating to Portugal. While working for a small Portuguese company, Brett was given the opportunity to study for a Doutoramento (PhD).

Brett added, “I studied for my PhD at the University of Porto in a research laboratory associated with the University.  After graduating, I won a post-doctoral scholarship with the funding body of São Paulo state in Brazil, and I undertook my research with the University of Sao Paulo.  After the completion of the contract in Brazil, I moved to Ireland and took up post as a Research Fellow at the National University of Ireland before moving back to Brazil to take up a post as Head of Research at a Brazilian Start-Up. While in Brazil I won a Leader in Innovation Fellowship with the Royal Academy of Engineering in an open competition.”

In 2021, Brett moved back to the UK to take a Lecturer position at Liverpool Hope University where he specialises in Artificial Intelligence research. Thinking back to his early studies, Brett made contact with Cambridge Regional College to enquire about working with students studying Computing. Brett is keen to explore careers and study opportunities in Artificial Intelligence and related fields, particularly for female students as the UK currently has an imbalance between the genders in the technology field.

Brett concluded, “If you are looking to continue your studies, while experiencing an environment different from school, Cambridge Regional College is ideal. The College was more like a University in its attitude towards students and therefore there was no adjustment when I eventually entered University.”