Arushdeep turned curiosity in tech into real-world experience through the UTS IDeA Cadetship
At 17, while most students were focused on getting into university, Arushdeep Singh was preparing for something very different: his first job in tech. Today, as a UTS Computer Science student and a cadet in the IDeA program, he’s already building enterprise systems, presenting to stakeholders and exploring the future of AI, all before graduating.
Why UTS?
Studying a Bachelor of Computing Science was never a question for Arushdeep.
He grew up surrounded by technology and was naturally curious; pulling apart computers, understanding how they worked, and wanting to go deeper.
But when it came to choosing a university, Arushdeep was clear about one thing: he didn’t want to wait years before gaining real-world experience.
That’s what drew him to UTS and the IDeA Cadetship stood out immediately; a program designed to combine study with paid industry experience from the very beginning.
So he applied. Before his final school exams. Then got in.
I didn’t just want a theoretical computer science degree. I wanted to apply what I was learning in real environments.”
From classroom to cloud team
While many students spend their first year adjusting to uni life, Arushdeep stepped into the workforce almost immediately.
Just one month after starting his degree, he joined a cloud team at the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). It was a steep learning curve. From navigating enterprise systems to understanding workplace dynamics, everything was new. But with the support of a work mentor and a willingness to learn, that discomfort quickly turned into growth.
Industry-integrated learning
One of the biggest advantages of the UTS IDeA cadetship program, according to Arushdeep, was the opportunity to learn ahead. While working on a database project, he found himself tackling concepts he hadn’t yet studied at uni. Months later, when he took his database fundamentals subject, something clicked. “It felt like revision instead of learning from scratch.” This blend of theory and real-world application didn’t just make studying easier; it made it more meaningful.
Beyond technical knowledge, Arushdeep gained something just as valuable: professional confidence. From day one, he was developing skills that most students only encounter in later years:
- Communicating with stakeholders
- Presenting ideas to senior leaders
- Understanding cybersecurity in high-stakes environments
- Managing competing priorities between work and study
Professional communication is something you don’t really learn until you’re in it.
Finding direction in a fast-moving industry
Like many students entering tech, Arushdeep started with broad interests. But exposure to real-world projects helped him narrow his focus. He worked in cloud systems and later on, AI, giving him clarity on where his future could be. Now, he’s building his future around artificial intelligence and machine learning with hands-on experience already under his belt.
For students considering programs like the IDeA Cadetship, Arushdeep has a simple advice:
Just apply. You never know; opportunities like this can fundamentally change your trajectory.
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