Callum Poskitt

I chose to study Computer Science at Edge Hill after attending an open day and enjoying one of the coding sessions. The course content immediately appealed to me, and the campus stood out as somewhere I could see myself studying. The combination of good courses, a welcoming campus and a strong first impression made Edge Hill the right choice for me.

One of my favourite things about studying at Edge Hill was the campus, the people and the small-town feel. It created a friendly environment where I felt comfortable throughout my time at university and made the overall student experience particularly enjoyable.

Throughout my degree, I developed a range of skills that I now use in my career, including database structuring, teamwork and collaboration, and networking. These skills have been particularly valuable in helping me transition into professional practice and work effectively with colleagues across different departments.

Some of my proudest achievements at university were submitting my dissertation and winning BUCS Division 2 in American Football. Both experiences required dedication, hard work and perseverance, making them memorable highlights of my time at Edge Hill.

After graduating, I secured a role as a Software Engineer at Arc Elevators in Nelson. My role involves working closely with design teams and other specialists to develop systems that support their day-to-day work. Every day brings different challenges, but I enjoy finding practical solutions to real-world engineering problems.

My favourite part of the job is having the opportunity to design and develop my own internal web application. My degree prepared me for this career through the practical and technical skills I developed, particularly within the Database Systems module. Modern organisations rely on structured, secure and relational databases to manage information effectively, and the knowledge I gained through this module has proven especially useful in my role.

I first joined Arc Elevators in the summer of 2025 as an Assistant Electrical Engineer. While working there, I noticed the Electrical Engineering department was relatively small and that software development resources were limited. When I returned to university and began thinking about ideas for my dissertation, I identified an opportunity to improve the company’s monitoring systems and developed a project focused on autodialler monitoring.

Working closely with Arc Elevators, I researched GSM technology and discovered that the company’s existing text-based monitoring system could be significantly improved. The company provided me with the equipment I needed, including an evaluation board and a real autodialler, allowing me to test and develop my solution in a live environment. The system is currently operating on four lifts during its testing phase, with a wider rollout planned in the future.

I have continued developing the project since joining Arc Elevators as a Software Engineer. The system is now being expanded to provide full lift monitoring by collecting and transmitting operational data, including door sensor information, encoder readings and drive data. One of the reasons I enjoy working at Arc is the level of technical freedom available within a medium-sized lift manufacturer, which allows me to contribute directly to innovative projects and see my ideas implemented in practice.

Looking ahead, I want to continue developing my knowledge of artificial intelligence and explore how AI can be applied within engineering environments. In particular, I hope to implement a fault database that will help engineers diagnose lift issues more efficiently and support faster decision-making.