Kish Galappatti

Kish Galappatti

BSc (Hons) Information Systems, 1997

About me

ABOUT MY CAREER 

I was enrolled on an international programme run by Manchester Met in Sri Lanka at the time of my studies. I decided to study at Manchester Met because of the quality of the Information Systems course. One of the key aspects that drew me to the course was it offered a placement year to help gain valuable industry experience while applying what I had learnt on the programme.  

During my placement year, I worked with Sri Lanka’s first Internet Service Provider, Lanka Internet. The experience and relationships I gained during my placement year inspired me and a fellow batchmate to start our own business helping organisations in Sri Lanka get on the then relatively new World Wide Web. What I learned during my placement year, and more importantly, the relationships I formed, were pivotal in my career. The year was hugely valuable and helped me to develop both technical and organisational soft skills. 

My current role is as a Senior Sales Engineer for a cybersecurity startup. I am responsible for providing technical expertise and oversight during pre and post-sale engagements with our customers. It involves being a cybersecurity subject matter expert (SME) as well as being able to build strong relationships with our customers to ensure their continued success using our products. 

In addition to the foundational skills in operating systems, networking and coding, the most useful skill I learnt during my time at Manchester Met was learning how to learn. I have been successful in my career by continually adapting to new technologies and new paradigms. This requires continuous learning as well as being able to adapt to rapidly changing ways in which technology is used to solve business and human problems. I also developed leadership and public speaking skills through holding a leadership position at the student union. 

One of the key pillars to a successful career is the ability to continuously learn and adapt. I have been in key roles in many industry sectors and have been responsible for the adoption of many different technologies from high performance computing to cybersecurity and now AI. All of these require continuing professional development and training. 

MY TOP TIP FOR STUDENTS IS 

Be curious to all aspects of a particular job or career path. Do not focus on one aspect or the specific job role. Research and understand how the work you do impacts business outcomes. That will act as a differentiator for you. 

I’M INSPIRED BY 

I am inspired by Nelson Mandela. Not just due to his role in the struggle for freedom and equality in his country but due to his embrace of servant leadership. He believed that leaders should be delegating from the background, and individuals best suited for specific role should be in front. 

WHY I LOVE MANCHESTER MET 

The camaraderie of my fellow alumni which continues to this day. 

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