When Sarah Atkinson graduated from Pymble in 2022 and walked out of the College gates for what she thought was the last time, she had no idea that she’d be back the very next year working as a coding assistant in the school’s IT department.
Now studying computer science at the University of New South Wales, Sarah’s journey from a high school student to a second-year IT professional is a testament to her passion for technology and her desire to give back to the community that helped shape her.
Sarah’s decision to return to Pymble was sparked by a recommendation from an old coding assistant who mentioned a Year 13 position in the IT department.
“I hadn’t even known the position existed at the time,” Atkinson recalled.
“After the HSC finished, I decided to apply as I was interested in seeing where a career in IT could take me. I ended up getting the job and am super grateful for the experience and opportunities it has given me.”
Since then, Sarah has become a key figure within Pymble’s IT landscape, navigating the challenges and rewards that come with working at the College, a place she once called home as a student.
Balancing her studies with her responsibilities at Pymble, Sarah acknowledges that her background in software engineering, a subject she studied during her time at the College, has played a crucial role in her approach to solving technical challenges.
“The main skill that has been useful is perseverance,” said Atkinson.
This tenacity, developed through hours of debugging code and tackling unfamiliar programming languages, has now become one of her greatest assets.
“All problems are solvable. I know if I look in the right place, ask the right questions and keep trying, at some point I will figure out a decent solution,” she said.
Outside of Pymble, Sarah is a director of CompClub, a society dedicated to holding workshops to teach coding to high school students. Recognising the potential to bring this initiative to the College, Sarah spearheaded a workshop that introduced Pymble students to the world of coding.
“The workshop was a huge success. Students loved it so much that there are now plans to hold more workshops in the future,” Atkinson said.
As AI continues to evolve, Pymble is committed to exploring its ethical use in education, and Sarah, who acknowledges the complexity of AI as both a powerful tool and a potential moral dilemma, says it’s inclusion in the classroom is ‘inevitable’.
“AI is definitely not going anywhere, so figuring out how to use it effectively so students can get the most out of their learning experience will be an interesting process,” she said.
For younger students interested in software engineering, Sarah offers valuable advice drawn from her own experiences.
“If you are learning to code for the first time and feel overwhelmed, know that I did too,” said Atkinson.
Starting her own coding journey in Year 11, Sarah emphasises the importance of perseverance, echoing the famous quote, ‘If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room’.
“The best advice I can give is always to find a room where you aren’t the best – you will learn a lot more that way,” she said.
