Dylan Exton

With a passion for maths and computer science, Dylan Exton kicked off his tertiary education at the University of Waikato.

Hailing from the small Central Hawke’s Bay town of Waipukurau, Dylan enrolled in a Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Software Engineering in 2016 and has recently graduated with his Master of Science (Research) in Computer Science.

“I chose this as I was interested in computer science and more so in the field of Internet of things (IoT) as it combines conceptual and software features, which often aren’t tangible with the physical aspect where you can touch and feel things,” Dylan says.

“I really enjoyed working alongside my supervisors. They made the task much more enjoyable and gave me guidance where it was needed.”

It was the beginning of his professional career, Dylan is now a Junior Software Engineer at OpenBet, where he upgrades existing models into the latest and greatest.

“I knew I wanted to work in the technology sector in some capacity, but I wasn’t sure if it would be electronic or software-based.”

In his final year, Dylan worked on the Tini o te Hakituri project, a Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment-funded project investigating technology uses in hazardous work environments while respecting indigenous data sovereignty.

“I was excited to see the honours project with the Hakituri team allowed me to delve into the electronic side again as it was a nice mix of the two.

“I enjoyed helping create something and gather data that may one day impact people’s lives, as the project was centered around worker safety in the forestry industry.”

Dylan was also part of the Waikato United Gaming Society, now dubbed Esports, keeping his passion for gaming alive and allowing him to meet others with similar interests.

• The Bachelor of Engineering with Honours, also offered in Tauranga, is the basis for a professional career in engineering. As part of the degree, students also complete 800 hours of work experience, often paid.
• The Master of Science (Research), also offered in Tauranga, is an internationally-recognised qualification. Students experience more lab and field work, more one-on-one time with academics, and access to world-class research equipment.