For David Afolabi, volunteering opportunities outside the classroom enriched his time at Salford, opening doors for his career in cybersecurity and making volunteering a lasting part of his life.
Recently, he saw the profound impact of his volunteering first-hand at the University’s Chancellor’s Dinner, where he learned just how much his work has inspired and supported a younger generation.
What made you choose the University of Salford, and what stands out most about your time as a student?
What drew me to the University of Salford was the Cyber Security programme. When I was comparing universities, Salford’s course stood out because it offered a good mix of technical, investigative and wider security topics.
Being in Greater Manchester was also important to me. It’s a region with a strong, growing technology and business community, so it felt like the perfect place to begin building my career.
What stands out most from my time as a student is the opportunities offered outside the classroom, especially through volunteering. Through those experiences, I found myself taking on more responsibility, meeting people from a wide range of backgrounds and gaining different experiences.
Tell us about your experience volunteering at IntoUniversity while you were a student?
Volunteering at IntoUniversity as a student ambassador was as much a learning experience for me as it was an opportunity to support others. It taught me a lot about listening, being patient and the importance of encouragement.
Not every young person needs someone to solve their problems for them. Sometimes they just need someone who will take the time to listen and believe in them. That can be particularly powerful when the person supporting them has faced similar challenges and can speak from a place of genuine understanding and experience, like me.
Tell us about your journey since graduating.
Right after submitting my thesis, I started my role as Community Engagement Officer with the Immersive Tech Hub at MediaCity. It was an exciting transition from university into the next stage of my career.
Alongside the role, I continued volunteering with IntoUniversity and CyberSync Hub. I have also volunteered at Manchester Tech Festival and got involved with charities including Cyber House Party and Joint Civil Aid Corp.
I later secured a role as a Junior Security Compliance Analyst, marking my re-entry into the cybersecurity industry after moving from Nigeria to the UK.
What do you enjoy most about volunteering?
Volunteering has been one of the most important parts of my journey. It keeps me connected to people and communities beyond my day-to-day professional work and allows me to apply my skills where they can make a difference
What’s a moment you’ve felt proud of since leaving Salford?
One of the moments I have felt most proud of happened recently as I had the honour of attending the Chancellor’s Dinner at the University.
I found out that the sibling of a young person I had previously mentored had also started attending IntoUniversity for after-school support because of the positive experience and influence that mentoring had on their family. Hearing that meant an enormous amount to me.
Since leaving Salford, I have had professional opportunities and milestones that I am very grateful for, yet knowing that giving my time to one young person had a positive enough impact to encourage someone else in their family to seek the same support genuinely trumps everything else.
For me, it was a reminder that some of the most meaningful measures of success are not necessarily the things you can put on a CV, but the difference you are able to make in someone else’s life.
What do you do now for work, and what do you enjoy most about it?
I currently work as a Cyber Security Consultant, supporting organisations with a range of cybersecurity.
What I enjoy most is that no two days are the same. Every organisation is different, from their environment to their priorities and challenges. I also enjoy consulting with stakeholders face-to-face to try and understand what matters to them.
Where are you volunteering now?
I currently volunteer with two organisations that allow me to contribute in quite different ways.
I serve as Director of Structural IT with the Joint Civil Aid Corps. I help strengthen the organisation’s back-office technology and IT operations. The Corps is dedicated to civil defence, preparedness, and community strength.
I also volunteer with Cyber House Party, a volunteer-led not-for-profit that brings together the UK cybersecurity community while supporting charitable causes. Being involved allows me to contribute to the wider cyber community beyond my day-to-day professional work.
Do you think more young people should volunteer and why? Where can they find these opportunities?
Absolutely. Volunteering can open doors that you didn’t even know existed. It helps them to develop valuable soft skills such as communication and confidence.
For students, universities are often a great place to start with societies and careers teams. LinkedIn can be useful for finding roles in specific areas of interest. I would also encourage people not to overlook volunteering at one-off events. You never know whom you’ll meet or where a single opportunity might lead you.
How important is it to give back?
Giving back is very important to me because it is about making sure that the opportunities and support I have received doesn’t stop with me.
I think it is a real privilege to be in a position where you can have a positive impact on someone else’s life. Giving your time, sharing what you have learned or simply encouraging someone at the right moment can make a lasting difference.
Thank you to David for sharing his story! If you’d like to share your Salford story, we’d love to hear from you – get in touch at alumni@salford.ac.uk.