Friends reunited at work and graduation

Studying at the same University, playing football together and now working alongside each other in the same office. David Roberts, Chris Maltby and Johnathan Chudley have shared of all of this. They have been friends for four years since starting their different computing degrees at the University of Teesside. The trio now work for North Yorkshire Police’s Information Systems department in the Police HQ at Northallerton. All three are off work today, as they are graduating from the University in the same ceremony this afternoon at Middlesbrough Town Hall.

It will be a double celebration for David Roberts. Not only will he receive his First Class BSc (Hons) degree in Computer Science, but also the £100 Henry Williams Ltd Prize. The prize is awarded for the student with the best overall performance on the BSc Computer Science pathway. David, 22, from Thornaby, works for the Police as a Service Desk Administrator. North Yorkshire Police's HQ have employed seven Teesside graduates this year.

David is the first in his family to go to University and said: "Johnathan, Chris and I used to play football in the University's Olympia Building; it was something to look forward to. It's good that we're graduating together. I chose the degree as it offered variety and flexibility. My placement in Dumfries was brilliant, my most useful year in education. It's great to get a prize, I didn't expect anything."

Chris Maltby, 25, from Redcar will be awarded a BSc (Hons) degree in Informatics. He works as a technical service improvement analyst and said: "The three of us have been friends since we started, we all get on. I worked in a supermarket before going to University, it made me realise what I wanted to do."

Johnathan Chudley, 23, from Stockton, will also be awarded a Computer Science degree and also works in the same role as David. He said: "It's good we are all working together. We've never lost contact."

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