Amritpal Gill
Amritpal Gill is the founder and owner of Hayachi Services. Founded in 2017, Hayachi Services is an IT Consultancy which works with organisations of all sizes across the UK. Their wide-variety of clients include leading international law firms, global financial institutions, developers, retro-game stores and more. He is a former A Level student at NewVIc. Amritpal came from Forest Gate Community School and studied A Levels in Archaeology, Classical Civilisation and History. He chose to take a gap year to do an apprenticeship with law firm, Herbert Smith Freehills before setting up his own business. Amritpal will now be progressing onto study an undergraduate degree at Queen Mary University of London to study History. We caught up with Amritpal to find out a little more on his journey so far.
What made you apply to NewVIc?
I actually applied to NewVIc because of the variety of courses available, no other college offered the Archaeology subject. That and a coin toss helped me make a decision.
Tell us about your journey from NewVIc to where you are now?
At first I really wanted to go to university. Once I started attending university open lectures in my own time, I realized that I was already attending! So it was odd in my second year to be trying to choose one university when I was already visiting so many different ones. I started to ask around, talking to my teachers at NewVIc about where they had studied aeons ago, I also asked the people from the lectures and everyone was very helpful! Time flew, and choosing just one didn’t feel quite right. In the end I decided to take some time off for a gap year, to give me time to think more about university or whatever awaits me.
How did you get into the position that you are in?
Fumbling around and seeking what's fun, I actually set my business up totally by accident - for some work with Winckworth Sherwood. Only after setting up shop did I realise the endless opportunities available through that. It has been difficult the last few years but ultimately a business is a conduit for a person's ambition - and that is no bad thing, an ambition to do good and serve our clients is what drives us.
What are your memories of NewVIc?
I really enjoyed speaking to my tutors and teachers about everything history and education generally. I was allowed to leave a few classes early even to attend university lectures, and I got really into attending lectures in my spare time during the evenings.
I made lots of friends, met great people and learnt a lot about my subjects and myself. It was fun!
What is your advice for students considering NewVIc and pursuing a career like you?
I think the best advice I can give is to remember that time is very precious. It’s fine to spend time on social media but you also need to take time to develop yourself and meet new people face to face. Use your time well and don’t assume that ‘studying’ is just about following a syllabus – that’s only half the story. The rest is about you.
How did you find the teaching at NewVIc? Did it prepare you for your next educational step?
For me, studying is fun and the college supported me every step of the way in my two years at NewVIc. I didn’t learn by reading textbooks but mainly by speaking and listening. I learned most by trying to ask at least one thoughtful question in each of my classes and speaking to my teachers and fellow students. Beyond this, the Honours Programme at NewVIc introduced me to BBC Radio 4 and I have been an avid listener ever since.
Paying attention in class, listening to the radio and attending university open lectures kept things varied for me. Many of these lectures were free but I couldn’t have attended them without funding from NewVIc to help me with my travel. Never turn down a good deal; getting a student oyster card made it affordable to attend a plethora of lectures in different places. At these lectures I met a lot of interesting people but also got the chance to learn about things which went beyond the specifications of my courses. That made things even more exciting.
Being part of NewVIc’s Wad-ham programme with Wadham College Oxford, the King’s College London K+ Programme and the UCL Archaeology Summer Challenge helped a lot. The college signposted the path for me but I then had to walk it. This was my choice and I did it in my own time. Needless to say each programme was good fun and the other people who attended were fascinating to talk to. The great thing about NewVIc was the way it gave me a nudge very early on to find out about all these opportunities.
In summary, what I did in my two years at college was to enjoy my studies. I had no particular end goal but I was driven by a wish to learn more about those things I was interested in. The best way to learn is by association, connecting something new to something you already know or making something ordinary into something fun. As far as I am concerned, the key to being a good student is to stay interested. That, and actually attending lessons!
What were your next steps after leaving college?
After completing my A Levels at NewVIc, slightly by accident, I worked for a law firm called Herbert Smith Freehills. I still attended university open lectures where I could. It was really great working for the firm. I never studied IT but I have really got into it which helped me set up my own business!
How would you describe yourself before you came to NewVIc?
Immature. I thought I knew a lot already, but my two years at NewVIc instilled the humility and curiosity it takes to always learn. Every day is a school day now, I lacked that love of learning and innocent curiosity before I came to NewVIc. Thinking back, it's actually been pretty central to my running a business as well.
What are your future plans?
I will be going onto study an undergraduate degree at Queen Mary University of London to study History. I will be still running my business at the same time. Wish me luck!