Blog21 August 2026
Steve Rich is a Senior Lecturer and the Lead Practitioner in Computing Pedagogy at Ada. He recently delivered modules including Cloud Computing, Network Security, Distributed Systems, Cyber Security Analytics, and Cyber Security Penetration Testing on the Digital and Technology Solutions Degree Apprenticeship. We caught up with Steve to learn more about his background, his teaching philosophy, and how he prepares apprentices for the fast-paced tech industry.
What is your academic background and pre-Ada industry experience?
BSc Computer Science (University of Stirling), PGCE (University of Wales/Glyndŵr), and QTLS status (Society for Education and Training). I hold current industry certifications in Microsoft Azure (Fundamentals and AI Fundamentals), ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity, and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (Foundations and AI Foundations). Before Ada I spent over a decade in further education teaching, and earlier worked as an e-Systems Development Officer on a North West Development Agency project, managing anything to do with their systems (or e-systems) as they used to call it!
How are you actively embedding modern tech tools into your modules this year?
I make a point of staying hands-on with AI-assisted development myself, experimenting with tools like Claude Code and agentic coding workflows, so that what I bring into the classroom reflects how the industry is working today, not how it worked five years ago. The pace of change is such that a module I ran this time last year can already be out of date, so I’m constantly keeping abreast of what’s currently happening in the industry and making sure my module content reflects what apprentices are actually seeing in their workplaces. I’m acutely aware of the impact AI is having on apprentices’ future careers. Alongside this I’ve been building a full suite of interactive, self-contained learning tools for my Cloud fundamentals module, including activities on the shared responsibility model, compute decision-making, cloud architecture styles and a 200-question exam-style practice app, all designed around active, flipped-learning principles. I also use GitHub Classroom with automated grading to give programming apprentices instant feedback on their code. I always use industry standard tools. I’m continually thinking through what apprentices need to know about AI tools to stay valuable in the workplace, not just how to use them.
What is one specific skill apprentices learn in your class that allows them to add value to their employer teams from day one?
I want students after working on modules with me to be able to reason through real cloud architecture and security trade-offs rather than just recite definitions, for example knowing when to choose IaaS over PaaS, or how to apply the shared responsibility model to an actual incident. These are skills they can apply to live infrastructure decisions from their first week back at HSBC, Deloitte or wherever they are based.
Why did you choose to teach at Ada instead of staying purely in industry or traditional academia?
I get real fulfilment from helping others realise their potential and go on to build careers and lives they are proud of. Teaching apprentices at Ada lets me do that directly, and the college’s mission to engage and develop the next generation of diverse digital talent genuinely resonates with me. That is why I chose Ada over staying purely in industry or traditional academia.
Outside of data, code, or cyber, what is a hobby or interest you are passionate about?
Retro gaming and computing. I own many different old school game consoles: various Atari and Colecovision consoles, all hooked up to original CRT TVs, since nothing beats the authentic old-school feel. I also own a Commodore 64 Ultimate and enjoy writing code for both that and the Colecovision.
Explore more lecturer and apprentice stories by browsing our latest news articles.