How one RSVP introduced Mikael to UX – and a whole new career.
At just 21, Mikael had achieved what many ICT graduates work towards, working full-time with Malta’s Ministry for Justice on a Multimedia Apprenticeship, a diploma from MCAST’s Institute of ICT and volunteering as a Graphic Designer for a local Maltese football club. On paper, Mikael’s life looked as if he was ticking all the right boxes, but as someone who loves understanding how things work, Mikael knew the world of tech was much bigger than what he had explored.
This question is not new for many of us. For Mikael it was triggered by a deeper desire to find his next building block and to do work that felt more creative, meaningful and connected to people. Mikael had always been fascinated by how systems work, whether through his love of football, technology, or travel. He noticed how people interacted with digital tools, enjoyed learning about design-based decision making, and paid attention to the way small details could transform behaviour. That mindset led him to explore user experience design.
When he discovered the Professional Diploma in UX Design at ICE Campus, the puzzle pieces started to align. The course offered a practical, hands-on curriculum delivered part-time without disrupting his 3 year career, and offered an EQF Level 5 University-accredited programme built with some of the world’s biggest brands including Revolut, Google, Meta & Microsoft, specifically designed to prepare learners for the realities of working within the industry. For Mikael, what made the opportunity even more accessible was the Get Qualified scheme which removed potential financial barriers to his dream, through an initiative that refunds 70% of course fees for eligible students.
Driven by his natural attention to detail, Mikael wanted to be sure he was making the right decision. He signed up for a free UX taster class, an hour-long, live online session designed to help learners experience the ICE Campus teaching style before committing. That RSVP changed everything.
From his first week in the course, Mikael was challenged to approach projects with the end user at the top of his mind. The assignments were fast-paced, based on real-life scenarios, and encouraged students to experiment at every stage. For his final project, he tackled a problem drawn from a frustrating flight booking experience during his travels. He re-designed the entire customer journey from booking to checkout, and leveraged the core UX tools such as user journey mapping, interface wireframing, and interactive prototyping in Figma.
His project did more than check a box. It became a tangible case study which he could confidently showcase to employers, clients, and collaborators. By simplifying the navigation of the user journey, resolving trust gaps at checkout, and clarifying the overall user flow, Mikael built a solution that demonstrated both technical skill and user understanding.
After completing the UX course, Mikael continued building on that momentum. He enrolled in the iGaming Foundations Course, a short course he completed that introduced him to Malta’s fastest-growing digital sector. The course gave him a working understanding of how UX fits into the broader ecosystem, including player experience, backend systems, compliance, and customer journeys.
For anyone standing at a similar crossroads, whether a young graduate, or a professional stuck in a job that has no opportunities for growth, Mikael offers a simple reminder. You don’t need to feel 100% ready. You just need to be curious enough to explore.
Mikael Zammit
The first step doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs to be real. I took a taster class. You can too. It might just change everything.
MIKAEL ZAMMITJunior UX/UI Designer
