Oli Comber joined 3aIT Ltd in July 2006 as a Systems Developer and is quickly becoming a key member of the team. We have put together this brief interview so you can get to know our newest recruit.
Where have you come from and what was your background?
I've always had a keen interest in computer programming but I've been through the whole IT life cycle before arriving at 3aIT; I started off with server monitoring and other contracting roles. From there I moved into software testing in clinical research, then IT support and now finally into development. Most recently I have been involved in some contract work for JP Morgan and Tesco.com.
What is your role at 3aIT?
Predominantly, I am a 'Systems Developer'. This involves building websites, web applications and servers for clients, and once they are up and running, continuing with the ongoing maintenance that these systems require. Part of the challenge here is that whenever we build a new feature, template or entire system, it is essential that they are designed in such a way that the basic structure can be re-used again in future projects.
Typically, I will discuss with a client the requirements they have before going away and building a system that meets these requirements. In a sense, I act as an interface between the developer and the client user - working out the ergonomics of what the user needs to be able to do.
Aside from the developing aspect of my job, I also act as a support engineer and am available to assist our clients with any technical problems they encounter. This could be issues with their hardware, their system or their server, as well as ordering any necessary parts that they require.
What does a typical day entail?
There's not really a typical day here very often! My day today started off with building machines and running maintenance for a client. I had a long list of things to do, but was then called out to site by another customer who was having some technical problems. I arrived to fix the problem and found that they had a problem with their network card.... I didn't even get around to looking at the projects I'm currently working on!
What do you like about the company and what made you join?
It's a young, thrusting, intelligent company. Every day is different and there are a variety of people that I get to deal with. I enjoy the challenge of keeping everyone happy!
There's huge scope for learning a lot here; not only in regards to the technical side of my job, but also the project management aspect, which is something that really interests me.
What do you see yourself doing in 5 years time?
I'd like to be able to say that I have mastered the jobs that challenge me today, with new, fresh challenges replacing them.