As part of our 25th Anniversary celebrations, we are interviewing some of our amazing team members to highlight their unique contributions, celebrate their achievements and share their stories.
Looking back at your time with Energy & Utility Skills, how many years has it been? Can you tell us a bit about your journey?
I joined in January 2010, so it’s been 14 years now, which has gone by quickly. I can still remember my first day, but a lot has changed since then. I started as a Junior Systems Administrator, joining a small team consisting of an IT manager and a systems administrator. When the IT Manager left, I applied for the role and was successful. I’ve been in this position for several years now.
What are your main responsibilities, and how have they changed over the past 14 years?
I’m responsible for all things IT, ensuring the delivery of our IT service. One key area is user support through our service desk, helping colleagues with various IT issues.
Another aspect is ensuring that our IT equipment, hardware, software, and services are robust, secure, and fit for purpose. I also support other parts of the organisation, particularly when a project requires IT input, such as business processes or data reporting.
Things have changed significantly over time, particularly the shift from having all our servers on-premises to being fully cloud-based. This transition took off during COVID when we had to adapt to home working. Moving out of our Friars Gate office further accelerated this shift to cloud services. That change required us to mature our service delivery processes, particularly around security, which has become a much bigger focus.
What got you into IT in the first place, where did the interest come from?
Technology has always been a strong interest of mine. I began exploring it at school and continued to do so through college and university. I have always been fascinated by technology in general and have preferred to maintain a broad focus, rather than specialising too much in one area, such as development.
There has been significant change over the years, which I find particularly engaging. At Energy & Utility Skills, we have introduced tools like Quartz and virtual cards amongst other things. More broadly, I have become increasingly aware of external risks, such as cyber security threats and cyber-attacks. When I first started, antivirus software and a good firewall were sufficient. Now, the focus has shifted towards email protection, ransomware, and securing data that is distributed across the cloud, rather than confined to servers.
What do you enjoy most about working in IT, and what do you like about working at Energy & Utility Skills?
I love learning new things. There’s always something new in IT, whether it’s software, hardware, or a new way of doing things. It’s satisfying to take what I’ve learned and apply it here, improving our systems or making them more secure.
One of the great things about working here is that if you find a solution that benefits the organisation, even if it involves costs, the business is usually willing to invest. That’s not something you see everywhere.
Because of this variety, I get to work with people across the organisation, which I really enjoy. The flexibility here is another major plus. My role allows me to work from home or the office, which is particularly helpful with a young family. I can do the school run or attend school assemblies, which is a real benefit. The combination of flexibility and teamwork is something I truly value.
Development is also a big part of the culture here, and I think that’s tied to the variety of work. We’re a small team, but we manage a lot, so the work is incredibly varied. One minute you’re helping someone with a printer issue, and the next, you’re involved in testing a new website or discussing a system integration.
The organisation is very supportive overall. People are willing to help, share their knowledge, and collaborate, and hybrid working hasn’t negatively impacted that. It’s easy to pick up the phone, jump on Teams, or send an email. Collaboration is still strong, and that’s a big part of why I enjoy working here.
Looking ahead to the next 25 years, what are your thoughts? We hear a lot about AI and evolving technology – how do you see that playing out?
AI is interesting, but for me, it’s still in its early stages. I’m not rushing to adopt it until we fully understand how it can benefit us. We need to identify where it makes sense before integrating it into our workflows.
Another area I’m keen to see evolve is green energy. I believe there’s significant potential for us to make a difference, both externally and in how we operate internally. It would be fantastic to work towards becoming a carbon-neutral or even carbon-negative organisation.
We already have some initiatives, like recycling old IT equipment, but there’s always more we can do. For example, as we move to the cloud, we need to consider the energy consumption of data centres. We also need to assess our suppliers’ green credentials to ensure we’re as sustainable as possible.
If you could describe working at Energy & Utility Skills in three words, what would they be?
Varied – because no two days are the same.
Challenging – in a good way, as we’re always pushed to improve.
Collaborative – we work well as a team, both within IT and across the organisation.