Today is World Youth Skills Day and this guest post by Gavin Downey, Senior Systems Engineer, Datapac is very apt.
While some people grow up knowing exactly what they want to do in life, most people don’t. As one of those people, I followed a somewhat unconventional route into the technology industry.
I had an interest in technology from a young age, which began by stealing my older sister’s VTech at two. I was always curious to know how things worked, and often broke things so that I could fix them to find out (much to my parents’ dismay).
Looking back, my primary school was ahead of the curve and in the mid-90s, we were taught how to build a website – which can still be found today. Throughout secondary school, my love for technology grew. I was not academically inclined and found school otherwise boring but, as an Information Age School, it was one of few schools at the time to offer Computer Science as a Leaving Cert subject. I was lucky to have a teacher who nurtured my interest in IT, and I was actively encouraged to take it on.
From here, I went on to third level but was unsure of the career path I wanted to take. I took up a portfolio course in photography but soon realised that it was the gadgets and the equipment that piqued my interest more than the photography itself, and made a lateral move into studying multimedia in WIT (now SETU).
Part of this course was work placement within a business and, while simply looking for some interview experience, I went along to an interview with Datapac (despite the fact that I had no academic background in IT and, like any good party crasher, without a suit). However, I spoke about my journey so far and mentioned that I had built a server in my spare time. The team was ultimately impressed with this obvious passion for tech and the fact that I had taken on learning materials external to my course.
Even though I was in the “wrong” course, I was thrilled to be offered the work placement. It gave me a real insight into a small part of what is such a huge industry. It took almost my entire work experience just to work out what area of IT I was working in. Any time I told someone I was working in IT, they would ask whether I was developing apps.
Now, I have been with Datapac for 12 years. In my current role as Senior Systems Engineer, I work closely with customers to develop problem-solving technological solutions to their business challenges. Rather than taking things apart, I’m now building them up. A big misconception is that IT is all about programming and highly-technical software, and I’m keen to show that there’s much more to it with many other avenues to pursue.
Building a successful career in technology doesn’t necessarily need to be a vertical climb and can start in one place while ending up somewhere entirely different. Real-world, hands-on experience is key and I believe you learn the most from those around you, as everyone tackles a problem or comes up with a solution differently.
However, certifications are also hugely important in an industry that moves at pace, and I sit more exams now than I did during college. College is the way to get in the door, but industry-recognised certification is the way into the lift to start making your way up to the top floor.
Technology is an industry that has been growing exponentially over the past number of years and as it evolves, is a continuous learning curve. To anyone considering a career in tech, my advice is to grasp every opportunity available. Each experience is a learning experience and don’t be afraid to take risks – they will ultimately pay off.
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