Blog » Finola Strain

Finola Strain

22nd October 2013

Role: Senior Technical Specialist

Company: Capita Managed IT Solutions

Track Record:

How long have you worked for the company?   

Almost 7 years 

What does your job entail?

I work in the Application Hosting team.  

My role involves maintaining the overall health of the managed service infrastructure through installing/configuring, maintaining and upgrading servers and systems.  

Essentially my team is responsible for keeping our clients systems performing at their highest possible level, by proactively monitoring systems and planning and implementing new solutions. 

This requires a lot of research and forward planning to allow for the latest innovations. 

My team also respond to escalated technical incidents as they occur, carrying out problem determination and root cause analysis, to provide solutions to the full range of potential IT problems.

Is it 9-5?

My team works regular office hours but there is an out of hours rota to provide cover 24/7. 

I do try and get into the office for about 8, as I can beat the traffic and get a head start on my workload.

How did you get into this line of work?

As part of my university degree, I had to secure a placement with an IT company.  

Mine was with the IT department of a large financial services institution in Dublin where I worked as Desktop Support Engineer for a year.

Outline your career to date?

After graduating, I returned to the same company and position where I had my placement. 

But after 6 months I had the opportunity to move on.

The opportunities are so numerous and diverse in the IT sector that I’ve been able to gain a broad range of experience working in different sectors and for a range of different companies, both as a full time member of staff and as a self-employed contractor.

A friend of mine told me about the growing opportunities back home in the North, which is now seen as something of an IT Services hub for Western Europe. 

I began working for Capita Managed IT Solutions almost 7 years ago as a Systems Administrator for the education sector C2k project. 

I’ve been able to progress quickly in Capita, thanks to the huge opportunities for training and advancement within the company. 

I’m now a Senior Technical Specialist in the Application Hosting Team working on utility and public sector accounts. 

Tell us about your qualifications/training.

After my BSc in Computer Science, Linguistics and Industrial Studies, I went on to study for numerous Microsoft qualifications in Windows Server, Visual Basic, Exchange and SQL as well as VMware. 

I’ve always been interested in technology and have had an appetite to learn more about the ICT sector.  

I think it’s really important that we do everything we can to encourage young people to study ICT related courses. 

IT really is an indispensable part of every business and this will only become more pronounced in the future. 

Capita are doing their bit to encourage young people to study ICT with their new bursary scheme – The Mary Kane Award, which recognises the highest achieving students at both GCSE and A level in Northern Ireland with up to £1500 package of support for their studies and £1000 worth of the latest ICT equipment for their school.

Mary Kane was a former Implementation Manager for the C2K project who died tragically last year. She was a passionate advocate of ICT in education, so it’s a fitting tribute to her that this award will go on to play a part in the education of the next generation of IT professionals. 

What qualities are required for your job – personal and professional?

Perhaps the most important skill in this role is problem-solving under pressure and time constraints. 

A logical mind is essential, coupled with real expertise in the key technologies – Windows OS, Exchange, Active Directory etc. 

What are the biggest challenges and rewards of your work?

The most rewarding aspect of my job is the people I work with – a range of interesting and talented people who I have learned so much from.  

I also get to work on exciting projects from design to implementation. 

The most challenging aspect is that it can be hard to get away from the job – I’ve become the unofficial (and unpaid) IT Helpdesk for all of my family and friends! 

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Outside of work I have a very eclectic range of interests. 

I like to keep active in the gym or with yoga but I also love going to the theatre and to live music whenever I can.  

I am also a bit of a bookworm and I’m currently on the 2nd book of the Game of Thrones series – I’m trying to read it before I watch the TV series.   

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself.

Not a lot of people would know but I’m a very keen gardener.  

At home I grow my own vegetables -potatoes, peas, carrots, garlic, tomatoes and chillies to name a few.  

It’s very rewarding to be able to get into the garden, pick your own vegetables and then have them on your table, ready to eat in no time.

Who has inspired you most in your life?

Morrie Schwartz would be known to most people as the subject of the book and movie ‘Tuesdays with Morrie.’  

After developing motor neurone disease, he decided to share his experience with the world. 

He wrote every day while he still could and gave talks on what his terminal diagnosis had taught him about life. 

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