Role: Graduate Technical Specialist
Company: Capita Managed IT Solutions
Track Record:
What does your job entail?
I’m a graduate technical specialist so I use my technical knowledge and experience to fix IT problems for a wide range of clients all over the UK.
Our Service Desk will receive a call from a client who has outsourced their IT services to Capita Managed IT Solutions.
The service desk will run through some straightforward troubleshooting with the client and if this doesn’t fix the problem they will be referred on to my team.
I’ll speak with the client over the phone and, as I know my way round a server tower, I can talk the client through fixing the problem themselves or log into their server remotely to get things up and running again.
Is it 9-5?
We support lots of organisations and businesses which rely on 24/7 availability which means we can’t be a 9-5 service.
We do work normal office hours but members of the team are on a standby rota for issues outside of these hours.
How did you get into this line of work?
I successfully applied for my placement year in Capita and gained great experience which was directly relevant to my career goals.
When I graduated I was delighted to get a phone call from Capita giving me the opportunity to interview for a permanent position – an opportunity I jumped at!
Outline your career to date?
I was lucky enough to obtain a job at Capita straight after graduating and I’m very happy to progress my career here.
The training I received during my placement year gave me a fantastic grounding in the real, working world of IT and since becoming a permanent member of the team I have to say I’ve been really impressed with the ongoing training and development I’ve received.
Tell us about your qualifications/training.
I have a BSc in Computing and Information Technology.
Since starting as a permanent member of the Capita team I’ve received training in Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2012, gaining Windows Server 2008 qualifications along the way.
I’m hoping to begin my Windows Server 2012 qualification in the autumn.
I’ve received training in Compuware, a server monitoring tool responsible for alerting the team when issues arise.
I’ve also had the opportunity to do some training in SQL Server.
There’s so much to learn, I don’t really want to stop. Thankfully Capita is very responsive to my appetite for learning.
What qualities are required for your job – personal and professional?
I would say technical knowledge is the most important part of what I do.
I’ve always been interested in IT.
Clients need to feel the reassurance that the person they call in a crisis knows what they are doing.
I think a “problem solving” mentality is hugely important for my role and really any IT position.
You have to think logically and work through problems methodically to achieve the right result for the client.
I think ‘problem solvers’ are by nature calmer people, and this personality trait really helps to keep clients calm, when issues with their servers arise.
What are the biggest challenges and rewards of your work?
The most challenging aspect of my work is also the most rewarding – I work with an enormous diversity of technology on a daily basis.
That can be demanding as no two problems are the same – there are so many variables!
But it is also extremely rewarding when you identify the problem and create a custom solution for that client.
I also enjoy working alongside really high level technical specialists who seem to have an instinctive knowledge of IT Infrastructure!
And after a year, I think I’m getting there too!
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I do spend a lot of time at my desk in work, so in my spare time I like to get active and go to the gym.
When I’m feeling a bit lazier, I like nothing better than relaxing in front of the telly.
The Big Bang Theory is one of my favourites – obviously I work in IT and being a bit of a geek comes with the territory – so I get all of the humour!
Tell us an interesting fact about yourself.
When I was little I wanted to be a vet but was allergic to animal fur.
I then wanted to be a marine biologist but I was terrible at Scuba Diving.
IT is an allergy and danger free career path for me!
Who has inspired you most in your life?
My dad has been a big influence.
He’s had a dynamic life and is constantly exploring new interests and hobbies.
He has always been a constant source of guidance and is almost definitely the reason I have such a big interest in IT.
He’s always been fascinated by technology and was constantly bringing new technology into the house when I was young.