Siobhán
hardware engineer at Intel, Leixlip, Co. Kildare
In general terms, what does your job entail?
Any customer who experiences an issue with their laptop, desktop, printer or projector, I fix. It may be a software or hardware issue. Most of the time I replace faulty PC parts with working ones. Apart from fixing things as they break, I also complete preventative maintenance work to help prevent the systems breaking.
Describe the main events in a typical day
Calling to any systems which may require a fix. Documenting the fix needed and sharing it with the team. Completing daily checks on the projectors on site. Upgrading older systems to newer ones. Purchasing parts to keep stock up to date.
Do you feel that you are using your talents in your job?
Yes.
After leaving school what were the major milestones in your career development?
I did certificate and diploma courses at night at Griffith College Dublin. An evening degree course at Trinity College Dublin followed. This included the completion of my thesis - improvements to the ECDL computer course to suit those with reading/writing difficulties.
Among the organisations I worked with prior to Intel were RTE, IT Alliance and Compaq. These experiences broadened my technical knowledge and improved my ability to work in a position of responsibility.
In my current role I provide phone support at a senior call consultant level, desk side services support as a technical team lead, VPN/Wireless, Backup systems. I was involved in the Window 2000 Laptop Upgrade Project, which upgraded all Window's 98 laptop users onsite to Window's 2000.
What do you like about your work?
It's varied, busy, you get to meet a lot of people and constantly update your PC skills.
Is there any aspect of your work that you not like?
Sometimes it gets too busy and often requires a lot of overtime. Can be difficult to move into other IT arenas.
Do you have any specific advice for someone wanting to enter IT?
Try cover all training grounds - Internet, software, hardware, programming and new technologies such as wireless. You want to have a general understanding of all these to be successful. Make sure you start learning the basics early, and remember you are always learning so don't presume you know everything.
My role in 4 words
Maintaining and fixing systems.
In secondary school I enjoyed ...
Art. It allowed me to enjoy my project work. I also had a passion for English and German.
I was influenced towards to IT by...
One of our school teachers had an interest in computers and would teach a group of us on his own lunch time. I loved them and decided then I wanted to work with them.
