Experience

AX

• Switzerland
• Software Development
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Junior Dev in C#, SQL etc.

  • Jan 2020 - Present

  Very happy to start working at this well established and friendly company that's just an easy walk away. Although I enjoyed my time at DRP, I was the only Dev onsite, and so I've looked forward to settling-in within a team of Dev's where I've imagined being able to focus more on key skill sets while taking advantage of belonging to a small disciplined team of software developers and of course hopefully reciprocating. Very happy to start working at this well established and friendly company that's just an easy walk away. Although I enjoyed my time at DRP, I was the only Dev onsite, and so I've looked forward to settling-in within a team of Dev's where I've imagined being able to focus more on key skill sets while taking advantage of belonging to a small disciplined team of software developers and of course hopefully reciprocating.



Very busy at home

• More home project work

  • Nov 2019 - Jan 2020

  I wanted to take another opportunity to do some more major "tidying-up" and work on home projects. While I was at DRP I didn't have that much energy left for my own projects; besides I spent a lot of time at home working on work-related study. I go into some detail about my time at DRP, and what I've been doing since, at: https://blog.xarta.co.uk/2019/12/what-ive-been-up-to-since-2017/ Apologies if the site's a bit slow - I haven't been maintaining things as well as I should (self-hosted), and have dumped a lot of pics on there rather than Cloudinary. I've been planning to migrate my blog to a docker container - consolidating all my sites. (TODO). Show less



DEBT RECOVERY PLUS LIMITED

• United Kingdom
• Retail Office Equipment
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Junior Dev in C#, SQL etc.

  • Jul 2017 - Oct 2019

  I've talked about what I've been doing at DRP, and since, on my blog: https://blog.xarta.co.uk/2019/12/what-ive-been-up-to-since-2017/ I've worked with different technologies including C#, Java, JS, Angular, React, Web Services, WinForms, Web API, .Net Core and Framework, VB.Net, Windows and Linux, Docker etc. It might be a little slow (my blog) - I've dumped a lot of pics on there for now rather than Cloudinary and it's hosted at home. I've talked about what I've been doing at DRP, and since, on my blog: https://blog.xarta.co.uk/2019/12/what-ive-been-up-to-since-2017/ I've worked with different technologies including C#, Java, JS, Angular, React, Web Services, WinForms, Web API, .Net Core and Framework, VB.Net, Windows and Linux, Docker etc. It might be a little slow (my blog) - I've dumped a lot of pics on there for now rather than Cloudinary and it's hosted at home.



Working on own network, servers, websites, learning

• Exploring/learning JavaScript ES2015, WordPress / PHP, Networking

  • Jan 2017 - Jul 2017

  Made and host my new three.js based website: https://xarta.co.uk https://xarta.co.uk/pdf/DareBoost_report_594aa84c0cf2ac0115063709.pdf It scores 99% on dareboost.com for quality and performance, and links to my other work. (Was going to add video but other priorities and now my new job has put that on a back-foot). Update December 2019 ... this site is now out of date, plus, I've learned A LOT of JavaScript since then - I want to use React with three.js actually but right now I'm still working on hardware!) My 10x approx. vLan network with IPS and IDS uses load-balancing on the front end, SNI hand-off on load & failover reverse proxies, internal SSL. My mailserver uses SPF and DKIM and extensive back-up scripting. I'm using custom sensors for PRTG to monitor and report to my phone + watch. It will all tie into my arduino IoT projects. My WordPress plug-in on my blog uses ajax without need for admin rights. Etc. etc. ... it's all on GitHub - see my website for links to my work and my other websites. Show less



At home - studying/practicing C# / .Net framework and other projects

• Upgrading my skills/relevancy

  • Sep 2016 - Dec 2016

  Also see attached pics descriptions. Previous company went into administration 25 August 2016. Here is just a sample of what I've been up to ... I have been looking at a great deal more things than I can list here (e.g. there were other hardware and software issues I dealt with such as battery issues, Linux issues (on Compute Stick), Docker (linux version) issues ... e.g. I contributed to Docker on GitHub ... challenging issues that took me away from this ... and even setting-up mono correctly on the Pi (working around bugs), and using Xming over SSH took time - and revisiting serial communications with 3G USB sticks, my arduino projects, MQTT in C#, x509 certificates in C# ... the list of my activity/pre-occupation is extensive. I even started looking at VMMV (& primary frameworks for it). I spent the time principally learning C# and .Net technology. I listened to over 200 podcasts, used a couple of reference books, followed along with many YouTube videos, used PluralSight, and created many folders of my own notes including practice exercises (see pics). I wanted to understand what was under the syntactic sugar using reflection and by looking at memory registers. I used Visual Studio 2015, a little 2017, Visual Studio Code, a little Xamarin (mobile-Android), and Mono (x86 & Pi - Arm) (which took some additional setting-up). I spent some time on OO theory - e.g. SOLID principles and especially covariance/contravariance to gain proper insight without requiring years of experience. The only code I have to show for it (other than practice stuff or really really experimental) is here on GitHub (though even that's a mess - not had a chance to clear-up even the formatting yet). But at least it shows some Object Oriented appreciation - Inversion of Control etc. (I'll clean it up or progress it after finishing my network including PBX, and website plug-in, and website clean-up, and Asp.Net (Core) MVC example on Docker. https://github.com/xarta/anxious-annie Show less



1 Green Place (The National EPC Company)

• IT Network Support Engineer

  • Feb 2016 - Aug 2016

  See attachment for slightly more in-depth information. I started here as an "IT Network Support Assistant" (to the existing engineer) since the workload could vary considerably with total number of employees and software deployments. As my skills quickly became apparent my title was also set as "IT Network Support Engineer" and I became more of a partner to the existing engineer. - supported in-house app deployment/support internally and to external staff (by phone) - Cisco, Juniper, HP, & Mitel equipment, and Windows/Linux servers, Windows / OSX & IOS clients - I received excellent feedback from the first board meeting where my performance was discussed - charged with "keep everything going" (hardware/windows & linux servers / network / apps etc.) - I took it upon myself to repair expensive (out of action) phone equipment - I took it upon myself to work on Windows images to speed-up desktop repair (being skilled in this) - we supported Office 365 (using some PowerShell & the GUI) - accounts/deployment etc. - we supported the Windows 2012 / Active Directory & Mitel PBX installations (accounts/config) - small amount of scripting, group policy etc. - further support of the CRM e.g. PBX extension module deployment (call centre) - desktop moves, Windows 7 & 8 support, Apple IOS (Ipads), OSX Mac's - please see attachment for more COMPANY BECAME INSOLVENT ****************************** Regrettably due to unavoidable ramifications of Brexit on investors and the market, the company has gone into Administration. (End-August 2016). I liked it there and would have liked to have developed further. (I might be able to still obtain references for this position) Show less



At - home - own project development and course-taking

• Project work e.g. Arduino, Internet of Things / student - self teaching

  • Jun 2015 - Jan 2016

  Meeting challenges at work buoyed my confidence and won me respect but didn't seem to lead to any further opportunities in a downsizing Council. A victim of my own success in Markets, my IT skills were no longer in much demand and the normal duties no longer seemed stimulating. With goodwill and support from colleagues I took the opportunity for Voluntary Severance. It has allowed me to finally have time again for things I wanted to explore ... Raspberry Pi, Arduino, Internet of Things / encrypted wireless control. (Making my own devices). There were some major domestic projects I wanted to get out of the way to free-up space (both physical & mental). I started learning to programme again, basic Python on the Pi, C++ (in general, but for Arduino's in particular); began looking at .Net but at this time I didn't really know much about the current state of the Industry or how extensive .Net was. It was an opportunity for many experiments including lots of (useful) failures. Toward the end of this marvellous time of exploration I started looking at IT courses to help me finally get a job in IT, and started at the bottom, on PluralSight, with CompTia A+. Show less



Manchester City Council

• United Kingdom
• Government Administration
• 700 & Above Employee

• Business Support Officer (Markets) Additional: Out of hours IT support, system testing etc.

  • Nov 2010 - May 2015

  I'm particularly proud of my substantial involvement in seeing-in a bespoke software upgrade previously promised for about a decade. As well as extensive system testing, UAT, and training colleagues or involving colleagues in tests ... I kept the ship afloat in terms of keeping managers on-board who faced a lot of real-time and time-sensitive pressures but often found the existing software frustrating. They learned to trust me and my willingness to support them. The upgrade took years of effort. I won the respect of all my colleagues with my efforts - working with ICT (Corporate IT and Community Applications Support team) to provision equipment so I could set-up my own solutions (I audited and trained ICT on) to get round barriers to the success of the project. Including setting-up PC's at remote sites for local and Citrix connectivity, having additional business broadband fitted (and set-up by me), changing networking and asset connectivity, and even making bespoke reports, parsing XML, substituting "variables" in excel cells, automating pivot tables and providing tailored results (pending custom reporting from the Vendor). I voluntarily provided out of hours IT support, even while on holiday, with remote control software. I was determined to make the project a success, and succeeded.I've been actively praised by market managers and senior managers, and an ICT manager for multiple qualities including customer service in a busy public-facing role, and my IT skills. Normal office duties include reception (phone/email/letter/enquiries/complaints), back-office bespoke-database/finance/SAP, purchasing, trader registration, Market Rights licences (liaising with other departments e.g. Health & Safety, TENS & Premises licencing, Highways (road closures). Again I was the person people go to in general for IT. One urgent solution: mostly - my own time over 5-7 days I learned how to programme an Android app (Java)- obtaining the bluetooth receipt printer SDK... Show less

• Administrative Assistant (Children Services) Additional: IT development, training, support etc.

  • Jan 2001 - Nov 2010

  For the second time in my experience, what was initially a temp job became full time employment. I made my own sophisticated (with own compression routines to get round problems, links to Excel [with automated pivot tables] & word [two dimensional reporting and mail merging] and use of GIS postzon data) 3rd normal relational database manipulating data in code ... ADO record sets. I organised North West regional meetings and took minutes - disseminating in own html. I trained and organised colleagues. My system was responsible for the business calculations involved with over £1m of funding per year. Auditors found no issues whatsoever. I also took the lead and organised data returns to Central Government - on time and accurate. My system stored transactions fractionally and logged changes (allowing precise auditable retrospective adjustment without any rounding error). It detected cross local authority "fraud" / data-entry errors and used real-time probability to quickly search & find potential matches for fast data-input. I received a bonus salary rise in recognition of my work. Initially I also archived Lotus Notes email, worked in Lotus Approach and with Lotus Script. I was the person people came to for help with IT. Colleagues and managers from that time have kept in touch. Show less



Northampton Community Healthcare NHS Trust

• Year 2000 "Millennium Bug" project assistant

  • Apr 1998 - Oct 1998

  Starting as a temp, retaking University exams, I was offered a permanent position even though it was known I might return to University. The job was interesting - with lots of administrative i.e. contacting vendors for (formalised/technical-spec.) compliance on the "Millennium Bug" but also working on the database itself - a large MS Access relational database and VBA in the days when backing-up still involved zip archiving and floppy disks. My contributions were welcomed. The role also involved some information security evaluation and auditing. And attending emergency-response meetings, and undertaking courses e.g. using fire equipment. I enjoyed an excellent relationship with my manager and other staff. I wish I never returned to University - it was a mistake, but, at that time I did not know I was "autistic" or why it was so difficult for me to progress and why I had problems given my obvious "ability" and past achievement - problems that I couldn't adequately comprehend myself or communicate to others at the time. In contrast to University, in all my employment positions I have not only done well, but done very well! I always get on with people and I always earn their friendship (at least at the level of friendly and highly trusted acquaintance) and respect. As usual, I felt such loyalty for my employer and investment in the success of the project that crazily I alternated University and work for a few weeks before finally finishing there. (The University only let me know I could return at the last moment). My manager sent me a few letters after that, updating me on progress. Show less