Luke Gartland
Someone organised a screening of the Breaking Bad finale in the John Hume building on the day it aired. The thing is - they didn't have a copy of the episode. So, they contacted me because they assumed that's what Computer Science students learned how to do.
The thing is, I did have a method of streaming the episode. So I help them out and sure enough the lecture room fills up with 100 people or so. We stream the episode and it's going great - and then right in the last 20 minutes a phantom sound interrupts the broadcast. I rushed to the stage to troubleshoot the issue and fumbled away trying to identify what was wrong as 100 onlookers spectated my every move. I had met my nemesis - the pop up ad hydra. For every window I closed, three more took its place. Still, I pressed on determined to give the audience the show they (hadn't) paid to see.
Eventually, red-faced and sweaty I found the culprit and silenced him for good.
I was red-faced in embarrassment, half of the audience had walked out, and worse still, my friends had eaten my Cadburys Mini Rolls. I didn't care. I had problem solved and since then, it's pretty much all I've done.
(Thankfully, it's gone a lot better since then)
Details of your career path to date:
I worked for several years in web development, across the front and back end for companies in Dublin and Vancouver. I pivoted to Application Support for SaaS companies before finding my feet in Data. I have a keen interest in Cybersecurity and Security Compliance, and the emerging developments in AI.
Can you tell us of any career highlight to date?
Mentoring and fostering connections within remote teams during COVID.
What does your current role involve?
Well I'm a Data Migration Specialist currently.
How did you find your current job?
Referral.
What advice would you give to Maynooth University students entering the job market, either generally speaking or in regard to your specific career sector?
Project work that you can showcase will go a long way.