Meet the newest member of Forge Technologies: Stephen Gardiner who joined the operations team as a senior engineer in May.
We asked him a few questions about life and work, and got smitten with his adorable puppy, Jasper!
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’m from Chesterfield, just south of Sheffield and on the edge of Peak District. It’s a ‘famous’ town in England for having a crooked spire on the church. The church was built using unseasoned wood and putting the lead on the roof caused the timbers to twist creating the crooked spire – Google it and you’ll see!
My two kids persuaded us to take a puppy, and we now have a 7-month-old Border Collie, Jasper, who loves to destroy things, like the kitchen table.
I enjoy cricket and I play in the local Derbyshire Cricket league. Because I’m no longer at the optimal age (I don’t know how James Anderson still does it for England), I took up running and did a few half marathons and the Paris Marathon. When everyone else seemed to pick up running during the pandemic, I actually stopped for a couple of years. Typically, I need an event to motivate myself and so I signed up for Leeds Marathon in 2023. That should keep me going!
What did you do before joining Forge Technologies?
I worked for another MSP onsite as part of the project delivery team. The role involved supporting the team in the delivery of anything new; software packaging, versioning, application uplifts, sql version changes, DR, and OS builds. So, very similar to what I do at Forge Technologies now.
What drew you to work in tech?
A midlife crisis 🙂 I did a chemistry degree at Newcastle University and I stayed in the industry until I reached 30. Then, after supporting the team I worked in with IT, it was a question of maintaining my current work or changing.
I didn’t see a long-term future in the industry I was in and decided it was time for a change. Since then, I have enjoyed all the challenges and opportunities that have come along, working for a global, Chicago based business with dispersed teams and delivering IT projects and support to these teams. It has been great to see technology evolve and improve.
What are you most looking forward to working with the Forge team?
Improving my knowledge and learning from my teammates. Everyone has a very different skill set and I’m sure I can pick up many new tricks from them! It is also interesting to work with customers across different industries as every industry has different regulations and ways of doing things.
I enjoy having more autonomy and independence at Forge Technologies to plan my days more efficiently without having to attend endless meetings.
What does an ideal workday look like for you?
It is pretty straightforward: checking systems are working correctly and writing code. Also, if there is time, I try to fit in some self-learning. Because the majority of what I do is project work, my days depend a lot on the customer’s needs and wants.
What about your ideal day off?
It is a mix. Now that we have Jasper, the lockdown puppy, most days off involve some walking in the nearby park. Then, it is just chilling with the family either around the house and spending time in the garden with a BBQ or travelling to a beach for some bodyboarding.
Also, as my wife would say, there has to be some time spent on books. A previous colleague got me into John Savill’s YouTube and it is always a great place to deep dive into new tech and ideas around Azure. I am definitely passionate about technology!
What one piece of technology has changed your life?
Well, I have seen a lot of technology change after starting in the Windows for Workgroups days, with MS Mail and Novell Netware. What has changed my life the most is the mobile phone, from the humble snake game on Nokia to the rich application delivery we have today. They are essentially a laptop in your hand, who even uses their mobile phone to ring someone nowadays?
What industry trends do you think are going to shape the rest of 2022?
I think we are going to see more progress around hybrid working and how businesses can embrace it better. The pandemic forced businesses to adopt new ways of working, or patch existing systems. And many still need support in managing a more flexible workforce. Because let’s face it, back to the office full time is never going to happen again. Some teams need monthly meetups, some more frequent than that and some can work remote full time. That’s why businesses need to offer flexibility.
