Some recent updates

Back in March of this year, I decided to leave my job in Computershare after nearly 13 years there. The first four years were spent in Client Services and the last few years I was working as a Business Analyst in the development teams. I started in Production Support where I helped redesign the GEMS login screen. I then moved to the 'Projects' squad where I helped work on compliance items such as the new PSC requirements in the UK. Finally I moved to the "404" squad where I was the Business Analyst tasked with getting the Compliance Tracker module off the ground.

It was initially a replacement for Tasks that had been in GEMS for many years but nobody wanted to go near. It then turned into a replacement for Tasks and Filings. Then a replacement for Tasks, Filings, and EDO. Eventually it also incorporated the Orders functionality that was developed at the same time by a different squad. Basically it ballooned into a massive undertaking.

The team eventually got through it and released Compliance Tracker in version 11 of GEMS but this took it's toll on me. I felt I couldn't continue as a Business Analyst any longer. The role just didn't suit my talents or personality and I was always struggling to keep up with what needed to be done. I had reached a point were either the job needed to go or my health would seriously suffer. The relief I felt when I fianlly made the decision was palpable.

Of course this does mean I have been out of work for a while but I have been trying to keep myself busy. My passion has always been web/software development and I think those roles would suit me far better than an analyst role would. I have made a number of project sites to help me learn new things like Next.js and Astro/Svelte. I have been attending a UCD Professional Academy course in Front End Web Development too, which is now sadly coming to an end.

I'm not sure what the future will bring. I have applied for a FIT apprenticeship in software development and have applied for one or two jobs since. I may decide to go back to college to freshen up my education section of the CV. In the meantime there's plenty of jobs to be done around the house too.

I have created a "Now" page (nownownow.com) on the site to track what I have been up to lately but I may still add posts like this from time-to-time as the Now page doesn't keep a history of events.

Paddy