Full time student and I have a small MSP business on the side. I build out and maintain networks for small businesses (think 1-10 people working from home and need a”tech guy” on call). I basically do anything that is needed or recommend services for things I can’t handle myself. I have posted a few of my projects here but I have built out several physical networks and set up a couple of servers for file sharing and backups. Mostly just “that guy” that people call when stuff doesn’t work.
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I graduated from engineering school 2 years ago with a Master in Electrical and Computer Engineering. I have been working as a chip designer since. In my spare time I toy around with audio circuits and linux/NAS/home server stuff.
Graduated just a few years ago with a B.S. in Electrical/Computer Engineering, worked as an EE for two companies (one defense contractor, one smaller industrial controls), hated both of them, so now I’m an electronics test/repair tech and it’s been great. I fix blown up things. Make a lot less but it’s enough and zero stress.
Kept my EE career as a hobby and design random PC hardware in my spare time (see Devember project this year lol).
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I’m a Network Tech for a fortune 300 company. I’m 1 of 4 that work the “Network Desk” - My team is rather large but us 4 specialize in maintaining the network. So it’s complicated but not really complicated. I work 13 hour days, Thursday thru Saturday, every other Wednesday. That means every two weeks is a 4 day weekend. I love the work-life balance, I never ever ever get a phone call if I am not clocked in. However when I am clocked in, all network issues are my issues.
Overall I am very happy with it, I get lots of exposure to other Engineering teams and cool environments. Im constantly challenged at work and I genuinely feel like my immediate Management cares about my contributions.
Been in my current role for 1 year. I have no certs, never have. Just know enough about the equipment I reckon.
Fun times.
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Now installing and servicing burglary and fire alarm systems, video surveillance. Before that I’ve been all over IT from being a disk monkey in a data center (it red, it dead, replace), hardware service and software support for end-user, all sorts of programming (where I tuned my high pitch scream to perfection) and ending up as a Linux sysdev, mostly non-desktop stuff. Insert 3 to 4 burn-outs in between disk monkey and sysdev and that’s why I’m over with IT.
Now mostly stress free and I can shut down after work hours, it’s like being retired for 1/2 day every day. After 8 months of rehab from being a sysdev, I’m starting to like computers again and tinker with stuff for fun not Idiocracy level clients. And L1techs helped a lot with my rehab.
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I live in New Zealand, I work in Mechanical Engineering, more specifically Tool and Die and Custom Machinery.
I will be while working full time studying Computer Science this year.
My biggest issue as a worker is being just that a worker. I am 33 years old and have been an intellectual my entire life but I went down the hands on route due to wanting to do things that I could not afford to pay people to do so I had to learn it myself.
I do like my job and I like my boss and my work colleagues, my issue is the lack of bigger picture impact of what I do. I really would like to work on significant work, I am very jealous of the guys from the 50’s and 60’s who were able to work in the space program and other “BIG PROJECTS”.
I can’t expect my employer to sway to meet my desires so I need to on my own find some way to do important work.
It is like a renowned physicist told me a few years back regarding degrees, he said “What is important is not getting the degree but having something worthwhile to study”
There has to be a problem to solve or thing to create that creates significant impact.
I would love to do R&D or something where my job was to just come up with stuff.
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Wow, I hope some fraction of this tech trickles to homeowners ASAP. Humidity and air quality monitoring are some of the many missing metrics (or control) on the residential side.
I’ll just add here that I’m a nanny by day with my primary research around remodeling and retrofitting my house on a shoestring budget haha.
My formal education is in young adolescent development.
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I am a Solution Architect that focuses on Content management systems for live venue broadcast and LED systems.
Got a local professional or D1 school where you go see games? Chances are high that at some point in the last 20 years I had a hand in some of the technology that went into that stadium or venue.