CV
Personal Information
Education
2021-2: The Jump Digital School
Developing and deploying full-stack web applications and websites using:- HTML5: including accessibility best practices.
- CSS 3: Responsive design, Flexbox & CSS Grid, SASS, CSS Modules and CSS frameworks.
- JavaScript: ES6+, AJAX, API’s - REST and GraphQL, Animation (Greensock & Three.js), Graphing (d3.js) & Realtime (websockets and socket.io), TypeScript, Cypress, Jest, Webpack, OAuth.
- React: hooks, context, Material UI.
- Node.js: Vanilla & Express.
- Databases: SQL - Postgres, NoSQL - MongoDB with Mongoose.js, Redis, Firebase.
- DevOps: Docker & Kubernetes, Heroku (inc. pipelines), serverless (inc. Netlify).
2006-7: Manchester MIDI School
- HND Music Construction and Production (distinction)
- HND Commercial Studio Engineering (distinction)
1996-99: University of Newcastle-u-Tyne
- BEng Chemical and Process Engineering (Hons) 2:2
1989-96: Manchester Grammar School
- A level Maths Grade A
- A level Physics Grade A
- A level Chemistry Grade B
- 9 GCSE's Grades A-C
Work History
Vintage Electronics Dealer
Self Employed Business 2015 - Present
Running my own business selling vintage electronics and other vintage items via a variety of online marketplaces to customers all over the world. Responsible for all aspects of my business including sourcing goods, sales ,customer service, logistics, accounting, marketing and a myriad of fixing and problem solving.
Supervisor
Keyline Builders Merchants 2014 - 15
Responsible for overseeing all yard sales activities and driver deliveries. Managing a team of two drivers and two sales assistants I was responsible for all yard sales, daily stocktaking, housekeeping, driver delivery routes and loads, maintenance schedules for trucks, cranes, and fork lift trucks, driver tachographs and FTA compliance. As well as this I was fire marshall, site manual handling trainer, and liased with the regional manager to implement site health and safety measures.
Props Assistant / Driver
Da Vinci's Demons Season Two - Starz / BBC Worldwide 2013 - 14
This role involved working to support the art department of this major television series. Handling mainly "action" props such as swords, shields, and various other weaponry, I was responsible for the safe transport of these often very valuable items to and from sets, location shoots, and prop hire companies.
It was also part of my job to read the script and produce a breakdown of potential prop requirements cross referenced with the shooting schedule to determine when each prop was required. I would then compare notes with the storeman, buyers, food hygienist, and props master to plan what was needed when and if anything needed fabricating or hiring, and make plans to ensure everything arrived on time.
In television production it is imperative each department plans its activities very carefully to ensure all requirements of the shoot are fully met as even a few hours delay to a shoot can cost tens of thousands of pounds. Working in the action props team we took great pride in ensuring all our props arrived on set on time looking perfect with no mistakes.
Technical Stage Manager / Company Manager
Premier Stage Productions 2008 - 2012
I worked for this company on a freelance basis touring the UK and internationally with various theatrical productions, the most recent being "The Little Big Club Live In Concert", which toured the UK and internationally between 2010 and 2012.
My responsibilities as technical manager were to oversee the load in and construction of the set, to liase with the receiving theatres technical crew to ensure our requirements for lighting, sound, rigging, and AV were met (and if not to work out a suitable compromise), to carry out general maintenance and running repairs of our equipment and order replacements where necessary. During performances I mixed the front of house sound, operated sound cues, and called lighting and AV cues.
As company manager my responsibilities were to oversee my team of 12 cast and crew, dealing with any issues or problems they had while on tour, as well as handling disciplinary matters. I was also responsible for looking after petty cash, making purchasing decisions, hotel bookings, maintenance of company vehicles, liasing with receiving theatres front of house management, controlling stock levels of merchandise, ensuring our merch was selling at its full potential, and generally ensuring nothing happened to violate the license terms of the characters in the show.
Other Interests
Surfing
I first started surfing after hiring a board for a day on a holiday to Newquay in the early 2000s and was hooked from day one, though for a long time being a land locked city dweller, opportunities to hit the water were few and far between. Nowadays I am fortunate enough to live on the South Wales coast within easy reach of many excellent surf spots and get out on the water as often as I can. Currently I use a 8 foot 6 Minimal type board which is well suited to the smaller swells we get in this region.
Paddleboarding
I first tried Paddleboarding about 5 years ago when a local watersports club were offering taster sessions and I really enjoyed the experience of taking a board out on calmer water. So much so that I decided to invest in my own equipment and take up the sport.
Guitar
Playing the guitar and music in general has been a lifelong passion of mine, after first picking up a battered old acoustic at the age of 14. Over the years I have been in several bands and have been fortunate enough to perform in venues all over the country, I was even lucky enough to perform at the South by Southwest festival in Texas one year which was an experience I will never forget.
Woodwork
One thing I really enjoy is making things. Particularly I like the idea of upcycling old useless into new things that either have a use or look nice. I prefer to use wood as it is easy and forgiving to handle and craft. I also ran a Youtube channel for a while about different DIY and building projects.