With over 20 years of commercial IT experience, I have developed a broad range of skills in software development, server setup, and implementing tailored IT solutions. My expertise allows me to address complex technical challenges efficiently and deliver results that align with business needs.
Throughout my career, I’ve specialized in coding, system configurations, and troubleshooting, contributing to innovative projects and improving operational efficiency. My commitment to staying updated with the latest technologies ensures that I can provide cutting-edge solutions in a rapidly evolving industry.
Key Job Role Skills
- Supporting and enhancing existing software
- Extensive testing in controlled environments
- Writing and debugging code
- Developing and improving interfaces in response to user feedback
- Providing technical assistance, mentoring and guidance to team colleagues
- Investigating and providing advice for system and security vulnerabilities and enhancements
- Handling and analysing large amounts of data
- Dealing with software release cycle, documentation and end user support
- Designing and maintaining extensive reporting and analysis applications
Personal skills
- Pride and sense of achievement / satisfaction in delivering good quality end results
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
- Ability to think outside the box
- Analytical skills to interpret user requirements
- Self-motivated and a quick learner
- The ability to learn from mistakes
- Keen to learn and develop new skills
Qualifications
BSc - Computer Studies (Hons 2.1)
A total of three years done through an associate college of University of Leicester and Sunderland. The combined HND and degree covered a variety of subject areas concentrating in software development but also covered other areas like computer hardware, A.I, networking.
GNVO - Art and Design intermediate level
A two-year course flexing my artistic muscle. Undertaken at the Gleed Boys Joint Sixth Form.
Skill set coverage
SSIS
Full and partial warehouse reloading via configurable parameters, progress SQL92, staging tables ETL / TMP / DBO, expression tasks for email home notifications, table truncation, ODBC source and OLEDB destination dataflows, script components to overcome progress data storage issue, dataflow configuration PASS / FAIL, use of SQL stored procedures with MERGE command with parameters to change flow of stored procedure, calling .net webservices from script component, use of parameters for configuring with LIVE / DEV / TEST systems, use of SQL reporting to diagnose errors with warehouses, use of linked servers, configuration of SQL server parameters, scheduling & running of warehouses using SQL Server Agent.
SSRS
Report development, use of sql stored procedures, condition grouping, condition styling, use of different data sources (SQL & Excel), report and sub group totalling, dataset configuration to refine data by query parameters, query and calculated fields, phased deployment of reports alongside existing ones controlled by AD security, report preview & deployment via Visual Studio including deployment to multiple server instances, configuration of SQL linked servers to track usage on progress database when connecting via ODBC.
SQL
Tables, views, stored procedures (with parameters), working with different schemas and databases, calling stored procedures within other stored procedures, working with parameters in stored procedures to change flow of stored procedure, management of security at view / stored procedure / table / view level / database, casting of data, conditional case LEFT JOIN / WHERE / GROUP BY / ORDER BY, nested case statements, merging of data from different data sources into single view, linked server query usage via OPEN QUERY command, experience of working with progress SQL92, concatenation, stuffing of data.
C# and VB.net
Front and backend systems development experience, use of OOXML / Closed XML, LINQ, delegates, exception handling, extension methods, generics, lambda expression, nullable types, OO derived class use, MVC, entity framework, views, partial views, Microsoft identity, WCF & non WCF webservices, consuming SOAP webservices, Razor, views, partial views, data annotations, bootstrap, bootbox, DTO and view models.
Web Development
HTML 4 & 5, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, mobile friendly development, AJAX, web workers.
JSP and Java Servlets
Java Server Pages and Java Servlets. Using Java Servlets and JSP to deliver re-usable web-based content. In both client and server architecture.
Java applets
Use of Java Applet Swing JEditorPane, hyperlinking to external page (member profiles), amongst many components to deliver chat-based applications.
Java standalone application development
Developing standalone based java applications to handle scheduled website backups to remote network location.
Apache Tomcat
Installation and maintenance of new and existing applications. SSL and non-SSL application integration. Integration with third party database systems.
MySQL
I have gained a vast experience in mysql from setting up from scratch on servers to writing SQL code, configuring security, data warehousing, writing my own slimmed down version of phpmyadmin.
PHP
Over a professional career spanning 15 years, I have vast php knowledge, from writing my own CMS system that powers this website, data warehousing solutions, API's, object-orientated programming, Shopify integration whilst following good coding standards
VBA
Developing custom VBA code and macros for third party application integration. This integration includes the generation of ASP based report packages and progress-based case management systems.
Visualfiles
Developing and maintaining Visualfiles applications. The integration of some of these applications with third party software. Such as Microsoft Office based products.
Domain administration
Registering of domain names and web and email DNS records management.
List of projects & achievements
Resolutions
A process by which the end user could submit resolutions written as a C# website
Clients on hold
.net process to automatically put clients on off hold on a financial based rule set
Very good understanding and usage of Visual Studio
A very good understanding of Visual studio for a variety of project types include web, SSIS, SSRS, console apps, web form apps. TFS integration within Visual Studio for project submissions, comments, branching
SSIS
Development of SSIS skillset mostly self-taught through on the job learning. With the data of these warehouses used by the online client portal, the SSRS reports to improve performance and within the case management system.
SSRS
Development of SSRS skillset mostly taught through on the job learning. With the data of these warehouses used by the online client portal, the SSRS reports to improve performance and within the case management system.
Online client portal
Developing a successful online client portal that is still in use today by both external clients and internal staff members.
Scan directly from MDF to Legal case management
Developing a streamlined process that allows a user to walk up to an MDF and scan an item directly to the legal matter.
Gaining a better understanding of SQL
Developing good SQL language skills through on the job learning.
Gaining a better understanding of vb.net and C#
Developing good vb.net and C# coding and then using that knowledge to achieve some outstanding projects.
CMS System
Writing of a system complete CMS system from scratch powering my website in another programming language to test my coding ability across different programming languages and to better understand how CMS’s work. Knowing full well other pre-built CMS’s exist.
Online bill payment system that integrated with EPDQ
Writing of an online bill payment system for work that integrated with Barclays EPDQ and was used for a very long time to take client payments for outstanding invoices.
Webcam and audio chat messaging program which fully integrated within the website
Writing of a secure chat messenger that had webcam support, audio support, messaging. Like msn messenger. Written from scratch with some rough ideas of how they worked. Again, written in another language just as an experimentation and to answer the question can I do this?
Language learning website
The writing of a web-based language learning website for my final year of my degree. With question and answer randomisation to test how well a user knows a language. Different formats of exercises including, written, multiple choice, drag & drop, audio questions, progress log of tracking progress, downloadable versions of exercises to do at home, lessons at different curriculum levels.
Full system for dentists to manage their appointments and patients in VB6
During the second year of my degree one of my projects was to write a full system in VB6 which would allow a dental practice to fully manage their appointments and patients in a simple easy to use interface. The software had commercial viability as this was picked up during a potential employer when I went for an interview after showing samples of the system.
Pong video game in VB6
One afternoon during the second year of college. It was a quiet afternoon and the tutor set us a challenge of writing the video game pong inside of VB6 with no prior knowledge of game programming. Which involved learning how to process user input, move an image of a ball around on a screen based on mathematics, speed increase & decreased and then going above the original challenge to add extra bits to the game just to test my knowledge. See how far I could go.
File system backup software
At the time I was playing with hosting of websites around 2007 on my own server and wanted a way to back up the contents of certain directories to the cloud. Writing my own customizable backup solution saving the backups into the cloud as a way of exploration to test my software engineering abilities.
Box Calculator Project
This project involved writing a solution for something that didnt exist at the time to replicate a calculation performed by a parcel force spreadsheet. This meant replicating the exact same calculations done by the spreadsheet and creating lots of coded business rules for parcel force behaviour when shipping products to different places around the world. Business rules included congestion charges, fuel surcharges, flat rates for UK, europe and a weight based calculation for the rest of the world which is done on a weight basis and depends upon what postal zone and item is going to all integrated into a front end system which was super fast. Parcel force didn't, at the time of creating this solution, have an API to obtain pricing information so i wrote a dataware house based on the information provided in a spreadsheet which contained all of the pricing information. This also had to be super fast. I made use of years of experience in data warehousing to ensure that pricing information was always available even when new rates were being uploaded via spreadsheet. I also adapted an existing CMS system making the whole system database driven as much as possible to reduce the amount of hard coding of values where possible. This meant that information could be updated without needing to deploy code files to the server each time a piece of information changed.
CMS with Shopify integration and custom app support.
This project involved building a complete CMS system from scratch in PHP to manage the businesses core process in the retail industry complete with Shopify integration. Lots of factors had to be taken into consideration when creating this system, like any other project I take on, how to make it sure, modular, light weight, easy to use from an end user point of view, with clean code so that another developer could pick it up without having to work their way through unwieldy code. This project was my first time using Shopify but I am grateful I have learnt these skills like anything I do. I enjoy learning new tehcnologies. This project is on going and is constantly evolving including a custom built app core, which allows new functionality to developed as deployable apps to add extra functionality to the system. Complete with secure communication back with the core open API. This allows the re-use of core code in use in other areas without having to rewrite core functionality. But still allowing new features and functionality to be developed. This project has the following features:
- Purchase orders
- App Infrastructure with endless possibilities
- Barcode scanner integration
- Shopify integration
- CMS system
- Booking in & out via 2D barcode scanner
- Creation of purchase orders via spreadsheet
- Generation of sales labels via pdf integration
- All purpose highly secure
- Good front & back end design
- Web based using CSS, Javascript, JQuery, PHP, web API and MySQL
- Highly configurable
- Uses stored procedures with no embedded SQL code in PHP code files
- URL rewrite
- PHP running through IIS
- Object orientation
- Reporting
- Widgets
- Info hub using dynamic page based system managed via custom built app
- HR module
- Google authenticator / two factor security
- Stock transfer
- Audio notifications
- Job / task scheduler
- Email notifications
- Mobile responsive
- Custom security model using roles
- Workflow engine
- Scheduled backups
- Encrypted document management system
- Time line feature / social network integration
- ODBC reporting cubes
- Bootstrap
- Widgets
This project uses the following apps:
- Buyers collections
- HR module
- Warehouse purchase orders
- Reporting
- Stock transfers
- Stock lookups
- Loyalty card app which works on IPAD via Shopify till system
Teds Snake Hunt
I thought this was my first experience of game development, but I was wrong, when I cast my mind back, I made pong in VB 6 back at university and really enjoyed it. I really enjoyed making pong, it was a good challenge, and I do like a challenge, I over come things like learning game mechanics, controlling game with user input. Having, developing a game, on my bucket list, but forgetting that I had already created pong, I set out to create a computer game with a difference, the concept is a teddy bear who is a snake hunter, but I wanted to do it as a old style 2d platform game. Building this game built on my experience from creating pong, but with even more game mechanics. Pong was simple in a sense as you move a bar from left to right and then control a ball around a court. Teds snake hunt involved giving a sense of AI to the game, sound effects, moveable characters, health, levels, different strength enemies each with different abilities, even their behaviour had to be different each time and the game has to be a challenge the longer you play it other wise its boring and people would loose interest, collectable objects that give you points or replenish your health. I wanted to level up in this game compare to pong and make it more accessible to anyone with a web browser so I decided on front end technologies by making use of HTML 5 canvas, Jquery and CSS to create the game. To ensure that in wasn't breaching copyright I created all of the in game imagery and audio the game uses myself. I really enjoyed creating this game, which is free to play on this website, but i still want to take it a step further by creating a multiplayer version.
WordPress development
I have started to venture in the realms of WordPress, managing a local theatre group website, from changing themes, managing plugins. A need arised where a WordPress plugin was needed to handle something on the platform that does exist. So i created a plugin to meet the need. This is my first plugin and not my last, its like anything business orientated you do its about finding a unique idea or something that can do something that currently can't be done. I got to test my WordPress skills, a client, wanted a WordPress website to represent their business on line. I did this with no problem, from idea conception through to delivery of the website and my client is very happy with the end result.
Portfolio
This section shows some of the more recent side line projects I have taken on in the past few years.
Direct Driveways Lincs
This website was done for a local firm of Roofers, who wanted a website to advertise their business. This website has been solely built using wordpress.
Evos On Tour
This website was done for my brother to promote is online following of the paranormal and urbexers. Please use the link below to explore, the spooky and old.
Visit EvosOnTour
Giddy Sharp
This website i built for my mum, Giddy Sharp, and features recipies, stories, poems and Photos.
Visit GiddySharp
Charley Bear
This website i built for my dad, Charlie, and features a philophosical take on life.
Visit Charley Bear
