Core Skills

For over 10 years, I have gained experience in a wide variety of languages and developed the ability to quickly grasp new languages and concepts. I have also programmed in a range of techniques such as 'Object Oriented','Scripted','Event Driven', 'Server/Client', 'Neural Networks', 'Fuzzy Logic', 'Genetic Algorithms', 'A* Search'

• AGR Automation Ltd: Logix 5000 (Allen-Bradley PLC), ASP.net, VBA, MS Reporting Services
• University of Leeds: Labview
• Call Centre Support Ltd: SQL
• Interactive Learning Ltd: Mediator, Flash, VB Script, Php, Css
• University of Bradford: Matlab, Java, Html, Perl, Interactive C, C#, VB.Net, VRML
• University of Luton: C, C++, OpenGL, Python, Prolog, Lisp
• Holy Cross College: Visual Basic, MS Access.

At the age of 15, a friend taught me the minimum requirements of a PC and helped me to build my first computer. Since then, I have built / repaired / upgraded many machines either for family and friends or as part of a job.

When in college, I gained a grade B at A-Level Computing and went on to study BSc (Hons) Artificial Intelligence which introduced me to a wide variety of computational techniques.

After 2 years of AI, I transferred to BSc (Hons) Cybernetics with Virtual worlds where I was introduced to the physics of computation along with hands on electronic exprience. On completion of my studdies in Cybernetics, I was awarded a first class degree with an award for best industial placement before going on to complete my MSc in Nano Electronics with Nano Mechanics.

At the age of 14, I took my first job as an assistant on a fruit and veg stall on Bury market, which taught me how to sell products to the public along with how small businesses operate. Whilst at university, I worked in a variety of jobs selling products from alcohol (bar work) to educational software at Interactive Learning Ltd.

When developing educational software, a large part of my job involved using photoshop to create content which would be appealing to an audience aging around 16 years old. After 12 months of working within photoshop, I have gained industrial experience developing digital images which could not have been achieved through a short course or project. This proved especially useful when working within web design, and and has proved valuable asset when creating posters, user interfaces or editing photo's.

When I was a child, I was given mechano which allowed me to experiment with electronics by developing motorised toys. This could have contributed towards why I found GCSE electronics easy and fun and why I obtained a grade A. Following this, my next encounter with electronics was as part of my cybernetics course, when I learned a number of electrical techniques and gained exprience interfacing and programming a variety of circuits. Now working within the field of automation, a major part of my job involves understanding and testing electrical systems with respect to writing control software.

• Managing a department when working at poundstretcher.
• Managing my time and work whilst studdying
• Managing software development at AGR

• Vision guided pick and place robotics for a variety of applications using Staubli RS20 with Cognex Mini Insight cameras, building industrial assembly machines.
• Building a stair climbing lego robot, just for fun!
• Brick laying robot as part of my studdies in Bradford.

• Networking computers for students when at university
• Remote computer access / control
• Interfacing PLC's, Cameras, Robots and Computers in an industrial environment.

• My first job involved working on a fruit and vegetable stall on an outdoor market, where I began to learn the basics of presentation.
• At university, I was required to create and perform a number of presentations as part of my course and project.
• When working as a Software Engineer at Interactive Learning LTD, I assisted in giving product presentations to sell our software directly to the end clients.

• During college, I first began to make websites using Microsoft Frontpage, hosting creations on free web servers. When at university, I was introduced to PHP and Perl, which allow the construction of dynamic web design. After learning the basics of Photoshop, I began to realise that I could make money to supplement my studdies working self employed as a web designer as a company called www.stripedmonkey.com.
• More recently, web design is more of a hobby. IE - the construction of this website.

• Where content on a webpage changes frequently, a database is a more suitable method of storing the data. This makes it easy to add photo's and news to this website without any programming. I was first introduced to databases using Microsoft Access, more recently I have been programming using MySQL and Transact-SQL.
• Working with industrial machinary (Allen Bradley PLC's logging data through FactoryTalk View SE datalogging services) has provided me with experience of writing stored procedures to convert raw tables of numbers and text into human readable format.