Meet Mark
Before getting into IT, Mark’s career was quite varied – working in hospitality and customer services.
Not being able to settle into a role, Mark was encouraged to pursue his interest in IT and apply for an IT job.
Although he didn’t get the job, he knew he wanted to pursue it as a career. With no suitable roles available, Mark decided to try an apprenticeship……and as luck would have it – we were advertising for that very thing!
Successful in his application, Mark joined us gaining skills and knowledge to really flourish in the role. Shortly after Mark became our Service Desk Analyst.
No two days are the same
Typically, the first thing I do is check for incoming work and unassigned tickets, then I catch up with my team so we can prioritise our workload efficiently. Time management is a key factor in the role.
The most exciting thing about this role is that no two days are the same. I could be supporting our Democratic Body, sorting issues out and helping colleagues via remote sessions, building and configuring equipment for issue or even working on servers and networking in the server room.
It’s a role which can be incredibly hands on and arduous, but ultimately it’s very rewarding knowing that I’m making a real difference to my colleagues.
Without doubt, my favourite part is the people
A big part of my job is to resolve technical issues, which means I get to talk with a wide variety of people every day. I hold so much value in this interaction. Talking is vitally important while many of us are working from home. Working remotely can be quite difficult for some people, and it’s in my power to make that situation easier.
Although I primarily fix things, I think talking and having the right demeanour and mannerisms are key to mental wellbeing. The job can be very rewarding; fixing an issue and hearing the tone of a person’s voice instantly change and become more relaxed is a reward in itself (and my favourite part of the role).
My colleagues at Merthyr Valleys Homes are genuinely brilliant and I thoroughly enjoy supporting them. Every day brings new challenges and learning opportunities and it’s an environment I enjoy and thrive in.
As with every job, there’s bound to be some challenges
The constant development of legislation and regulations provides the greatest challenge to the team. It’s vital that the entire team participates in continuing professional development (CPD), keeping our knowledge up to date as things inevitably change within the industry.
We have to carefully plan and monitor our workloads. Sometimes managing time can be tricky, especially prioritising.
Jump head first into an IT career in housing
IT can be an amazing, in-demand career choice with progression and multiple routes to specialise in. The IT industry is always evolving so you’ll be constantly learning and growing and there’s definitely something great about that.
Working in housing, you will feel pride in making a difference in the communities you work in. I 100% feel proud to be part of MVH, we hold so much value in community. I really think it shows in the impact we’ve had on Merthyr Tydfil as a whole; from housing to community projects, it’s clear we’ve had an amazing impact.
Mark is a Service Desk Analyst at Merthyr Valleys Homes.