Valerie Francisco
Systems Adminstrator
I work for Quantile; we provide compression and margin management solution for financial institutions.
I help build and manage network infrastructure. I'm also the first point of contact between our users and IT.
I love that I get to work on lots of different things and every day is different from the day before. I'm able to learn new things every day. I enjoy helping people.
There is no typical day. I have some regular responsibilities, but mostly, I do what comes up. I have to be ready to pivot from one issue to the next without much warning.
So funnily enough, I don’t have a STEM academic background. I studied to be a History and Politics Lecturer. My technology background developed organically, mostly because I enjoy gaming. I had my first IT role at university, working at the Student Help Desk. I worked there for almost 5 years, but I never considered it a career. I assumed I wasn’t the 'right kind of person' to work in IT professionally. My first role out of university was for an international education company, but tech kept finding me. I was approached by the IT department, due to my background. When my contract ended, I moved from the Student Exchange department to the IT/Infrastructure department. So, it turns out I AM the 'kind of person' who works in technology! I think a lot of people believe that they need to pick a path early and stick to it or they won't be successful. I don't think that’s necessarily true. If you find something interesting, go after it. And if you start to feel it’s not right, don’t be afraid to change your mind. Take another path that might suit you better. It’s not lost time if you've learned things along the way. I've been told my varied background and experiences make me stand out. I believe is why I have such a dynamic approach when dealing with peoples and problems.
This is a tough one, as I change my mind often. In the short run, I'd like to get more involved in Information Security. In the long run, I just want to set my self up with the skills and tool to maximise my options.
I enjoy rollerblading, yoga, trivia, computer games, gardening, seeing live music, traveling, and cooking. I also enjoy arts and crafts - making tie-dyes and dried flower arrangements as gifts.
"Successful people start before they feel ready." ~ Sir Richard Branson