About Me
I am 21 years old and am currently studying a BSc Honours in Software Engineering at De Montfort University in Leicester. I am very passionate about the work I produce and take great pride in my work. Whilst studying at De Montfort University I have also been working as a freelance web developer, as well as running a number of commercial and non-commercial websites.
What I Offer
I have been practising web and software development, first as a hobby and subsequently as a job, for over 7 years in total. This experience has led me to become proficient in a wide range of programming languages and technologies. My primary focus and passion is working with web-oriented technologies such as PHP, SQL, JavaScript, (X)HTML and CSS - although I also have knowledge and experience in many other languages. I am currently learning Haskell, Java, and C programming languages as part of my university course.
I am also skilled with Adobe Flash, Photoshop & Flex and enjoy designing. I am a very enthusiastic, quick learner and have often demonstrated the ability to work out of my comfort zone or learn new skills. I have owned and ran numerous Linux and Windows based servers, which has allowed me to develop intermediate server administration skills.
I am passionate about creating clean and efficient work with focus on following standards & good practise. I enjoy all aspects of programming, but mostly I enjoy creating intuitive interfaces and solving challenging problems. I love experimenting with the latest technologies, creating new and interesting software/websites.
In previous jobs I have been responsible for a variety of important clients; including the Church of England Norfolk Diocese, British Parachute Association, British School of Motoring and Norfolk County Council. This often involves holding meetings, demonstrating progress, and providing phone/email support.
Work Experience
The following is a list of my work experience, in descending chronological order. As shown below, I have a lot of experience in my field and have worked in important roles throughout my career.
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Cite DMS – Full time & Freelance
Web Developer
Cite is a highly successful Leicester based digital agency. In my role with Cite, I was tasked with leading numerous projects as well as working with other developers. These mostly included Wordpress, Facebook, Joomla, and Magento projects. I also successfully introduced versioning (using Subversion) and automated deployment to staging servers, and helped improve the collaborative development environment.
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Selest Limited – Full time
Lead Web Developer
Selesti is a multi award-winning, creative digital agency based in Norwich. Working as the Lead Web Developer, I was also responsible for maintaining the servers and helping the project managers oversee development of all projects. I designed and created a powerful edit-in-place CMS which is still in use frequent use.
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Freelance – Part time
PHP/Web Developer
After leaving my previous job, due to the relocation of their offices, I went back to freelancing. During this time I relaunched my primary e-commerce site, exaltic.com, to great success. Although I enjoyed freelancing, I prefer to work in a team and enjoy the social aspect that it brings.
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Hayes Computing Solutions Ltd. – Full time
Lead Web Developer
Starting off as a Junior Developer, I quickly rose to take up the role of Lead Developer. Because of the small size of the company, I was responsible for interacting with and providing support to customers on a daily basis. My achievements included creating a central framework and CMS/database management system that powered all of our software and websites. The software was designed with extensibility and SEO in mind and greatly increased the company’s efficiency and the success of its SEO campaigns.
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Freelance – Part time
PHP/Web Developer
During this time, I was able to develop skills needed for organising projects, interacting with customers and meeting deadlines. Freelancing allowed me to interact with clients and designers from all around the world, and gave me time to help contribute to open source projects. I also ran a couple of profitable and successful websites.
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Omega Vortex – Part time
PHP Developer
Omega Vortex was an internet-based software products & services company registered in Alabama, USA. My roles included designing interfaces, creating product and function specifications, using version control systems, working with clients, designing user interfaces, and creating PHP software.
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Datadrum Marketing & Design – Work experience
General Assistant - Studio
Datadrum is a Marketing & Design firm based in Norwich. My main roles were: assisting designers in the studio, artwork and apple Mac designing, assisting on projects for leaflets, brochures, etc.
Education
The following is a list of my work education, in descending chronological order. As shown below, I originally attended a grammar school which required students to pass an entry exam to get in.
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Thorpe St Andrew High School
2002 – 2007
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Kings Grammar School
2000 – 2002
Interests & Hobbies
Music, games, films, computers and reading.
References
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Andrew Leitch
Cite DMS Ltd
42 Duke Street
Leicester
LE1 6WA -
Graham Hayes
Hayes Computing Solutions Ltd
Oak Square
26 Gt. Melton Road
Norwich
NR9 3AB