安妮·米切尔，支持部主管 哈钦森网络, outlines the importance of a having a team fundamentally based on skills and why nurturing young female talent from an early age is an important step to achieving this goal. 作为她在托管服务中角色的一部分, 安妮是哈钦森网络公司网络运营中心(NOC)的负责人, 每天24小时为英国和海外客户提供服务, 一年365天.
科技行业如何才能对女性更具包容性?
I think it starts early and although things are getting better there’s still less women entering the technology industry than men. 我们需要从更早的阶段就瞄准包容性, 比如在学校举办讲座或研讨会, 在大学之前. 另一个问题是，许多女性没有晋升到高级管理人员或高管职位. Women often have to push themselves forward into those positions and belonging to a network of supportive women who have done that before successfully is incredibly useful.
If skills are so important, what advice would you give to organisations looking to nurture them?
“I think it’s fundamental for young girls to see women in technology and understand that it is a place that’s inclusive.”
In a previous role we were very keen on apprenticeships and targeted all the local high schools that surrounded our organisation. I and other women would go out to local high schools and speak to particularly the sixth years.
当我做一个学校外展项目时, the amount of apprenticeships and female apprentices who applied that year dramatically increased on previous years, 我认为这在很大程度上归功于我们与学校的合作.
What do you think are the largest misconceptions about women working in the technology industry?
I’ve always felt completely comfortable and respected in all the roles I’ve held because I’ve worked with my peers, 与他们分享我的知识和技能, 这是一个公平的竞争环境. The Network Operations Centre (NOC) is the perfect example of this: despite being a multicultural team it’s very inclusive as and as our skills meld together, 我们共同努力，提供优质的服务.
在你的职业生涯中，你必须克服的最具挑战性的障碍是什么?
我的职业生涯充满了挑战——这是吸引我出演角色的原因. 我寻找我能有所作为的地方，真正享受转型项目. If you ever hear me complaining about how busy I am in the NOC I’ve brought that on myself.
你能简单介绍一下你自己和你的工作吗?
My role is to ensure that we provide excellent service to our clients through our Network Operations Centre and our new I.T. 服务台. I’ve been in the role for just over three months now, after coming directly from setting up a new I.T. 英国一家大银行的服务台. Before that, I managed a busy service desk for several high-profile national organisations.
我在这里的工作和以前的工作主要是文化上的不同. 我发现哈钦森网络公司是先锋. 它不拘泥于旧的工作方式，也不抗拒改变. 我们一直在努力把事情做得更好，这真的让人耳目一新.
支持涵盖哪些领域?
NOC总部设在爱丁堡，每天24小时响应客户的网络请求, 一周七天, 一年365天. Our clients range from UK critical infrastructure to global players in the technology industry. 这意味着我们要照顾世界各地的网络.
We provide a wide range of support from alerting our clients to fluctuations in the performance of their website to offering a fully managed service where we lead incidents through to resolution, 这可能涉及工程团队的参与, 项目经理和第三方供应商. 虽然事件的性质有所不同, 不变的是让每个人都能使用我们的主要即时管理流程.
我们的新服务台是我们客户的第一站. 它解析最终用户I.T. 问题，从基本的事情，如密码重置到更复杂的配置文件问题. 我们提供Wi-Fi支持和请求, 软件和硬件支持, asset management – including building and deploying new machines – and application support.
团队永远不知道客户会带来什么，因此NOC内部的合作是关键. 一起工作, shooting ideas and sharing knowledge is fundamental to approaching the challenges that clients bring. The NOC team is composed of very highly skilled network and desktop engineers with specializations in all the areas their client needs. So, while the range of client issues can be wide, we make sure we have the skills to match them.
他们也是一个多元化的团队——我们有真正的年龄和背景的混合. 我们来自世界各地, because as I said before the NOC has a wide range of expectations and requirements placed upon it. 这是I中最理想的起始点.T. 但也要培养人脉和更高层次的技能. The NOC can be utilised as a path on to things like network engineering or solution architecture, 诸如此类的事情. 我们一直在寻找学徒或离校生.
你每天都做些什么?
现在, I’m mostly getting to know our customers and ensuring we’re doing everything we can to meet their needs. 所以，大多数时候，我可能会以会见人们并发表服务评论结束. 由于NOC是哈金森网络的一个面向客户的领域，我需要以战略为中心. I’m working to document all our support processes – adding structure to the team and incident management procedures. Our clients should be feeling these changes already with reduced resolution time and more formalised engagement. 但未来还会有更多.
你如何为不同的组织提供量身定制的支持?
我们的基础是ITIL或I.T. 图书馆的信息. ITIL is an engagement methodology which aligns IT service management with the different needs of the different organisations that we look after. ITIL ensures that we do not blindly follow general practices but offer a bespoke service directly solving client needs along previous best practice, while also ensuring that you do things efficiently and everyone is informed and kept up to date while they are under your care.
你的动力是什么??
把工作做好是我的动力. 这里面有很多个人满足感，我可能是一个完美主义者, 所以总是需要找到更好的方法来做某事.
你是否一直意识到科技是你想要进入的领域?
I’ve been providing customer service in some form since my first job – working in a corner shop in my teens. 但我的第一个技术职位是在2000年, 提供有关拨号上网的前线支援. 我发现我有一种非常合乎逻辑的思维方式，可以帮助我解决问题, 改善流程, 并将客户需求与技术能力相结合.
你对网络运营中心的未来有什么计划?
“The range and complexity of client requirements we face today is matched only by the skills the team bring to the table.”
The Network Operations Centre is the hub to which most of our customers will go for advice and resolution. 我们在这里开展的工作对我们客户的业务至关重要. 我们一直指望着更多的客户和更多的服务要求, 国家石油公司正在扩大和发展，以应对这些挑战. We’ve got a new home at the 哈钦森网络’ offices and are in the process of fitting new screens – think NASA’s Mission Control but on a slightly smaller scale!
你最喜欢的休闲方式是什么?
我有两个年幼的孩子, 所以他们占据了我大部分的时间, 但我也试着用陶器放松一下. 我每周参加当地的课程，练习雕塑和手工建筑技术. 我也是当地一个读书小组的成员，这个小组在一个酒吧举行，非常方便!
对于考虑进入科技行业的女性，你有什么建议?
去你想去的地方，而不是去别人告诉你的地方.
你收到过的最好的建议是什么?
我得到的最好的建议是，我们的清单永远不会完成. 每当你把一件事从待办事项清单上划掉时，就会有别的事情出现. With that, I think it’s important to not measure your success on how small your to-do list is. 总会有进步，总会有其他事情要做.
“My advice for anyone working in or with support – if it’s not on the ticket it didn’t happen!”