My time at Highlander: Kimberley Ceaser

Please note: This post was written by Highlander prior to their rebrand to FluidOne Business IT - Sheffield.

In the sixth instalment of our ‘My Time at Highlander’ blogs series we hear from Helpdesk Engineer Kimberley Ceaser as she discusses her role at Highlander, her career in IT, and her aspirations for the future.

I started my role with Highlander over a year and a half ago, but it’s safe to say that the time has absolutely flown by. While it’s a cliché, I can honestly say no two days have ever been the same, and that’s something I really enjoy about my role as a Helpdesk Engineer and a big part of why I genuinely love going to work every day. It’s great to be part of such a friendly and supportive team and to feel like there’s an opportunity to progress my career, which is something that’s always been important to me.

Even when I was in school I knew that I wanted to work in IT, so when I finished secondary school I enrolled into an initial internship where I could start to develop my interest in IT, something that I was able to continue while studying at college.

That first internship set the foundations for my career, and ever since I’ve challenged myself in a variety of technical positions such as IT Support, Helpdesk, or Analyst. It was great to build my experience and extend my knowledge, but while I enjoyed all of those roles, I felt there were limitations to how I could progress my career – either because of the organisation or other factors outside my control.

It was for this reason that I applied to become a Helpdesk Engineer at Highlander. Looking from the outside in, my impression was of a progressive company that would provide me with the opportunities I craved. Naturally, I was delighted to be asked along for an interview.

Interviewing for any new position is always a nerve-wracking experience, but it’s no exaggeration to say that my interview with Highlander was the best and most relaxed interview that I’ve ever had. That’s not to say I wasn’t put through my paces, it was just done in a really friendly and personable way that instantly put me at ease and helped me present the best version of myself. I came away with a good feeling for what the business was like and was delighted to be told a few days later that I was being offered the job.

In my role as a Helpdesk Engineer, I’m part of our level 1 team. That means that I’m the first line of support for all of our support customers and work to action resolutions as first-time fixes without the need to escalate to our level 2 team.

There’s so much variety with the role, and every day is a learning opportunity. I don’t currently have any specialisms, so I’m able to deal with a wide range of support enquiries which has been great for building my experience. It’s also good to have the opportunity to learn from the level 2 team and see the different expertise they bring to support tickets whenever escalations are required.

I’m proud to be the only woman in the level 1 team, but it’s pleasing to know that there aren’t any stigmas or gender boundaries at Highlander. There’s equal opportunities and responsibilities for everyone, and I know that we’re seen as one big team.

I also love the charity work that’s at the heart of our business, and I’m always one of the first to put my hand up and lend a helping hand to the good causes that we support. I’d love to one day share something with the team that’s close to my own heart, and I know that they’d all be ready and willing to support me.

I’m almost a couple of years into my time at Highlander, but I’m excited to see what the future holds. One of the reasons I was so keen to take up this role was because of the opportunities for progression, and that’s definitely something that I feel like I can do here.

I’m not sure exactly what that progression will look like, but I’d love to build up my skills with a view to specialising in a particular area, perhaps with a progression into the level 2 team if the opportunity presented itself.

It’s empowering to feel like I’m in a position where I can decide my own future. I know that Highlander will help me to shape the role around my future interests, and potentially even give me the freedom to build out a new position if it’s something that we feel is the right thing to do. One day I’d love to take up more responsibility with a management role and I know the doors will open for me as long as I show the desire, determination and skills to do it.