Speaker: Roger Lienert
What inspired you to pursue a career in your current field, and how did you get started in your role at GigaComm?
Roger Lienert: I think it was a deep passion for technology and fixing things. I started off with GigaComm when I finished a previous role, spoke to an ex-colleague who suggested there was an opportunity with GigaComm. So I came on board to do a review of the initial network that had been deployed by some consultants identified a bunch of things that needed fixing and to improve the security and I stayed on longer term after that to design, test and build the original GigaComm network and we've just expanded from that.
What are some of the most rewarding aspects of your job?
Roger Lienert: So what are the most rewarding aspects of your job? I think designing solutions and then building them and seeing them work. It's also very rewarding to solve problems and see a resolution to a problem that might have been plaguing me for weeks or for months. My day to day is largely problem solving and I think if I defined what I did in my role, that's it. Solving problems.
What's your vision for the part of the business you're doing?
Roger Lienert: I'm responsible for all technology and engineering functions at GigaComm. I've designed the original network from end to end along with any new products and technologies that we use within the network as well as providing services to our residential and business customer base. For me, it feels great to design, test and deploy a network and to see providing reliable superfast internet services to our residential and business customers. It really gives me a buzz to build something and get it working. Yeah, that's the thing that works for me at GigaComm.
What advice do you have for others who are interested in pursuing a career in your field, and what skills and qualities are more relevant?
Roger Lienert: Attention to detail is critical to make things work and to be able to troubleshoot issues. A passion for troubleshooting and solving problems along with a lot of self learning to improve your technical knowledge and understanding is really important in an engineering and network engineering role. It's also very important to gain an understanding of how the various protocols and technologies actually work, rather than just trying to remember how to configure a device. I'd say that this is the most important thing and when I'm interviewing people to bring on to one of our operational or engineering teams, we'll always interview to ensure that that person applying for the role, has an understanding of the technologies rather than just remembering how things work. So yeah, make sure you understand how things work.
If you were a professional athlete, what sport would you choose and why?
Roger Lienert: If I was a professional athlete, what sport would I choose and why? I think I would be a motorcycle racer because motorcycling is a big hobby of mine. I find it very relaxing. When you're out on a ride on a motorbike your mind goes blank because you're focusing on the job at hand. I like anything with motors and so, speed is another fun thing. So, motorbike racing or motorbike riding would be my professional career.
