AG staff have been updating their skills to help lead the company into the future with industry-focused IT training.

SQL Querying

Database Administrator Paul Carron completed a five-day course on SQL Querying which serves as the foundation for all SQL Server-related disciplines.

Paul, 35, who has been with the company for five years, acquired the skills required to write basic Transact-SQL queries for Microsoft SQL Server 2014.

His new skills, coupled with the numerous performance benefits of the system upgrade, will support the administration of the firm’s databases to allow it to run more efficiently.

 “It would not be possible to realise many of these benefits if I did not know how to write SQL Queries that could make best use of these new features.”

He said the company is also assessing the best methods of generating reports to suit business needs.

“Regardless of which solution we go for SQL will be the primary means of extracting the data. Using the updated query methods will make this more efficient.”

Server Performance

Geraldine McManus, also underwent a five-day course acquiring the skills and knowledge necessary for managing and maintaining the core infrastructure of our Windows 2012 Server environment.

A senior in the IT infrastructure department, with 14 years behind her, Geraldine, 39, said her new skills will reduce the firm’s reliance on external IT support.

  “This course will be valuable for me to go through an upgrade process on Pre-2012 servers and be technically aware of all requirements, potential issues, recommended features to enable and required settings for improving overall server performance and future management of our environment, to support all areas of the business.”

“The fewer gaps there are in IT Skills and knowledge we have in-house in our business, the less reliance we would have on external support,” she added.

Efficiency

Sarah O’Donnell completed a course on IT Service Management (ITIL Foundation) in her role with IT Business Support, with the benefits of its teachings already in evidence.

The 25-year-old, who has been with AG for two years, said the course assisted her to devise ways IT issues are dealt with.

“We are now able to prioritise and allocate issues more effectively which has already shown a dramatic increase in the number of issues resolved within a given time period. This allows us to deal with immediate impact with improved user satisfaction”