Hugh Neill , Senior Programme Manager .Project Lifecycle Partners Limited.

How many years have you been in IT?

20

Did you do a degree, if so, which type and where?

Institute of Bankers Diploma

Omega Commercial Loans to small Business Degree (Distinction) 

What was your 1^st job in IT ?

Customer Services Manager (Credit Card Services, National Irish Bank)

Would you recommend grads to travel after college or get work experience first?

It depends on the circumstances of each graduate personally I would recommend getting work experience first that had the possibility of overseas work.

If the need to travel was too great I would suggest travel first for a year or so, but not much longer as the more you travel the more difficult it will be to dedicate yourself to a full time job.

Have you worked abroad and if so, where and for how long?

India , Mumbai,Bangalore – 18 months

Guernsey – 1 year

Latvia – 5 months

Scotland – 8 months

Belfast – 6 months

England – 9 months

What was your biggest career break and why?

Setting up an office for a large software company in India.

This gave me my first opportunity into “crisis management” and the ways of dealing with different cultures and both the Vendor and Client priorities.

It also let me implement the Project Management and Negotiation skills Training that I have received over the years.

Describe your current role in brief.

Programme Manager – managing multi projects for various clients

Account Manager with existing clients

Business Development Manager (new and existing business)

Title

Director Project Lifecycle Partners (Business Development)

Industry

- IT/Telecoms/Banking/Software

Size of company

20

Size of team

5

Report to (title)

Managing Director

Are you currently on Permanent or Contract status?

Permanent but employ contractors on various projects.

What trends do you see happening in the next 18 months - 3 years in your specific area of expertise?

In the Project Management sector I see a need for experienced Senior Project Managers within the Banking/Telecoms sector who have international PM experience with experience of managing multi projects in a pressurised environment.

What advice would you give to grads / what would you have done differently if you could “reel back the years” career wise?

I would look ahead to market trends and get skilled up in advance and also put myself up for overseas consulting earlier.

What areas of technology would you advise less experienced IT people to focus / get trained up in the coming years.

Telecoms industry

Out of 10, are you happy in your choice of career in IT and if so why?

9 out of ten, the career path I have chosen has given me the opportunity to travel to many countries worldwide embracing many different cultures and practises.

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