It’s no secret that the tech sector is facing increasing pressure on the employment front – not least because of the national IT skills shortage.
But with custom learning routes available via apprenticeship programmes, organisations can not only help bridge the gap by enhancing recruitment options, but facilitate the ideation of fresh knowledge and perspectives too.
Here at Central HQ, we’ve had a scheme dedicated to nurturing tomorrow’s talent since 2009 – set up by our very own client director, Mike Dunleavy.
And because we’re so proud of our apprentices’ willingness to dig deep and develop their expertise, and understand the impact they can have on a team first-hand, we’re keen to showcase and celebrate each and every one of them. Amidst the annual National Apprenticeship Week campaign, running from 6-10 February, this feels a particularly timely installment of this series, too.
So, next up, it’s our help desk support officer, Finlay Grady. Take it away, Finlay…
Why did you choose a career in the IT and tech sector?
I was interested in tech from a young age — particularly gaming — and I was always keen to get involved in the ‘build side’ of this space. Whilst not exactly the same, following the IT and tech route has a similar ‘hands on’ appeal for me.
Why was an apprenticeship the right choice for you?
I’ve never been the biggest fan of academic work, so I wanted to go down a more practical route to develop my skill set.
And how did you first find out about Central’s apprenticeship programme?
In 2021, I approached an agency to help me find the best-fit employer, and they secured me an interview with Central. The rest is history!
What made Central stand out from other employers?
The opportunity the team was offering seemed more aligned with what I wanted, in terms of the scope of work, ‘on the ground’ experience, and overall culture of the organisation.
I’d previously been offered a social media marketing position at another company, but it just wasn’t technical enough for me.
Sum up your role in three words:
Varied. Teamwork. Resolution.
Can you tell us what a typical working day looks like for you?
As a help desk support officer, I’m largely responsible for responding to tickets that require first-line resolution. This could be anything from time-sensitive security concerns and general technical difficulties, to setting up new devices and resetting passwords.
Finish the sentence – the biggest misconception surrounding apprenticeships is…
That it’s a ‘cop out route’. Of course, it’s different to traditional university education, but there are so many qualifications available via apprenticeships.
What’s more, you’re able to get stuck straight into applied, real-life examples — working on something with a purpose, rather than being cooped up in a classroom. It sounds clichéd, but it’s great to feel like part of a team too.
What’s the most valuable skill you’ve learnt so far?
I couldn’t pinpoint anything specific, because I’ve learnt so much during the programme. But I’m so much more technically skilled than I was at the beginning — and understand such a vast and varied scope of work now.
How do you see your career path developing?
In all honesty, having only completed my apprenticeship in December, I’m not sure where my path will take me. And that’s okay!
As with any industry, there are so many aspects to the IT landscape, that it feels difficult to make a decision now. However, I’m enjoying what I do right now, and look forward to seeing my role develop organically, as and when the time is right.
Finally, do you have any advice for would-be apprentices?
Don’t doubt your abilities, or whether the path is the right one to follow — if you want to do an apprenticeship, just go for it. There are so many options out there, so there will be something for everyone, at any age or stage in their career.
If you’re keen to speak to Central about upcoming opportunities for apprentices or more generally, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
With such a relentless number of pressures facing organisations across the UK, settling into the pattern of another new year isn’t the only challenge right now. But navigating such a multifaceted role means the stakes are particularly high for the social housing sector.
As well as managing everything from recruitment challenges and already stretched IT budgets, to the effects of ongoing geopolitical turmoil, the responsibility to serve a growing demographic with specialist properties and support continues. Having traditionally been reluctant to adapt to technological innovation, the sector is still battling with inefficient — and often redundant — legacy infrastructure too.
But it’s not just about wholesale change. By shifting priorities and opening doors to greater opportunities, social housing organisations can drive powerful progress over the coming months. Here, client director at Central Networks, Mike Dunleavy, explores which IT advancements will have the biggest impact in 2023…
Expecting and accepting downtime
With the increasing proliferation of cyber attacks, it’s only natural to feel overwhelmed by the possibility of downtime – not least with the oft-cited statistic looming, which states that £3.6m could be lost by organisations each year as a result.
Of course, there are so many reasons for IT to become momentarily out of use – from malicious malware downloads, to natural disaster strikes, general human error, and more. But accepting these feats as inevitable means shaking responsibility altogether.
By instead taking a proactive approach to maintenance, housing associations can prevent unprecedented cyber attacks in their infancy, minimise unproductive work hours, protect costs, plus safeguard company reputation amongst customers, partners, and stakeholders alike. Above all else, foolproof training procedures must take centre stage this year — ensuring teams feel empowered to spot potentially risky nuances in the network.
Overlooking the benefits of outsourced IT support
Talent attraction and retention is a major concern for all organisations. But with the growing lack of resource, economic struggles, and nationwide digital skills shortage, housing associations are under increasing pressures.
The return on investment offered by outsourcing key IT needs – such as help desk support and proactive network maintenance – is well worth its weight in gold. Not only do specialist teams offer years of experience, spanning a variety of industries, they also often boast lower costs, and enable you to focus internal resources on your core business strategy.
Paying for redundant tech
Digital transformation needs are evolving constantly. And without a CTO or finance team in place to focus on the strategic future of your housing association, a lot of organisations will find themselves running into trouble – implementing knee-jerk, sticking plaster solutions that serve limited long-term purpose.
With both finances and human resources stretched in countless directions, the pressure to introduce the fastest and cheapest fixes into the tech stack is immense. But what many IT leaders also forget when solving organisational challenges, is that future growth must be taken into consideration too.
A major part of this strategy, is to invest in infrastructure that’s truly scalable. In being able to flex up and down as required, firms won’t risk overspending on overprovisioned technology – because it will grow in line with evolving business needs.
Assuming that productivity is a given
With a limited number of resources to tap into, housing associations are navigating the need to do more with less. And the current economic backdrop, coupled with rising recruitment pressures, means this feat will only become more of a challenge in 2023.
Ensuring the right infrastructure is in place will be a major driver of productivity. Being technologically savvy is not a given, for example – no matter how digital our world has become. So, will the new ways of working suit your employees? And will the right support be in place to help with a seamless transition?
Failing to replace legacy infrastructure
Like many industries, archaic legacy systems are seriously hampering growth in the social housing sector. As well as being costly to maintain and worse for the environment, they’re often incredibly unreliable – not to mention dangerously unsecure.
Most of the time, IT leaders and CFOs are well aware of this. However, the prospect of mapping out a well-considered digital transformation project is often far too daunting. This is an issue that will only grow in severity over time, so appointing the right support to facilitate such a transition – optimising infrastructure, whilst keeping costs as low as possible, and minimising the risk of downtime – is crucial this year, if not done already.
Further procrastination will simply not suffice, unless organisations want to place business continuity, cyber security, team productivity, and customer satisfaction at greater risk.
Keen to continue this conversation? Central Networks is an outsourced IT partner, specialising in realms spanning cloud services and digital security, to managed help desk support, strategic consultancy, and more. Simply get in touch, to see how we can help drive your social housing firm forward – in 2023, and beyond.
You can see how we’re supporting the likes of Welsh housing association ateb Group, and provider of housing and community services, One Manchester, by visiting our sector page.
Our service desk manager, Nick Bowling, recently shared his cybersecurity predictions with TechRound. If you missed the original article, you can catch up here…
A perfect storm for cybercriminals
As many organisations try to make cost savings in 2023, their focus will likely shift towards projects and products that seemingly offer more immediate and tangible value and benefit. Those that deliver on security can sometimes be difficult to justify in budgets.
But with hybrid working now the norm and firms using more technologies to stay connected, cybersecurity and risk management measures need to take centre stage.
If cybersecurity isn’t prioritised, cybercriminals will capitalise on poorly trained users and weak security within businesses’ ICT systems — at a more accelerated rate than ever. This could pave the way for the worst year on record for cyberattack volumes.
‘Insider risk’ could grow
Also, while there’s a focus on implementing technologies like multi- and two-factor authentication to plug gaps and improve security, it's possible that ‘inside jobs’ will increase.
More employees may be targeted by attackers, in a bid to obtain key business-critical information or gain low-level access to ICT systems. And if successful, this data could then be used to access often weaker internal systems.
Given statistics show that over 70% of global organisations were victimised by ransomware attacks in 2022, regular training and penetration testing will therefore be an unnegotiable part of organisations’ security strategies.If your organisation needs IT and cybersecurity support, please get in touch with the Central team by filling out the web form, emailing info@centralnetworks.co.uk, or calling 01706 747474.
For public and third sector organisations, digital transformation holds a more valuable seat at the table than ever right now – enabling government services and programmes to be delivered more efficiently, transparently, and cost effectively across the board.
But with already significant pressures being exacerbated – by the cost-of-living crisis, nationwide skills shortage, and increasing proliferation of cyber attacks, amongst other factors – keeping pace with progress can feel like a challenge.
That’s why the G-Cloud 13 Framework is such a valuable service. Aiming to simplify the process of procuring cloud-based services and solutions, the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) initiative lists only the highest standard of UK tech providers.
Following a rigorous application and review process, Central Networks is proud to have secured a position on this agreement. With our portfolio of hosting, software, and support aids now available via this digital marketplace, we’re looking forward to helping more organisations achieve maximum commercial value when purchasing common goods and services.
Speaking on the achievement, our director of operations, John Blackburn, commented: “Having partnered with a variety of charities, healthcare providers, and educational institutes throughout our 30+ years of operation, we’re well aware of the challenges and opportunities facing public sector organisations.
“With this efficient and trusted route to procuring cloud computing services, drawn-out tendering procedures can be switched for an end-to-end, automated vendor comparison process. By reducing the risk of data silos, optimising technical resources, and improving regulatory compliance across a variety of industries, SMEs can reap the benefits of enhanced citizen support – in 2023, and beyond.”
To discover more about how Central Networks’ position on the G-Cloud 13 Framework can benefit your public sector organisation, please get in touch with our team of specialists. Or, if you want to browse the online catalogue and choose from over 40,000 services, head to the CCS website.
A year filled with unprecedented challenges and a need to navigate external pressures more collaboratively than ever before, 2022 is definitely another one for the history books. But while it’s certainly been different, it hasn’t come without reward and opportunity.
As we take time to reflect on our successes over the past 12 months, we’re filled with an overwhelming sense of pride and accomplishment over the things we’ve achieved.
And while you’ll often find us working in the background to keep your business-critical operations running smoothly – whether that’s optimising your tech infrastructure or providing first, second, and third-line support – we thought we’d pinch the limelight for just five minutes. Here’s what we’re celebrating…
While Central was already granted G-Cloud status, the recently introduced 13th iteration called for a renewed application. And we’re delighted to have been appointed!
From hosting and software to general support, this digital marketplace opens up new markets for the business – extending our cloud technology to public sector customers. With 10 new services already live for organisations to procure, we’re excited to broaden our horizons even further in 2023.
Despite only joining the fold this year our latest recruit has made a significant impact with colleagues, customers, and partners alike.
Bringing a portfolio of experiences and oodles of personality, Vicki not only keeps the business on top form, but is an excellent addition to the team on a cultural level too. Here’s hoping we get some equally impactful recruits next year! If you want in, why not contact us?
Sticking with the employee theme, we’re delighted to have seen Jordan Gallier take the next step in his career in 2022 – as he rose up the ranks from technical to senior architect.
Starting out as an apprentice just a few years ago it’s been a real privilege to watch Jordan move forward alongside the management team and play an ever-integral role in business growth and success. Who knows what’s next…
Being trusted to deliver on our promises has always been part of our DNA, here at Central. And while the advice we give has always been based on honesty and objectivity, this has been especially important for every sector we operate in this year – not least with so many challenges and questions around the integrity of organisations.
By providing comprehensive, well-considered assessments of IT requirements, this has given our customers the assurance they so desperately needed this year. And it’s something we look forward to continuing in 2023 and beyond.
As an outsourced IT partner, the support we offer is vast and varied. And since starting out in 1991, our mission to place IT at the heart of every business and keep it as headache-free as possible hasn’t wavered. This year, that’s seen Central strengthen existing relationships with clients and partners, as well as develop a whole host of new ones. Some notable mentions for various housing clients, for points six to 12, include…
And there’s plenty more where that came from! The end of the year brings no greater joy than the opportunity to thank our clients and partners for their continued support. We look forward to an even greater 2023, together.
You’ll also be pleased to know that, besides the bank holidays, we’ll be operating business as usual over the festive period. Those with out-of-hours cover in their contract should have the information on how to contact us, should Central’s support be required during this time.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
To say cyber-attacks can be devastating is an understatement. But when you consider how underfunded charity organisations and their teams are in particular, the realisation that the not-for-profit sector is one of the most targeted is a difficult one to swallow.
Across the UK, there are almost 200,000 registered charities in total – from animal welfare and child protection services, through to cancer relief and mental health support.
And while it should seem unconscionable to pose threat to any of these organisations, the number of perpetrators seeking financial gain from stealing valuable data is evident.
According to the National Cyber Security Centre’s (NCSC) Cyber Threat Assessment, valuable funds, supporter details, and information on beneficiaries, remain primary motivations across the board.
So, what can be done to mitigate these growing risks? Here, client director at Central Networks, Mike Dunleavy, offers some crucial insight…
Understand the risks and how to spot them
As with any organisation, employees are the first – and often most powerful – line of defence against cyber-attacks. That’s why developing a detailed understanding of what motivates threat actors, as well as how they might attempt to compromise vulnerabilities within your systems, is crucial.
It shouldn’t just be a tick-box exercise, but something that’s constantly on the agenda from one month to the next. Running regular audits of your tech environment and testing employees on their ability to spot malicious phishing or malware attempts are just some examples to help fortify your charity organisation.
Be mindful though, because trying to adopt a one-size-fits all approach to educating your teams will only result in low engagement. Instead, ensure that training programmes and cyber security insights are specific to individual roles and responsibilities.
By resonating with the day-to-day minutiae of a person’s routine, they can see the true scale of the problem, how exactly it might impact their own work, and what a ‘best practice’ approach to help mitigate any dangers might look like.
Remember that prevention is always better than the cure
Once you’re aware of the risks you face as an organisation, you’ll have a better understanding of how you can bolster lines of defence.
With the increasing sophistication of cyber-attacks, it should go without saying that it’s important to get the basics right. Think watertight password policies, multi-factor authentication, and being vigilant when it comes to opening unknown links and accessing unfamiliar sites.
But if the shift to ‘work from anywhere’ models has taught us anything, it’s that the most effective cyber security strategies run much deeper. No matter where your teams work, a dedicated IT division should have complete control over every device.
This not only enables full visibility over software updates, anti-virus technology, firewalls, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), and more, but it also enables more robust access control – ensuring only authorised personnel within your non-profit organisation can gain entry to sensitive data.
From part-time volunteers to full-time employees, it’s important that every colleague knows how to uphold the security stance of the charity right from the very beginning.
Invest in a tough business continuity plan
According to The Charity Commission, one in eight charities (12%) have experienced cyber-crime in the past year – yet just 55% see enhanced security as a fairly or very high priority. The reality is, the benevolent nature of these firms places them at a growing risk.
But let’s say all the right procedures are in place, and a perpetrator still manages to slip through the net undetected. What happens then? To help minimise downtime and reverse the effects of a breach as quickly as possible, having a robust business continuity plan in place is a must.
Whilst the purpose of disaster recovery is to find and repair the root cause of the problem, this strategy helps to keep mission-critical operations running as smoothly as possible on the route to reinstating ‘business as usual’.
As a living document, this should constantly evolve in line with your charity’s evolving needs – with periodical testing ensuring every detail is appropriate, and the person in charge is still capable of carrying our designated tasks.
Such a proactive approach may seem full on, but it will pay dividends if it’s ever needed. And trust us when we say disaster will usually strike when you least expect it.
Turn the tables on attackers
Charity or not, anyone who has fallen victim to a cyber security attack will have at least one thing in common: they never thought it would be them. That’s why it’s better to ask too many questions before handing over sensitive data, rather than asking too few and it ending up in the wrong hands.
Better still, beat attackers to it. While defence is a crucial part of the cyber security equation, it’s only half of the puzzle. Instead of waiting to be notified about a breach, offensive approaches tap into the hacker tradecraft, and utilise human analysts who can think like the enemy to identify any warning signs.
Penetration testing, for example, simulates a real-life attack and shows how the action would unfold, step-by-step – rather than simply scanning for vulnerabilities and handing the insight over in a report. It’s the perfect way for charities to stay agile in today’s constantly evolving cyberwar landscape.
One of our partners, Cyphere, recently spoke about this defence mechanism in greater depth, in our recent Q&A.
Of course, budgets are a significant restraint for any non-profit organisation, but combining as many of these examples as possible will maximise security posture, help protect precious data, and mitigate any financial or reputational damage in the long run.
Keen to continue the conversation? Central Networks has a glowing reputation when it comes to arming companies in this space – from social housing organisations to hospice care services.
If you want to know more about creating a bullet-proof cyber security strategy for your charity, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’d be happy to have a no-obligation chat about your requirements.
Welsh housing association, ateb Group, has appointed IT support provider, Central Networks, to support its in-house IT department – seeing the firm provide an outsourced help desk function and strategic consultancy.
Central is managing the social housing provider’s help desk for its 130-strong workforce – receiving circa 1,200 IT requests per year – enabling its digital team to focus on the tactical future of its technology estate.
When commenting on the rationale behind the partnership, Alex Jenkins, executive director for finance at ateb Group, said: “Against a backdrop of IT-resource challenges and economic uncertainty following the Covid-19 pandemic, we knew we needed to further bolster the support offered by our IT department.
“Working with Central means we have complete peace of mind that the daily tickets are being resolved, affording our head of digital systems the time and headspace to focus on the more strategic activities.”
The contract covers first, second, and third-line support services, encompassing everything from general help desk support – troubleshooting and solving users’ tech issues – through to device management and tactical decision-making.
John Blackburn, operations director and social housing specialist at Central, added: “We’re seeing many of our social housing clients requesting outsourced help desk support – as a way to reduce overheads and maximise internal resource.
“We know flexibility is vital too, so it’s available as short-term cover or a permanent part of the contract – bespoke to each organisation’s needs at any given time.”
“The Central team is a great sounding board and critical friend for us here at ateb,” concluded Alex.
“From penetration testing to cloud migration, they advise our digital team on key technology decisions, and also support our recruitment process with interview participation. They are a trusted pair of hands and go above and beyond to ensure we’re getting the most from our investments.”
Central has over 30 years’ experience within the IT and housing sectors – working with providers across the country, including Bron Afon, Eastlight Community Homes, Horton Housing, and Ongo Homes, to name a few.
Here at Central, people are at the heart of the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of everything we do.
We started out on our IT journey back in 1991, and our mission and ethos haven’t changed. We’re a family-run firm that pride ourselves on our integrity, honesty, and objectivity – and we make IT stress free by keeping it as simple as possible.
But it’s our people who make this all possible. Get to know them more in our staff spotlight.
Name: Abdul Samad
Job title: Senior service desk engineer
Department: IT
Sum up your role at Central in one sentence:
I am a senior servicedesk engineer, assisting our customers with second- and third-line issues. I also provide support to other colleagues.
What three words would your colleagues use to describe you?
Polite, helpful, and approachable.
And what do you enjoy most about your job?
I love the exposure to new technologies and systems. I also relish opportunities to further develop myself and learn from others within my team – at Central, we’re like one big family.
Check your phone, what was the last emoji you sent?
A laughing face 🤣 – because I’m always positive and trying to make people laugh.
Who was or is your biggest inspiration?
My dad – he taught me it’s never too late to learn something new.
You’re hosting a three-course dinner party, what’s on the menu?
Lamb chops for starters, chicken jalfrezi with chapatis for main, and waffles for dessert.
Back to Central, what makes the company stand out?
We are a strong and close-knit team, and each person has their own unique skill set which helps us work together successfully.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself we might not know:
I am extremely interested in astronomy!
What would the title of your autobiography be?
Life is a journey, not a destination.
Central’s mission is to ‘restore faith in IT’ – tell us more about what this means to you:
For me, this is all about our people-centric, no-jargon approach to IT support. We know that the world of technology can be a confusing one, that’s why we always keep it simple and tailored to each client’s individual needs – we truly care about our customers and being an extension of their team.
If you’d like to receive more news and updates from the Central team, why not head over to our Twitter page or connect with us on LinkedIn?
Central Networks are a strategic technology partner. Excellent technology is a given, customer service, trust and long-term relationships are what drive our business. We support CEOs, Heads of IT, IT technicians and transformation directors to ensure technology provides an edge to their organisations.
Company No: 02604843
VAT: GB 562 6919 13
