A Techie Welcome

I'm Stuart Hood and this is the latest version of the site I built a few years ago as my online CV.

It had been entirely neglected since then, but as of July 2016 the content is being updated to include my work experience over the past 4 years, though the site itself is still built on ASP.NET "Webforms" as a container for the hand-coded vanilla HTML, my first use of jQuery and the totally unresponsive & explicitly pixel-tortured CSS of the previous site!

What I do at work.

Officially "Web and Database Developer".

Line of business intranet for various departments covering the full application and database lifecycles. You'll get details under the menu on the left but here's a quick list of my routine...

  • MVC - all versions to 5
    • C# to version 6 for data and logic layers
    • Entity Framework to version 6 (recently with Code-First and Fluent API)
    • Razor to version 3 for HTML5
    • jQuery/javascript including AJAX/JSON
    • Bootstrap 2 & 3
    • Enterprise Library 6 Exception and Logging blocks
    • Unity 3 for Dependency Injection & Interception
    • OpenXML for digital forms and mail merges
  • SQL Server - currently 2014
    • Developer
      • SSMS
        • Design and build databases
        • Write & maintain stored procedures, functions and CLR code
      • SSIS - Create and deploy SSDT projects
      • SSRS - Write, deploy and maintain reports
    • Accidental (On Purpose) DBA
      • Install, configure and update instances
      • Deploy and maintain databases
      • Create & maintain logins, credentials and proxies
      • Add & maintain linked servers
      • Configure database mail & notifications
      • Powershell >- automated maintenance & backup tasks
      • Recover data/restore databases
      • Configure and maintain an SSRS instance and the SSISDB database
  • Team Foundation Server - currently 2015 Express
    • Self-appointed TFS Admin responsible for installation, maintenance and upgrade
    • Plan Areas & Iterations
    • Create PBI's and break down into Tasks
    • Monitor and report progress

What this is for.

Despite being technically outdated, the site still offers much more than a typical CV. While the written content is being updated (and I procrastinate migrating to bootstrapped MVC and/or Umbraco) the collection of certificates and logos plastered all over it can stay as is.

Personal Summary

I am very forward thinking and have a proven record of being extremely adaptable and equally capable of working on my own or as part of a team. I positively respond to pressure while maintaining a sense of humour and always meet agreed deadlines. I am very quick to learn new skills and enjoy passing these skills on to others. I am also known to be honest, hardworking and reliable and have often been entrusted with confidential or sensitive information.

The Old School Curriculum Vitae

There's a summary version of my CV hidden in the accordion below, which incidentally was my first bit of jQuery - no plugins!- click the 'EMPLOYMENT HISTORY' and 'EDUCATION & TRAINING' headers for a quick overview.

Finally, you can also download a Word version for your HR folks by clicking here.

Regards,
Stuart

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
Jul 2012 - Current: KEY Community Supports, Web & Database Developer

Stuart currently works in a team of three developers creating and maintaining the organisation’s line-of-business intranet applications using ASP.NET MVC versions 2-5, coding in C# & LINQ in the business layer models, repositories and controllers with Unity 3 for both Dependency Injection of services and interception for Enterprise Library code blocks. The back end databases are currently on SQL Server 2014 with T-SQL database code and the data access layer uses Entity Framework code-first with C# fluent API. Front-end development involves Razor views, jQuery/javascript including AJAX/JSON, HTML5, CSS3 and the Bootstrap 3 framework.

As a “not entirely accidental” DBA for KEY’s SQL Server instances, he has learned & uses PowerShell for automated server and database administration and maintenance tasks.

He is also the self-appointed administrator for Team Foundation Server and leads the use of the 2014 Express edition for project and application life cycle management and source code control.

Feb-Mar 2012: University of the West of Scotland, Web Design Demonstrator

Stuart prepared and ran a series of 2-hour Web Design labs for UWS 3rd year Business School students as the practical component of the e-Marketing module of their degree syllabus.

Feb-Apr 2010: University of Strathclyde, EEE Department - IT Support

In this temporary placement with IT Support at the Electronics & Electrical Engineering Department, Stuart was solely responsible for the successful completion of a project to implement and document a system of automated network installations of Windows (7 and XP) using the Windows Deployment Services role of Windows 2008 Server and Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010.

Jan 2008 - Jun 2013: UWS, Mature student

Please refer to “Education and Training” section below.

Dec 2003 - Dec 2007

During this temporary career change, Stuart was an associate of one of the largest independent Language Training Centres in Poland, teaching Business English to individuals and groups, often at the level of departmental head in fields as diverse as banking, medicine and telecoms. He was fully responsible for needs analysis, course planning, testing and day-to-day administration. This career experience significantly enhanced his face-to-face communication skills as well as advanced planning and project completion abilities.

Nov 2000 - Oct 2003: Compaq/HP - Support Analyst/Developer

This contractor role included desktop and intranet business application development and support with the Factory Systems Team at Compaq’s Bishopton computer assembly plant. The applications used SQL Server and Oracle databases and were developed using Visual Studio 6 with VB, ASP, SQL, ADO, DHTML, VBScript and JavaScript. The desktop applications controlled the entire manufacturing process, while 200+ ASP pages dynamically presented production status and were relied on from shop floor to senior management. This position involved close liaison with production and shipping management, DBA’s, platform support and network technicians as well as end-users.

Support duties required advanced code and SQL analysis and trouble-shooting skills in a high-pressure environment to rapidly and cost-effectively resolve challenging technical issues. Responsibilities also included the accurate documentation of problems found and solutions applied.

Oct 2000: UHI, Elgin - Support Lecturer in IT

This temporary post was cut short by the appointment to the Compaq/HP post detailed above. The tenure involved teaching ECDL-level MS Office to students across the academic spectrum.

1998 - Jun 2000: Dairy Crest Ltd - Systems Developer

This role included responsibility for on-site Excel VBA & SQL application development and support by accessing the company's AS400 application and database servers for the Finished Goods warehouse of the company's cheese-packing plant in Frome, Somerset and also involved daily interaction with production management and telesales staff at other Dairy Crest sites to co-ordinate production.

1984 - 1998

During this time Stuart worked in a variety of roles, including three years as a biochemical sales representative routinely dealing with researchers to the level of Professor in academic and medical research institutes and commercial R&D laboratories all over Scotland and the North of England.

EDUCATION & TRAINING
Overview

Stuart is a Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) in Visual Studio 2008/.NET 3.5 Windows Forms, ASP, ADO, WCF and WPF application development with VB.NET and in SQL Server 2008 development and installation/maintenance.

These qualifications were gained through the University of the West of Scotland’s Microsoft IT Academy during a period of unemployment.

He is also a Certified Internet Web Professional (CIW) Web Design & Languages Specialist.

He was also a mature part-time student with the UWS School of Computing where he completed a wide variety of development projects related to the study courses.

2009-2013: Microsoft Certifications
Microsoft Exam 70-433, MCTS: MS SQL Server 2008, Database Development
Microsoft Exam 70-432, MCTS: MS SQL Server 2008, Implementation and Maintenance
Microsoft Exam 70-561, MCTS: MS .NET 3.5, ADO.NET Applications
Microsoft Exam 70-503, MCTS: MS .NET 3.5, Windows Communication Foundation
Microsoft Exam 70-502, MCTS: MS .NET 3.5, Windows Presentation Foundation
Microsoft Exam 70-505, MCTS: MS .NET 3.5, Windows Forms Applications
Microsoft Exam 70-536, MCTS: MS .NET Framework - Application Development Foundation
Microsoft Exam 70-562, MCTS: MS .NET 3.5, ASP.NET Applications
Microsoft Exam 77-600, MCAS: Windows Vista for the Business Worker
Microsoft Exams 77-601 - 605 MCAS: Using Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access 2007
2011-2012: Certified Internet Web Professional
CIW: Web Design Specialist
CIW: Web Languages Specialist
2010-2011: UWS Microsoft IT Academy
Microsoft Official Course 2956B: Core Foundations of .NET 2.0 Development
Microsoft Official Course 2957B: Advanced Foundations of .NET 2.0 Development
Microsoft Official Course 6460A: VS 2008, Windows Presentation Foundation
Microsoft Official Course 6461A: VS 2008, Windows Communication Foundation
Microsoft Official Course 6463A: VS 2008, ASP.NET 3.5
Microsoft Official Course 6464A: VS 2008, ADO.NET 3.5
2009-2012: University of the West of Scotland
Certificate of Higher Education in Information Technology
UWS SCQF* 9: Business Intelligence
UWS SCQF* 9: MS Development with WCF and ASP.NET
UWS SCQF* 9: MS Development with WPF and ADO.NET
UWS SCQF* 9: Windows Network Administration
UWS SCQF* 8: Database Development
UWS SCQF* 8: Object Oriented Analysis
UWS SCQF* 8: MS Development with .NET
UWS SCQF* 7: Web Languages
UWS SCQF* 7: Web Site Designer
UWS SCQF* 7: Introduction to programming with Visual Basic 2010

* Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework
2005-2006: Bell's School, Warsaw

CELTA: Cambridge University Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults

1980-1984: University of Glasgow

B.Sc. (Biochemistry)