We’re pleased to introduce our latest Forward Thinker, Infrastructure Engineer, Dan Clarke.
Dan joined the team in August 2022 at our Nottingham headquarters and comes with a rich background of IT sector experience.
After completing his A-Levels, Dan originally planned to head off to university to secure a degree, although these plans swiftly changed after he got in touch with a careers advisor.
Instead, he pursued an IT apprenticeship at his old high school, which gave him industry standard qualifications to help him excel further in his career. From there, Dan became a 2nd Line IT Engineer at Pall-Ex, a recognised leader in palletised freight distribution, until a career diversion later down the line saw him become a Project Manager at Task Corporation, specialists in bespoke manufacturing of joinery fabrications.
This role provided Dan with skills in managing projects which diversified his portfolio, before he returned to his roots and continued pursuing his passion for IT, gaining a further 6 years’ experience as an IT engineer at two different organisations.
Now working at Forward Solutions, Dan’s role is focused on working closely with Forward Office, our freight management system which is made up of eight different modules which all provide a unique function.
His team works from a technical end, providing the infrastructure and platforms that allow applications to function optimally and effectively, by supporting the rest of our applications, including the physical and virtual hardware.
The main responsibilities within his role consist of designing and maintaining system architecture, monitoring the performance of servers and network devices, utilising Red Hat Linux and Windows environments to provide the platform with software to run on, proving consultancy and technical support for their customers.
Dan added:
“When I joined the team, I felt a strong sense of belonging, which allowed me to settle in quickly. The work environment is great, and I have found myself challenged in all the right ways, enabling me to grow both personally and professionally. The team are highly collaborative, fostering a growing sense of camaraderie, that is enhancing our collective productivity.
“One aspect that particularly stands out is how Forward leverage my existing skillsets, while also providing opportunities to acquire new skills by providing the training I need, which has equipped me with the tools and knowledge I require to execute my role efficiently and contribute significantly to the company’s success.”
In the future, Dan wants to develop his skillset at Forward Solutions to enable him to move into a more senior role, with further ambitions to become a Consultant/Architect in the industry at some point.
Outside of work, Dan keeps busy by focusing on his goals by keeping active in the gym, hiking, playing golf and basketball as well as pursuing other interests like improving his ability to play acoustic guitar, attending gigs and music festivals when they are in season.
