When Derivco opened in the Isle of Man in January 2013, we started with just 18 employees. We’ve been so successful, that in just four short years, we’ve added on another 82 staff members. Besides celebrating our 100th new hire with cupcakes and speeches, we also thought it would be fun to interview the first, middle and last (for now) member of the IOM family. Here’s what they have to say:
The First…
Name Craig Bettridge (#1)
Job Title Technical Specialist/Network Engineer
What date did you start working at Derivco? April 2000 (17 years ago, in Durban)
What did you do when you started at Derivco? I started in IT. We were at that stage responsible for everything needed to deploy and support Casino systems.
What training have you undergone since you started? Cisco, VMWare, Windows Server, SQL, F5, Solarwinds Orion, Librato, and many open sourced monitoring packages from Kibana to Observium. To add to this list, we also have an incredible array of bespoke tools written for us by our TechOps team. Oh, and soft skills training like time management, report writing, communication workshops etc.
How has the company changed? It’s a different space all together, but with the core remaining the same. We’ve still got the energy and excitement of a startup, but we’ve embraced all the new talents and skills of the staff all over the world.
What is it like living on the IOM? A very special place to be, and it is perfect for my current stage of life as my little family grows. It’s a gift to know that we live in a safe place with access to the Island’s majestic walks and breathtaking scenery.
The middle…
Name Simon Woollams (#50)
Job Title IT Bingo Technical Lead
What date did you start working at Derivco? I joined the company in July 2013
What did you do when you started at Derivco? I started in the IT MPG space (Poker & MPV) as a Tier 1 Support Engineer.
What training have you undergone since you started? Other than the immense amount of continuous learning on a day to day basis, I was sent to Manchester to trial a course in Advanced SQL and have also attended several soft skill courses to help me improve my communication skills.
If you could describe working for Derivco Isle of Man in one word, what would that be? Rewarding
What’s your favourite thing about living on the Isle of Man? I can’t think of only one thing! The security and safety to raise a family and to allow my kids the freedom to explore and be kids without worry. The smell of Gorse flowers in the spring.
The last… (for now)
Name Ryan Hampson (#100)
Job Title I’m the Support and Market Coordinator in the Quickfire space
What date did you start working at Derivco? I joined Derivco on the 20th February 2017.
What did you do before working at Derivco? Before joining Derivco I was a buyer for an Aerospace manufacturing company based in the Isle of Man. Prior to that I was at Sheffield Hallam University studying International Business.
How does Derivco differ from places you’ve worked at previously? Derivco’s culture and atmosphere is completely different to anywhere I’ve worked before. Working here makes it a lot easier to get up in the morning!
If you could describe Derivco Isle of Man in one word, what would that be? Exciting!
What’s your favourite thing about living on the Isle of Man? My favourite thing about living on the Island would have to be the beautiful countryside, multiple plantations and trails which are ideal for mountain biking. However, I tend to be a fair weather cyclist so probably don’t take full advantage of them! Thankfully, summer is on its way (supposedly).