Spotlight: Getting To Know Mark

In the Spotlight hot seat this week is web developer, Mr Mark Goy.

After a brief hiatus spotlight is back! This week we are sitting down and chatting with Mark, chef turned web developer extraordinaire.

Mark joined us as an apprentice after pulling a complete 180 in his career and we are so glad he did! Join us as we chat about music, brewing ginger beer and teaching cats tricks (yes, you read that right!)

Name:

 Mark Goy

Job Role:

Web Developer

How did you get into this field of work?

Growing up I had an interest in a lot of different things, martial arts, mechanics, woodwork, and metal work. My home always had computers/servers / computer-based books in it due to my Dad’s work. I used to read some of his books, only the coding ones though, my Dad’s job was to repair and maintain computers/printers/servers/networks, I wasn’t that interested in that side of things. I mainly got interested in code at the end of secondary school/college, I started with batch code, using it to run things I shouldn’t have access to at school. Then moved on to C#, during that time all I wanted to do was make games really, I made interesting things with terrible code, but I enjoyed it.

Then when I left college, I got a job in a kitchen at my local pub. It never occurred to me at the time to pursue any of my interests as a job, I did enjoy cooking, but it was never one of my interests.

I worked in kitchens for almost 10 years, moving from Hull to Rotherham to Sheffield.

I then turned 29 and thought it was time to move on from kitchens. I’d given everything I had to the job, gotten as far as I could, and learned everything I could, but it wasn’t my passion, it’s not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. So, I decided at 29 to make a change, I found an apprenticeship to become a web developer and ran with it.

What is the best thing you feel you have achieved in your working life?

In my entire working life, I’ve done a lot, and worked in many places with many different people. Tons of good times, tons of bad times. But changing my career at 29 to a brand-new industry, off my own back, I think that’s an achievement worth remembering.

Have you any hobbies? 

Not a lot right now, lockdown stopped me from accessing a lot of things.
At the moment I work on my own web app projects, brew ginger beer, gardening (I like to grow fruit and vegetables) and enjoy running in the local park.

I have plans to start doing martial arts again.

Favourite food or drink?

Drink: Ginger Beer and Cider. I only discovered ginger beer last year and I can’t get enough.

Food: Everything, my partner is an amazing cook, Chinese, Thai, Indian, Italian, anything you can think of it all tastes amazing, I like variety.

Favourite TV show or film? 

Fully enjoyed Year of the Rabbit when it was first broadcast, shame the second season was cancelled. I like light-hearted, quirky programs, IT crowd, Brooklyn 99, and Red Dwarf, right up my street.

Do you prefer working from home or the office?

Mostly from home, I’m much more productive. But I need that bit of office work sprinkled in, it’s good to get up and go out and about occasionally, even if traffic is a pain! (we feel you on that one!)

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

“Look for reasons to go, not for reasons to stop, you’ve always got your breaks”, My driving instructor used to tell me this when I was struggling with roundabouts, I may be paraphrasing. But it can be applied to life generally too, or at least I have done.

What is your favourite item you’ve bought this year?

I haven’t bought anything for myself really this year, I did last year. This year so far, I’ve mainly been buying gifts for family and friends, now the lockdown is over it’s nice to be able to get something for someone’s birthday and go see them.

If you had to delete all but 3 apps from your smartphone, which ones would you keep?

WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Super auto pets. I only really communicate with the messenger apps and Super auto pets is a good bit of fun.

Which band/artist – dead or alive would play at your funeral?

The Prodigy, loud and proud. Make noise. Have a party. I understand the tradition for quiet funerals etc, but that’s not what I want, celebrate my life!

Favorite album?

Not really an album kind of person, the only reason I would grab an album is to have background music. So, I would go for Chase and Status, No more idols, good background music for whatever I’m up to.

Have you ever completed anything on your ‘bucket list’?

Don’t think so, seeing a live performance by Bill Bailey was good, that’s probably something quite mundane to most, but I’m so fixated on doing things I forget there is a world out there.

What/Is there anything left on your bucket list?

Don’t really have one, but I should probably travel abroad at some point. I have before, but not for 25 years-ish.

Do you know how to speak any other languages?

Nein.

What is your favourite musical instrument and why?

Don’t really have a favourite, I think bagpipes are interesting, and guitar is stereotypically cool. And I also find pianos interesting.

Best part of your job? 

Having something completed and out there, being in use. Especially if I’ve gone the extra mile to make something really good. Knowing I’ve helped someone out in some small way.

Tell us something interesting about you that not many people know?

Don’t know if it’s interesting but I enjoy teaching my partners cat tricks, he can sit, turn round in circles, and jump onto my shoulder on command…ish, there is food involved usually. I’m trying to teach him to fetch currently, I think it will be fun for him.