THE FIRST IT TRAINING OF MY LIFE: VALLADOLID FALL 2004.

Completely empty head and mind of an IT idea.

Came across by accident to an AD published in Perugia-UMBRIA.

Connected to an Internet café in Palermo City Centre-using my Microsoft Account.

Very important Information Technology Company searching for native Italian native speakers-

Important project-client to support. In Germany-

NO IT BACKGROUND REQUESTED. Fluent English and Italian. All of a sudden got an immediate reply.

No digital cv, had a fast espresso offered, grabbed my coffee and with my right hand-handed over

a cd with my cv information content.

IT was the extremely hot end of July period- Palermo’s city Hall workstations-no WIFI in those times.

After 2 weeks, just before the Feriae Augusti-2 interviews- German managers from Berlin, and Berlin

resident. All in English- astonished somehow by my English, they proceeded further.

Medium to short term project as stated carefully. Flight ticket received. ‘’I should have spoken

Italian and Spanish once in Germany only for 3 days’’.

Arrived at Leipzig Central Station, signed the contract that was explained in a very complicated English language. Met my line manager from Berlin- Woman, married and mother of a son who said after few Power Point presentations of Michelin in different locations, but most and foremost in France the following: ‘’ready the ticket to Spain, you will fly there and do the 6-week IT TRAINING’’.

The 3 of you. One room hotel booked by IBM Berlin.

My start in IT started.

My nightmare in a Spanish company that will be dissolved in 6 months, after many years of support.

6 Spanish agents- 7 and half working hours- shadowing, in coming calls, creating tickets with REMEDY

all in Spanish- only software and printers’ issues. HARDWARE- IN SITU present.

Project Manager from Zurich- not aligned with the multinational’s decisions concerning the support-

Very difficult personality to deal with- making assumptions too early, too soon on everything and everybody without any deep conscious and knowledge.

First learning of control remote tool that I had to use it later on.

All local files- very old Windows XP- not old indeed- it was the current one-nightmare to grasp the concept of IT and- 1 important name Citrix Metaframe on Windows of course my dears, and nothing else.

The 1^st IT TRAINING OF MY LIFE.

THE ATMOSHERE

Pleasant and tense at the same time.  Visit of the picturesque town of Valladolid all on foot.

Visit of the tire factory in Valladolid. Future agents’ presentation- remotely- different location from

January 2005 on.

The Spanish agents were somehow furious of losing their jobs in 3 months.

They had however a better luck than us- in their country- a public job 2 of them for good.

My head was confused, puzzled, too much information for me and perhaps for others.

Was I prepared to handle it?

Visits to Valladolid city centre after training- grab something to eat and drink.

Despite my puzzled head I was happy. Call to my line manager in Berlin to tell her I was not suitable for the job- for Information technology- the reply arrived in 3 second of reflection: ’she will learn and she speaks FRENCH. Suitable for 7-night shifts.’’

Training for nights shifts once in Germany: In Spanish for INSITU AND IN FRENCH FOR IBM FRANCE.

I was energetic- all tanned- my Sicilian tan would fade away in 18 months- or so even longer so persistent it was, my tanned skin- naturally tanned.

IDS ready. What is CITRIX METAFRAME? How does it work?

In those times- back 2005- considered more suitable for communication than troubleshooting. Too early.

A good farewell to the 3 Spanish agents- with 3-month hotel paid in Germany- the other way around- they would have a public job and marry in 2006, the 3 of them. We shared 2 ice skating evenings, funny story- yes- ice skating experience- to distract ourselves.

A good hand shaking to the 3 Spanish agents and personal email exchange.

MY puzzled head would start with night dreaming at work- in the office- critical incident issues- and document research. 7 days in the row of night shifts. IBM FRANCE.

A GOOD FAREWELL TO ALL OF THEM. The job would last less than 18 months for us.

Strain head- puzzled one- to learn Windows app- and functioning-

NOISY ENVIRONMENT THE NEW SPANISH TEAM- A great amount pf personal couple issues the one with Germans- all ended up in a smooth divorce.

A farewell to heaven-

My life, my job-

THE START OF CITRIX METAFRAME.

Perhaps shall I have to look for a man, I used to say to myself?

But that’s another story.

Farewell to heaven.

Next decided location- Brno. 

Only one acquisition to self-teaching: my personal laptop, all in German- Windows XP to practice,

Italian Windows was installed-home use.

1 Important rule: NOT ALLOWED PERSONAL DEVICES IN THE COMPANY. November 2005-

I was less competent and unaware of IT in those times, I suffered less.

The less you know- the more you still ignore- the less you suffer-

You are experimenting- and that’s all.

THE 1^ST IT TRAINING AND JOB IN MY LIFE

CITRIX METAFRAME.