Name: Olivia Carroll
Role: Head of Service Reliability Group at Version 1.
What does your typical day look like?
Version 1 is a fast pace and challenging environment, so no day is ever the same or repetitive, which is what I love. I spend lots of time speaking to many people every day. All my days involve a balance between external client meetings, running our team of more than 250 people and fostering relationships across our business.
My diary on any given day will include client meetings, internal business meetings on strategy or operations, and team (group or individual) meetings too.
What are you currently working on?
So many things. However, a key focus for this year is our ASPIRE Managed Services offering that we launched in 2021, ASPIRE Next-Generation Managed Services. We are already seeing the benefits of this approach across a number of customers such as the Security Industry Authority Achieving 100% Uptime for SIA with ASPIRE, a Next-Generation Managed Serviceand we have loads more to come with a number of new and existing initiatives launching this year.
What inspired you to join this company in particular?
I joined Version 1 in 2009 as an Oracle DBA. Version 1 was a much smaller company then at only about 200 people. I initially targeted Version 1 as they had an excellent reputation as an Oracle Consultancy, so I wanted to work for the best and they did not disappoint which is why I am still here nearly 14 years later. What set Version 1 apart back in 2009 still comes through to this day and that is the Version 1 difference, which is based around 3 commitments, making a real difference for our customers, building an empowering culture, and growing a strong organisation. We never sacrifice one for the other and we know our greatest strength is balance across all three, our customers, people and company.
Did you always want to work in this industry (tech)?
Yes, I studied Computers in College back in 1996. I didn’t go straight into an IT role from college, but I found my way back to starting as an Oracle DBA with Vodafone(Eircell) back 2001.
What’s your favourite part about your work?
The people at Version 1 are amazing. When I am asked to describe the Version 1 culture, I always lean into the people. And most importantly I love what I do.
What would you say to other people considering a job in this industry (tech)?
Working at a tech company can be an incredible learning experience. Technology underpins so many businesses today and there is something about tech that just oozes optimism. The ICT sector is growing exponentially throughout the world. It is important to also note that we live in the age of the 4th industrial – technological – revolution and a massive, unprecedented one, at that. What this means is that no matter how you look at it or how you feel about it, technology will play a critical part in your future. Technological advances are likely to continue and will shape our world, including the job market, for many years to come.
How do you see this technology impacting on our lives?
Technology is likely to power all the best inventions in the future, in just about every area of life – from business to government, from medicine to education, from entertainment to wellbeing, from transportation to communication, from art to science to pretty much every other imaginable area.
What do you consider to be the most important tech innovation or development in recent years?
Artificial Intelligence, virtual reality, automation, data and cloud computing are game changers in just about every field; they have disrupted several industries and are expected to disrupt countless more. At Version 1 we get the opportunity to work across most of these, using them to deliver innovative solutions for our customers.
What tech gadget could you not live without?
My Kindle as I love to read and the obvious one, my phone.
