Systems Engineering: meet the team - Jude

"Joining GCHQ was something of a 'leap of faith' for me. I had offers from other companies in the pipeline and knew exactly what I would be doing if I joined them. With GCHQ it was different.

I had a general idea of what field I would be working in, but I did not have the specifics. Of course I was spun the usual sales pitch regarding the technology and the nature of the business, I also had a familiarisation visit prior to joining, but this is one organisation you cannot get a true picture of until you are in through the door!

It did not occur to me that GCHQ would actually under-sell itself due to the restrictions on what it can say, but it did and I certainly feel that I made the right decision. The work is challenging, the organisation around me is supportive, the job interest is second to none and I actually enjoy coming to work. My Department Head was saying that work should be fun; a novel concept, but it is. It's good to be valued for what I can contribute rather than trying to maintain an image. Up-tight it is not!

I joined GCHQ with a degree in Computer Science. My main interest was in programming and after discussions with the technical recruitment team, I was placed into an area working on our real-time collection capability. This was rather daunting to say the least, but to say that the work had the 'wow' factor is something of an understatement. What an eye opener - It's quite amazing what we can do - if only I could tell you!

The systems I have been working on have used an Object Orientated approach. We covered this at Uni, but GCHQ has invested heavily in providing training to ensure that I have the knowledge required to do the job. The team around me is also very supportive, that's the way things seem to work around here.

The projects I have been involved in have mostly been high cost, high risk, so the use of formal procedures in terms of software development is very important, but I have also been involved in providing capability to meet sudden crises. Being required to make a contribution where lives are at stake really does focus the mind.

My experiences to date stand me in good stead should I choose to leave GCHQ. However, there are so many opportunities on offer internally that, for the moment, I have no desire to make the move 'outside'.

Nevertheless, it is time to move on within the Department and I have responded to an internal ad for a software developer in another area. I've been offered the job and am certainly looking forward to it, as it will expose me to Intelligence at the core of the Department. The learning curve will be steep, as I have to get to grips with the latest J2EE and Application server architectures, but I know I will be provided with the necessary training and I will benefit from it just as much as the department benefits from me.

Not wishing to appear as some sort of techno-nerd, it is worth finishing off on the personal scene here. I was concerned about being a 'Civil Servant', wondering how many years' service I would have to give before gaining access to the executive loo. The Assessment Centre gave me some indication that the people here are really quite relaxed and that's exactly as I have found it.

The flexi time is excellent and the town is very lively throughout the week. I'm into water sports; these and other facilities are within easy reach. GCHQ gives me an excellent balance between work and my life outside of it. They do not 'own' me, but they have my commitment, such is the nature of the work and the organisation. I have certainly never looked back since joining and have lots to look forward to."

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