Interview with Iwan Davies
by Isabel Hurtado de Mendoza
Iwan Davies is the ITI ScotNet Webmaster, so I can't help but breaking the ice by asking him what the geekiest thing is that he has said or written today. “I was looking at a wiki earlier that documents a project to introduce 60 netbooks to a primary school in Oxfordshire that I am interested in replicating here in Perth”. Not the kind of answer I was expecting, that’s for sure, but it perfectly depicts his helpful, committed, amiable personality. When I ask Iwan for basic information about himself, his role in ScotNet and the wider ITI, as well as in the translation profession, he becomes a little chattier, though:
Why did you join ScotNet?
I'd already been active in the North East regional group of ITI before moving to Perth, and it seemed a good way of getting to know people locally. I'd already met some of you at an event in Edinburgh before moving up, so I knew this was a friendly bunch!
What do you consider to be your biggest contribution to the profession?
I'm not sure I've really made the sort of contribution that I think you mean, but I would hope that I've helped people see technology as helpful rather than something to fear.
Could you briefly describe your career path?
Traditional. With the exception of 3 months as a helpdesk monkey for IBM, I've followed the traditional route of translation degree > in-house translator > freelance translator.
When did you know you had made it as a freelancer?
When I had my first tax bill!
Do you believe in CPD? How do you keep up to date with your languages and specialisms?
Absolutely, though without meaning to sound patronising I find it extremely difficult to find the right level of CPD to match my skills in my fields. Computer courses are, by and large, tailored to absolute beginners, and since technology moves so fast very often you end up learning something that is already one or two revisions old. Keeping up with the language is easier, thanks to satellite TV, the web and magazine subscriptions.
What do you like and dislike most about your working days?
Like: nobody looking over my shoulder to see that I'm surfing the web for fun when I should be working!
Dislike: no boss to come round at 4pm on a Friday to tell me to knock-off early, like my old boss used to do in Germany.
What is ALWAYS on your desk?
A mess! Screws, screwdrivers, computer components, an empty coffee mug (not always the same one - I'm not *that* manky!)
How do you think your wife would describe you? And your children?
Louisa would say that I'm messy and disorganised. The girls would hopefully say that I'm cuddly and fair (if a little strict).
What do you enjoy doing, other than being glued to your PC?
Hmmm.... The thing about the net is, you can do so much on it that it doesn't feel like work, even though you're still learning! So I do spend an inordinate amount of time at the computer, whether that's my desktop in the office, the laptop around the house, catching up on Twitter on my mobile phone while I'm taking the girls to their swimming classes or enjoying a coffee in Costa while browsing on my netbook... I do occasionally disconnect, however, and pop down to the North Inch here in Perth to watch the rugby, and sometimes take the girls to see the Glasgow Warriors who play rugby against Welsh and Irish opposition in the Celtic League. I'm also involved in the Parent Council at the girls' primary school, and that involves attending meetings at school, etc. We're currently running a couple of campaigns - one aimed at getting parents more involved in their children's education at home by providing them with ideas and resources to expand on what the children are learning in class, and the second is trying to inform parents about the dangers of giving their children unfettered access to the Internet and mobile phones.
By now, I know Iwan a lot better. He has been kind (and brave) enough to answer all my original questions. He even agrees to a follow-up session, if I can think of any more questions for him, but he doesn't deserve any more suffering. “Right - hope that's ok for the moment.” – he wraps up – “Have to go now because I'm off into town to meet a friend to talk about Welsh rugby!”
