Staff Spotlight: Peter Sorley

What's your role at D&A College, and what's the story behind how you ended up here?

I’m currently employed as a Senior IT Service Desk Technician, based at Kingsway Campus. Since I was a young teen, I’ve always been interested in how things worked and would repair friends’ electronic devices etc. 

I wanted to pursue a career in IT but was advised at the time to go into the Administration field as IT roles weren’t really a thing back then.  I have had a few roles as a receptionist and admin assistant etc which eventually led me to working at XM Services - a Michelin subsidiary. After this contract ended, I spent the next 6-7 years working on the factory floor making tyres.

During this time, I retained my love for IT and was constantly playing with and learning new technologies, so when I was made redundant, my wife and I decided I would get the long awaited qualification in Computer Science (I was approaching 40 at this point). I applied to Dundee and Angus College for basic certifications but was recommended to apply for an HND in Computer Networking instead.  This was 2-year course which I flew through and loved every minute of it.  At the close of the course, I was invited to join the ICT Team as a student technician, which further cemented that this was the career I wanted and the company I wanted to work for. When a position came up a couple of year later, I jumped at the chance.

Work is one thing, but what do you do outside of the college walls? Any exciting hobbies or weekend adventures?

Next to tech, my other love is DIY, whether stripping an engine or odd jobs around the house, I enjoy getting my hands dirty and encourage my kids to help (my youngest daughter is my mini mechanic). I also love nothing better than taking the wife and kids in the car to a remote area, just walking for hours away from civilization and discovering parts of Scotland we’ve never seen before.

When you were younger, what was your dream job? And if you could do any career, what would you choose and why?

My dream job was a long distant lorry driver, and to be honest as a retirement career, it’s tempting. It sounds amazing constantly visiting new areas – I’d need to wait for the kids to grow up first.

I still feel IT is my first choice though. I would be happy to further progress along this path and see where I end up.

If you could have any person, dead or alive, as a dinner guest , who would it be and why?

Young Nikola Tesla. He may have been a bit crazy in his later years, but his way of looking at the world was next level. To experience that first-hand would be unbeatable.

Share with us the most valuable piece of advice or life lesson that's really stuck with you, especially when it comes to dealing with the ups and downs of learning.

Not one person knows everything, it takes a team to get things done.

Look out for more staff spotlights coming soon!