Meet our new IT technical associate, Nico Galardy! Nico brings eight years of desktop computer support experience, with five of those being in the educational field. He has a deep knowledge of Microsoft, Apple, and Chromebook products as well. His extensive IT customer service background will be an asset to his role as desktop support for the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS).
What drew you to your particular area of study?
I have always been fascinated by anything technology-related growing up. I loved to take apart different electronics, figure out how they worked, and then put them back together. Also, I knew the world would be moving in the direction where technology and the internet would be present in just about everything.
What are some challenges you’ve faced in your career?
I never really went to school for much in the IT field, so everything I have learned has been self-taught. Sometimes people either don’t take me seriously or think that I am not knowledgeable enough because of my educational background.
What do you wish more people understood about IT?
Sometimes people think when something is wrong that it should be a quick fix to get them going. However, a lot of times certain issues will take time to either research or even just to fix.
What’s it like taking on this role in the middle of a pandemic?
I have been in the IT field through the entire COVID-19 pandemic, and it has been quite the journey! At first, everything was a complete mess, no one really had a plan for working from home or anything like that. Now that we are further out, we can see how the changes that have happened are really for the better.
What advice would you give to those just starting out in your field?
My advice would be that you must love what you are doing so it doesn’t really feel like work. I would also recommend that when things get tough and you can’t figure something out, just step away and take a breather. Come back to it after you have cleared your mind and you might find that the solution was right in front of you.
