Antoine CRASKE

IT Infrastructure is more important than ever! 🌐 In 2024, the landscape of IT infrastructure is rapidly evolving. Cloud computing and virtualization are at the forefront, driving efficiency and scalability for businesses across the UK. With 90% of enterprises now using multi-cloud strategies (source: Flexera), it's clear that the cloud is no longer just an option—it's a necessity. Virtualization, on the other hand, is transforming how we manage resources. By creating virtual versions of servers, storage devices, and networks, companies can optimise their IT environments, reduce costs, and improve disaster recovery plans. This shift is not just about technology; it's about creating a more agile and resilient business model. At Charles Simon Associates, we specialise in IT infrastructure recruitment. If you're looking to hire top talent or seeking new opportunities in this dynamic field, let's connect. Visit charles-simon.co.uk or comment below to start the conversation. ✅ #ITInfrastructure ✅ #CloudComputing ✅ #Virtualization

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I spent yesterday morning at the UKDirector Magazines "AI: Helping to run your business better?", in partnership with our good friend's at IJYI | Software Development • Data & AI • Cloud. There was a fantastic keynote by Professor Detlef Nauck, who is Head of AI & Data Science Research at BT Group, followed by an interesting Q&A panel covering a number of areas of AI impact, particularly legal, security and future skills. I've been to a few of these types of AI events now and have worked on the development of some solutions as well, and there are a few clear takeaways that I thought might be worth sharing: #A - AI is here to stay, so it's better to spend some time understanding it, rather than metaphorically burying your head. #B - It's an opportunity to become more efficient, rather than a threat to your job, or the jobs of your team. Look for ways to use it to automate your manual processes, and free your team up to do more value add things. #C - For school leavers, graduates etc, get up to speed with it in your own time and use it because the chances are, you'll be able to teach your prospective employers a few things! #D - There are some great tools out there for pretty much everything you would want to do, it's pretty mind blowing! It's just a case of doing your research but if you think you'd like something to be automated, the chances are it can be, more easily and cheaper than you think! #E - Sustainability, risk management and compliance are all key areas not to be forgotten when considering implementation of an AI solution. Taking sustainability as an example; more energy is being consumed by the biggest companies since developing AI, so if your company's mission or goal is to be as sustainable as possible, it's potentially a measurement to consider. #F - The more important the process, the more likely that it's going to require a complex solution - which is where you may turn to an 'off-the-shelf' solution. Understanding HOW the AI is doing what it's doing when selecting these tools is an important factor, as it could have big implications for your business. Detlef made a great point about working with suppliers who are open & transparent with you about what the AI is doing. It sounds scary but once you understand it, AI is something that can really benefit your business. Knowledge is power! If you're looking for some advice or help in implementing it within your business, please drop me a line.

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Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced an £8bn investment to construct the next-generation hyperscale datacentres in the UK. This five-year plan is set to create approximately 14,000 jobs annually, spanning various sectors such as #construction, #facilitymaintenance, #engineering, and #telecommunications, thus boosting the local economy. The exact locations of these datacentres have not been disclosed yet but will enhance the existing capacity in London. Moreover, this initiative by AWS follows the trend of major tech companies like #Google and #Microsoft expanding their cloud infrastructure in the UK. Google, for instance, is investing £790m in a new datacentre campus in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, with contractors TSL, J & D Pierce (Contracts) Ltd, and Dornan involved in the project. Microsoft has also acquired a 48-acre site near Leeds to build a hyperscale datacentre, aligning with its increased focus on UK investments. The surge in datacentre investments by key industry players signifies the growing importance of cloud services and data management infrastructure in the UK market. This development not only highlights the technological advancements but also showcases the positive impact on job creation and economic growth within the region. Read more: [https://lnkd.in/e8ryksFa] Construction Enquirer #AWS #Datacentres #UKInvestment #TechExpansion

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The IT Odyssey: Cracking the Code of the UK Job Market In the realm of Information Technology, the UK marketplace is akin to a vast network of interconnected dungeons, each filled with puzzles, traps, and treasures. You, the valiant IT candidate, must navigate this labyrinth with the precision of a master coder and the strategy of a seasoned project manager. 🗡 The Quest for the Holy Grail of Positions  The search for the perfect IT role is like debugging a complex program—tedious, requiring immense patience, and occasionally making you question your life choices. You’re looking for that one job that doesn’t require you to have coded the next Facebook in your spare time. 🤼‍♂️ The Battle Royale of Competition The competition is as intense as a midnight launch of a new gaming console. You’re up against legions of fellow tech wizards, each armed with their own arsenal of certifications, GitHub repositories, and Stack Overflow reputations. 👻 Ghosting: The Silent Server Error  Being ghosted by employers is like sending a request to a server and receiving no response—did it timeout? Did it crash? You may never know. It’s the ‘404: Feedback Not Found’ of the job search world. 🤦‍♂️ The Echo Chamber of Silence Post-Interview  The lack of feedback after an interview is like running a script and getting no output. Was there a syntax error? Did it execute correctly? The console remains blank, leaving you to wonder if you should just turn it off and on again. But don’t let the system overload you! Here are some tips to keep your spirits up and your skills sharp: ☁ Network in the Cloud Connect with professionals in virtual meetups, LinkedIn groups, and online forums. Your next opportunity might just be a DM away. 🖥 Refactor Your CV Treat your CV like code—constantly refactor it to be cleaner, more efficient, and more impressive to the hiring algorithms. 🗣 Speak in Code Well, not literally. But do tailor your language to the IT crowd. Drop in terms like ‘agile’, ‘full-stack’, and ‘cloud’ to catch the right eyes. 🐞 Debug Your Approach If something’s not working, debug it. Change your strategies, learn new skills, and don’t be afraid to ask for help from your network. So, put on your best geek t-shirt, fire up your favourite IDE, and prepare to conquer the UK IT job market. Remember, every great developer started out with a ‘Hello, World!’—and every great IT career starts with ‘Hello, Interviewer!’ If you need any help, then do get in touch. Good luck, and may the source be with you! #jobsearch #jobhunting #ghosting #jobs #ITjobs #developerjobs

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As many of you know, at Needlestack Consulting Ltd, we specialise in turning data into actionable insights through tools like Power BI. 📊 In 2024, a recurring theme has emerged as we develop new solutions: the lack of recorded failures. In recruitment, there’s often a temptation to avoid logging unsuccessful calls, unfilled placements or jobs that didn’t complete. It can feel like these entries might reflect poorly on performance. 💡But here’s the thing: what isn’t measured can’t be improved.💡 If we don’t track where things go wrong, how can we learn to do things differently? Ignoring these insights means missing the chance to spot patterns, fix systemic issues and grow. As you look toward 2025, consider encouraging your teams to embrace logging failures in your CRM systems – and give them confidence that it’s okay. Then use this data to identify why things didn’t work out and build better solutions for the future. 👏 After all, as Einstein said: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” Let’s make next year the one where we learn, adapt and succeed like never before. We can help, find out more: https://lnkd.in/eUX-kd6j #NeedlestackConsulting #RecruitmentTech #RecruitmentAnalytics #recruitment

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Another fantastic review for Evelyn Hay who covers the #devOps market in #switzerland here at iO Associates - UK/EU If you need support finding the right candidate or your DevOps team speak to Evelyn Hay! #testimonial #review #customerservice #happyclients #switzerland #devops

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DESPITE UK ECONOMIC CONCERNS COMPETITION FOR TECH SKILLS REMAINS INTENSE Office for National Statistics (ONS) statistics show that despite job vacancies falling, demand for skilled workers including tech staff is still high. This is fueled by the forecast growth in enterprise software spending which continues at a steady 12% per annum increase. To alleviate rising business costs and staff shortages consider alternative ways of working and improving your processes to reduce manual work. We help you alleviate digital skills shortage, upskill existing staff and invest in technology to keep operating costs down. Experts in working with companies to improve profits with the strategic use of technology and optimisation of business processes. If you want to know more visit https://lnkd.in/ewFSjuSe or contact me (simon.lascelles@businesstechnologyleaders.com) today for a confidential and impartial discussion on how we can add value to your business. #ProcessImprovement, #BusinessImprovement, #BusinessProcessImprovement, #ProcessEfficiency. #BPI, #AIAssessment, #AIReadiness, #AI,

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June 2024 UK IT Salary & Contractor Rates If your company is thinking of hiring, do it now. As demand rises, so too with the rates of pay and the difficulty levels of attracting and securing the right talent. If, however, your company is slowing down - beware! If your IT staff start to feel insecure, talent competitors and recruiters will find it very easy to persuade your staff to interview elsewhere. Despite the stress and negativity that may exist, take the time to focus on reassuring your team and, where appropriate, reward their loyalty. It's a false economy to avoid salary increases for your best people. Doing so risks leave yourself vulnerable to losing key staff and the larger costs in both time and money of replacing them. Should you be considering recruitment or simply would like some advice on anything recruitment related, please do not hesitate to give us a call and see how we can really help you to Recruit Someone Worth Recruiting.

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I spoke to over 100 Chief Technology Officers and Chief Data Officers over the last 7 weeks within the US. I asked them how they approach scaling technology teams and the approach and trends they are noticing. Here are my findings.. Download for free 👇 📄 #staffaugmentation #scalingteams #elasticworkforce #contractors #cto #cdo #technologyleaders #usa #latam Stott and May Stott and May Consulting

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There's always room for improved productivity in #recruitment. This #Bullhorn #Automation webinar gave some great tips on how to use automation to drive productivity and performance. Watch it on the blog 👀 💪😇📺 https://buff.ly/3Bb4pvn

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Can you guess the UK city named as #AI capital in the UK? 🤔 Its #Manchester, with #Salford in 3rd place! The North West tech scene is continuing to advance rapidly and Manchester along has lots of events hosted by the regulars Trusted Tech Talks, Manchester Tech Festival, alongside loads of innovative tech hubs and brilliant Uni's such as The University of Manchester, The University of Salford & The Manchester Metropolitan University! There's still a long way to go but its great to see how the city is evolving and scaling to help compete on a global scale! Who for you, is utilising AI the best in the North West? Which company or individual stands out for you? The article mentions PwC are "incorporating tools like ChatGPT Enterprise, emphasizing the need for widespread digital literacy to ensure inclusivity in AI advancements." Love to hear your thoughts.

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Recruiters! Have you seen our #Bullhorn #Automation webinar about the sexy topic of data: health, hygiene, monetisation? It helps you assess how to achieve data health (and thus business health) either manually, or by using automation. #Recruitment #Tips https://buff.ly/3UpJkmE

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Amazon Web Services (AWS) 📈 ✅ Projected £14 billion contribution to the UKs gross domestic product by the end of 2028 ✅ 14,000 jobs to British businesses With additional investments across Europe, announcing a €15.7 billion investment in Spain earlier this year and another €7.8 billion in Germany. Setting the speed for cloud infrastructure spending moving further into 2024! #AWS #AWSDatacentre #Datacentreinfrstructure #Datacentreinnovartion #Datacenter #Datacenterinfrastructure #Datacenterinnovation #Amazon #Amazondatacenter #Amazondatacenter #cloudinfrastructure #artificialintelligence

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