Careers and Guidance talk by Dr Steve Carden (P.A. Consulting)

Starting this talk off, Steve discussed the types of project’s that P.A. Consulting engage with, and what it is like to be a technology focused consultant. 

Steve led students along a path that then focused on explaining how he ended up as a consultant, informing the audience of the subjects he studied at school, and his further education journey.  By the reaction of the audience, most striking for students was the discussion of how Steve followed his passion for computing, and how as a Partner he had to adapt to an environment that was heavily client focused, and adopt a customer facing role to generate new business. 

Steve passed around physical solutions that P.A. Consulting had developed for clients, giving the audience the opportunity to touch, feel, and explore 3D printed objects.  One of which was an electronic ‘piggy-bank’ that although impressed the students, was not taken forward by the client Steve worked with. Students were surprised, with Steve responding by explaining that life as a consultant can often end in a ‘failure’, and that in fact, that is ok!