Connecting networks at Glasgow 2014

Commonwealth Games which I’m proud to say I’ll be volunteering at this summer.

The opportunity came about through Strathclyde Business School's ties with the NVT group – an ICT consultancy and the official technology providers for Glasgow 2014. NVT has offered students the opportunity to join its team of ‘Players’, all of whom will provide IT resource support on a voluntary basis.

My commitment to work in the last seven years has normally restricted me from volunteering, but when I was offered the opportunity to take part, I jumped at the chance. During my previous work as a project manager, I have supervised network infrastructure projects, so I’m well suited to the placement. I’ll be able to call on my engineering background to contribute to something which has a real global impact and will certainly be a once in a lifetime opportunity.

In my role, I’ll be working with the NVT team to make sure the network infrastructure is installed successfully both prior to the Games (the ‘bump-in’ period) as well as throughout, as the event is broadcast to millions of homes across the world.

During the bump-in period, I’ll be working at the Games Village, assisting the NVT Team in the set-up of the Glasgow 2014 wireless network, routing, and switching, as well as the network security infrastructure of the site. It requires a strong  understanding of the Games Village’s local geography, and a knowledge of how the Games Village inter-connects to other sites via  the overall Games Data Network (GDN).

During Games’ time, I’ll be deployed at the Scotstoun Sports Campus to support the NVT team in responding to unforeseen “on the ground” connectivity issues which need to be resolved in split-seconds, ensuring the integrated technology runs smoothly as the event is broadcast live across the world.

Playing a role at the event through the NVT Players programme will provide me with real insight into the planning and organisation that is necessary to pull off something as big as the Commonwealth Games, and will give me invaluable experience in my sector to help support my goal of working in Europe after my MBA is complete.

Not to forget, I’ll also have the massive opportunity to meet hundreds of new people from across the world – something that very few other events can ever offer on the same scale – I’ll be networking from an engineering, and a business perspective, and, if I'm lucky, I may even get to catch a glimpse of the Games myself!

Are you going to be involved in The Games in anyway, either as a volunteer or as a spectator?