TOM STEER
Curriculum Vitae

Date of Birth : 23rd June 1978

Contact Information :
Please use the contact section of the website

Academic Qualifications :
B.A. in Chemical Engineering from Peterhouse College, University of Cambridge
A-Levels taken at Eastbourne College in 1996 – Maths, Physics and Chemistry, all at grade A
GCSEs taken at Eastbourne College in 1992 – Total of 13 GCSEs, all at grades A or B

Employment History :
Field Service Engineer, ETC Europe from 2003 – present
Freelance Lighting Technician August 2002 – 2003
Technician at Brähler ICS UK Ltd, Cambridge from November 2001 – August 2002
Manager and Licensee of ADC Theatre, Cambridge from June – September 2001
Technical Manager of ADC Theatre, Cambridge from September 1999 – June 2001
Production and Installation work for :

Work on many shows whilst a student including 1998 ADC America Tour (Macbeth), 1997 Edinburgh Festival, ADC/Footlights Pantomimes, Footlights Touring Show, in a range of positions including Technical Director, Lighting Designer and Chief Electrician.

Technical Qualifications :

  • IPAF Powered Access Qualification for VPP, Scissor Lift & ‘Cherry Picker’
  • UK HSE First Aid at Work Certification
  • City & Guilds 238 Certificate in Electrical Installation Work
  • BPA Level 2 Display Firers Certificate
  • Avolites Pearl and Pulsar Masterpiece Programming Qualification
  • Full UK Driving Licence with Category C1 (7.5 tonne) entitlement
  • Associate Member of the Association of Lighting Designers

Experience :
My work at the ADC Theatre was broad, as one of only three full time staff employed by the theatre. My duties included running the theatre’s equipment hire business (which expanded considerably during my tenure) to maintaining the theatre’s stock of lanterns, audio and other equipment to high standards. I also worked for Theatre Direct and Fisher Lighting on production and warehouse work. I have experience with moving lights, and the programming of Strand, Pulsar, ETC and Avolites Desks, as well as practical experience of sound, rigging and power distribution.

For three months I worked as the Manager and Licensee of the ADC Theatre, with duties including the holding of both the Theatre and Bar license, and also the running of the accounts of the theatre, including management accounting and the production of end of year statements.

Whilst working at the ADC, I was also involved in several major building development projects, such as the design, installation and commissioning of a distributed DMX system in the building and the installation of new counterweight flying equipment. Due to the nature of the theatre, a large amount of installation work is undertaken in-house, and I took care of all stages of these projects, from initial costing, ordering, installation and testing. I was also involved in the design and installation of audio and lighting control systems in the complete refit of the theatre bar, as well as liaising with contractors over the main electrical design.

Following my employment at the ADC I joined Brähler ICS, a UK company specialising in simultaneous interpretation, microphone discussion systems and electronic voting. As well as being a field technician setting up these systems, I took over the majority of repair and testing of equipment. I therefore have experience of fault finding on electronic systems to component level, including SMD circuits. I also trained sales customers in the use of products that they had purchased, both hardware and associated computer software, and this was an aspect of the work I particularly enjoyed.

After leaving Brähler ICS I have worked as a freelance technician for companies including Stage Electrics, Fisher Productions and Anagram Productions, on many events working with lighting, sound, rigging, power distribution and pyrotechnics. I have also repaired and tested lighting and sound for companies as well as individuals.

My role as Field Service engineer at ETC has encompassed a wide range of responsibilities – as one of a very small team of engineers providing support in the European market for ETCs products I was responsible for providing training for our dealers, travelling to sites and commissioning products, providing data back to R&D on failures of products in the field. I am also involved in some custom product design work using PIC microcontrollers in a console remote system.

My work with fireworks and pyrotechnics started whilst I was still a student, as a crew member of SWPF Ltd., a company which specialised in the manufacture of electronic firing systems for fireworks. I therefore have experience of pyrotechnic control, both in the field and on the workbench. My crewing experiences for SWPF, Rocket and Dynamic Fireworks mean that I have experience of a wide range of firework fusing and firing techniques. I have also designed several displays, and so am familiar with the more artistic side of fireworks, and the many aspects of pyromusical choreography. I am able to read music.

All of my work has included dealing with members of the general public as well as trained professionals, and I have enjoyed the challenge of communicating technical information to both of these groups.

Safety and the Health and Safety at Work Act have, of course, been important in all areas of my employment. At the ADC I was heavily involved in the implementation of risk assessment in the theatre, as well as Electrical Safety and PAT Testing, and the LOLER regulations for lifting equipment. I have also been involved in the installation of new wiring in the theatre, and I am familiar with the use of 16th Edition test equipment.
I have a large selection of my own tools and test equipment, as well as my own car.

I am fully computer literate, and have experience of using Microsoft Office and Adobe Pagemaker, as well as writing Web Pages in XHTML and CSS. I have experience of programming in C (GNU, FED-C for PIC microcontrollers), Microsoft Visual C++, Microsoft Visual Basic and PHP. If you look around on these webpages you will see some examples of programming that I have done.

References :
References are available upon request

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