Holiday work. What do i do!

[adamholt1]

Help required here!

 

Been asked by the Business Manager what and why 52 weeks per year is required.

 

I've done a document but I feel like im missing things?

 

What do you do through the holidays? (other than the main 75% of your job!!)

 

Thanks!

[LeMarchand]

HELLO!

 

I can't keep that up!

 

Stuff that needs ladders or is better when no staff around like projector filters, recabling etc.

 

Imaging, stuff that requires server reboots. One school has Updates turned off, so those need doing then.

[dry]

- Proactive maintenance: Cleaning projector dust filters, PC cases, laptop fans etc

- Reactive maintenance: any major things that have broken but could wait until the next holidays

- Scheduled hardware refresh: Image new PCs/laptops

- Reimage all PCs/laptops over the summer

- Any large projects- switch upgrades, cabling new locations etc

 

One summer we opened up all staff laptops and reapplied thermal paste to CPUs. The laptops were getting on for 4 years old and still had the factory grease on.

Edited May 8, 2015 by dry

[arwen]

Site wide software roll outs, the more lengthy maintenance of network gear and servers, replace/upgrade hardware, proper clean up of shared drives etc.

 

Depends on the site, the size and how well off the school is if you can justify a 52 week contract or not.

[localzuk]

Repairs

Maintenance - cleaning projectors, making sure all computer leads are safe etc...

Installation of new equipment

Auditing equipment - what's gone missing, what's appeared, what do you need to replace

CPD - time to sit down and learn how to fix that thing you've had a sticking plaster on for 2 months

Research - look at new technologies and see if anything is available that would fill a hole your school has

 

My summers are usually so busy that it'd take hours to write down everything I get done!

[fairm010]

As others have said. My contract also states that when needed I am to help the site team doing whatever tasks they need me for.

[mthomas08]

Work that requires downtime of any system or updating:

 

May is a small work list - good because we have four days.

 

- Replace an All in one Projector system with a standard projector while leaving the IWB intact. This requires pulling off the entire mounting kit, placing a new power socket, trunking, cables @ Projector. When finished it will look tidy and safe which at the moment its barely tidy and just about safe. This requires my team, caretakers and electrician.

- ICT Suite check - every holiday we do this.

- SIMs updates if any (nearly every half term, requires all PCS turned on - allows a smoother upgrade)

- MFD Printer check and paper stock

- Server Updates

- PC Suite imaging refresh, this keeps 5+ Year old machines alive and fast enough to use

- Wi-Fi Active Survey (requires site access and an entire day)

- LEA is sorting out some cable work with BT - downtime up to an hour of internet

- block any empty network sockets

 

Summer the big one

- Asset tag all new equipment about 240 devices and assign to correct users

- Arrange equipment for 3 new classrooms (projector, IWB, PC, cabling etc - all done tidy and properly) this will be new interactive projectors so will require testing and training the Staff in these rooms. I plan on switching these two rooms to network projectors.

- Arrange equipment for new offices

- SIMs SQL upgrade - I am not looking forward to this.

- IP change over - I am CERTAINLY not looking forward to this, every networked piece of kit will require changing.

- Remove ICT equipment setup from one room which is being torn apart

- Print relevant information with new kit coming for September (also make sure the docs look good, updated etc)

- Arrange Plasma screen movements

- Remove ICT equipment from 3 other offices

- New SSC area setup with ICT equipment

 

The Summer work coming is already enough to keep us all busy (including those that take holiday time off) if anything else gets added to our list we will simply struggle.

 

I get the question often by friends/family - what do you do during the holidays. This goes back to the fact they are clueless, my response is what does a car mechanic do all day every day. Regardless if its a bank holiday weekend where the roads are busy than most days.

[kennysarmy]

Help required here!

 

Been asked by the Business Manager what and why 52 weeks per year is required.

 

I've done a document but I feel like im missing things?

 

What do you do through the holidays? (other than the main 75% of your job!!)

 

Thanks!

 

How any weeks a year does he work?

Surely there is nothing for him to do when their are no teachers around ordering stuff???

[LincolnE]

Pretty much everything said above. Anything that would require downtime, such as server updates/reboots. I tend to like to reboot the switches every now and again as well. It also allows you to put various checks in place such as testing UPS systems, knowing that if it all goes pear shaped ,you're not going to impact everyone else.

[Pete10141748]

Testing of new ideas that would otherwise impact users during term-time.

 

Updates to servers and server-run software such as MIS which would cause downtime in term time.

 

Archiving of last years' work, creating new profiles, setting up new machines for September's new staff.

 

Physical cleaning of all equipment (depending on how much you have this can be a few hours, or in my case, a few days!).

 

Virtual cleaning of equipment (either re-imaging, re-installing, updating, defragging etc.).

 

Any maintenance or upgrades requires to office-based PC's, again so it doesn't cause downtime for those users.

 

Being pro-active and actually going around and testing existing things, pre-empting faults.

 

Updating the Hardware Audit, what's gone, what's new, is everything asset tagged / watermarked / etc.

 

Research and personally-conducted CPD - a lot of people forget and/or don't realise that we work in a fast-moving industry and have to keep ourselves updated, sometimes we need a few hours to pour through online manuals, or on occasion we need to teach ourselves how to do something (*gasp* am I suggesting we don't already know EVERYthing! )

[HappyAdmin]

Quite interesting, this. I'm term time + 5 days, and I love that, as it means I get some time with my children, and I'm not about to give it up - but if I'm being honest, I could do with more time here in the holidays, for all of the reasons stated above. (Don't tell my bursar!)

If they are really looking to cut you down, a left field suggestion might be that you ask to do the PAT testing - I think you just need a 1 day course and a piece of equipment for a couple of £100s. That might let you keep your full year contract, but give the school the ability to get that disruptive job done during the holidays, with some flexibility in when you do it, and when you work on other things being an advantage to the business manager also. Just an idea in case it is useful.

Good luck!

[Oaktech]

Test restores, UPS testing, auditing, cabling and disruptive physical works.

 

It took me an hour and a half this morning to arrange to turn a WAP off.

[Edu-IT]

Shouldn't these type of requests go up the command chain and not down?

Its like asking the cleaners to justify why they work the hours the do. Reply back with your contracted to do so ...if thats your terms of employment.

Sounds like the OP is either trying to justify the need for additional hours in their contract OR the Business Manager is looking at where they can save a few quid.

[GuyJD]

My Current to-do list for the summer holidays is:

 

Archive old documents, pictures and video

Set up and configure new DC (configure old server as redundant DC)

Tidy up network Cabinets

Deploy several new bits of software

Refresh all the iPads

Re-image laptops in the laptop trolleys

and hopefully take 2 weeks annual leave too

[mole]

Reply with a list of things that will affect the business manager directly when they are at work, will soon silence them.

Sounds like they do not know what your job entails - good chance to let them know!

[steve]

As above, plus:

 

Supporting other staff that work 52 weeks - payroll, end of academic year events etc.

Supprting summer schools, out of term events, any peripheral ativities - conferences, sports centres etc.

Testing disaster recovery / backups (ensuring compliance with financial audits).

Creating accounts for new starters.

Preping equipment for new starters (staff usually).

Inductions for staff (pre start of term).

Supporting exam result days.

Supporting staff that come in an expect support.

Disposal of waste equipment.

Covering for other IT staff - if a large team, you have to take holidays at some point.

Website / intranet updates (refreshes, updates, results).

 

Alternatives to full time work (can't just cut hours, need to also cut workload)

 

Over time inc. call out fees, more staff, less stuff to do (hows about getting rid of a few IT suites??)

 

I'd ask them what they expect the impact would be if you weren't there and weren't available? No payroll, longer support times in term time, down time in term time (or over time pay), etc.

[mthomas08]

Sounds like the OP is either trying to justify the need for additional hours in their contract OR the Business Manager is looking at where they can save a few quid.

 

School BM trying to save a few ££ by sacrificing IT? Never!!!