Earlier this month we met our Client Development Specialist, Ben Russell. As part of a new series we are giving you the chance to meet the people behind our products, the people that answer the phone when you call us, the people that make Inivos the experts in infection prevention and control. This week we meet our IT Supervisor, Greg Claridge.
What does a typical day look like for you?
My typical day would be busy and varied, often challenging but always rewarding.
What is something only a few people know about you?
I won an Oscar!
Congratulations, please tell us more!
In 2017, I did the sound design and mix for a short film called “The Silent Child”, about parents struggling to cope with the fact that their 6-year-old daughter is deaf – a subject close to my heart, as one of my best friends has a deaf son.
The film was directed by Chris Overton and Rachel Shenton and stars Masie Sly. It went on to do rather well on the film festival circuit that year and ended up getting shortlisted for an Academy Award. Little did we realise that our little film would go on to win the Oscar for Best Live Action Short in 2018, and it made all the headlines as Rachel Shenton signed her acceptance speech to raise deaf awareness. It was one of my proudest moments and I was so pleased to be a part of it. We had an Oscar party afterwards, of course! The Oscars (Rachel and Chris got one each) and the film did a tour of schools in the UK to raise awareness of how difficult it can be for deaf children to receive support in education. The whole thing was a great boost for the deaf community.
How did you get into your area of work?
By learning on the job and being very technically minded.
What is it about your industry that inspires you?
I love that as a company we’re helping people with everything we do. It’s not like a consumer product which people buy for the sake of wanting it, what we produce and sell genuinely helps people in need and that’s so rewarding.
Imagine there are now 25 hours in a day, what would you do with that extra hour?
I would ride my motorbike for an extra hour.
What do you enjoy most about working at Inivos?
The fast pace, amazing people and great work ethic.
What are your interests outside of work?
I love music, I’m a mobile DJ for weddings and events. I also love to play the piano and I mix the sound for short films. Leisure wise, I love going for walks, running and cycling.
From your time here at Inivos, tell me about a work achievement that you are most proud of.
My proudest moment was getting recognition in person from various managers that the new starter induction was top-notch and they had received feedback saying as much. When I started, this one of the first tasks I had to achieve as there wasn’t an IT induction at that point, so to go from nothing to receiving high praise filled me with joy and pride.
What advice do you have for someone just starting out in your area of work?
Be prepared for anything, you never know what’s around the corner!
Thanks for your time, Greg!
We hope you enjoyed meeting Greg, keep an eye out for the next post in our series when we will be meeting Wendy Ford, our Social Media Expert.
If you would like to donate or find out more about raising awareness for deaf children, please visit the link below.
