Martin Horder in the Project Office officially retires on 30th September having spent 44 years working at the University (45, if you count his year here as a postgrad). Working in any one place for 44 years is something of a rarity these days and an accomplishment for which Martin should be very proud.
Martin first came to the University in 1974 as a fresh faced postgraduate, studying for an MSc in Mathematical Statistics. After graduating, he began working for the University as a statistician before joining Computer Services in 1978.
The first computer Martin used at the University came with a 20 page manual on how to operate it and you had to pass a test to get access to the locked room in which it was kept. There were 5 steps to turn it on, with a warning to wait at least 15 seconds between each step. There was no screen or mouse, commands were typed in on a teletype (like the football results), and there was a line printer if you needed printed output. The manual had detailed instructions on loading the sprocketed paper into the printer – not as simple as putting a ream of A4 paper into the photocopier.
Things have certainly changed a lot since then. Back in the late 1970s, computers were very specialised and seen by many as not being particularly necessary to the fabric of academic life. 40 years on and computers and technology now underpin everything and for Martin, this is by far the biggest sea change that he has experienced at the University. The speed in which technology has evolved has also meant that that as an IT worker, Martin has had to evolve with it. Throughout the last 44 years, Martin has constantly sought to learn new skills and new technologies and as such his role in IT Services has changed recognisably from those early days. Although, as he freely admits, this has also meant that a lot of what he has learned over the years is now no longer of any use.
Nonetheless, as Martin recently reflected upon in his retirement speech, now that his career at the University comes to a close, he takes away with him two important lessons. One is the importance of understanding one’s strengths. In Martin’s case, this included having a role in reading material, assimilating it, and then passing the knowledge on to others. The other, is knowing that whilst technology will always continue to move forward some things will always stay the same, and that’s the value of the friends he’s made over the years, the support he’s received from colleagues and the fun times they’ve had.
Martin is now looking forward to his retirement and spending more time on his allotment and being a grandparent. He may even finally get round to sorting out his loft. Whatever he chooses to do we wish him a happy retirement and all the very best for the future.