Profile
Marcus Davage
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About Me:
I’m a Dad. I tell Dad jokes.
I live with my family in Cardiff. I’m a Software Engineer by day, and a dog-walker, dinner-maker, cleaner-upper and kids taxi driver by night. We speak Welsh at home – to the dog, too. I love watching sci-fi on film and TV (think Doctor Who, Mandalorian, Loki, Blade Runner), reading, listening to music and playing piano. Though not all at once – I’m not that good.
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I’ve worked with IBM Mainframes all my working life – from programmer, database administrator, systems administrator back to programmer again.
Taffi is my coding partner…
I also run a Code Club in a local Welsh-language Primary school on Friday lunchtimes. We have unfeasible amounts of fun with Scratch, BBC micro:bits, and a Raspberry Pi. We make computers go beep boop blink. Last year’s Code Club had 47 kids 😮 – 12 boys and 35 girls!!! Our favourite activity is the combined code-a-thon and visit to the factory in Pencoed where the Raspberry Pi is built.
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How does my work involve computers?:
If you are a bank, an insurance company, a retailer, an airline or a government agency, then you most likely run my company’s software on a very big computer to make your systems run more smoothly and securely.
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My Work:
I’m a mainframe magician who writes code to keep giant computers running smoothly, making sure banks, airlines, and shops work 24/7—like a digital detective solving high-tech puzzles! 🚀💻
I also talk to strangers. No, I mean strange people. No, I mean other computer geeks. Start again. I also give presentations at international tech conferences. (Phew! Got there in the end.)
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Ever wondered how big banks, airlines, and shops keep everything running smoothly 24/7? That’s where mainframe programmers like me come in! 🚀 I work with super-powerful computers (way bigger than your laptop or phone!) that handle hundreds of thousands of transactions every second—like buying stuff online, booking flights, or withdrawing money from an ATM.
I write code to keep these giant machines working fast, safe, and smart. It’s like being a digital detective, solving puzzles to make systems even better. And guess what? Some of this tech is older than your parents, but we keep it running like a well-oiled time machine! 🕰️💻
So next time you tap your card to buy snacks, think of the mainframes (and people like me) working behind the scenes to make it happen! 😃
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My Typical Day:
I work from home, so I firstly make breakfast for those in my family who don’t, making sure they all get off to work/school OK, and then eat my own breakfast, walk the dog, get dressed, shower, and start work – though not necessarily in that order. I normally finish by around 5.30 when I have to make tea (dinner) for the hungry masses. If I can, I try a sneak a swift episode of something on Netflix/Disney+/iPlayer before bed.
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My teams are based in America and India, which are on opposite sides of the globe, so my mornings are pretty free for me to do research and development, and my afternoons are generally meetings.
I also travel a few weeks in the year – mostly speaking at international tech conferences. I love seeing new countries and meeting new people.
I work for Fridays. I love Fridays. Why? CODE CLUB! Did I say I run a Code Club?
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What I'd do with the prize money:
If I were to win the prize money, I would buy kit for the Code Club I run. The kids love it, so more kit means more fun!
I once built a cookiecam – a Raspberry Pi with a camera and a motion sensor, that is hidden in a biscuit tin, that takes your photo and Tweets it when you open it.
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Education:
Junior schools: Risca Town (which they demolished to build a housing estate), followed by Pengam (which they didn’t).
Comprehensive: Rhydfelen (which they demolished to build a housing estate.) (No really.)
University of Wales, Aberystwyth – Computer Science.
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Qualifications:
12 O-levels (before GCSEs!): Welsh (lang & lit), English (lang & lit), Maths, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, History, French, Computer Studies, Music.
3 A-levels: Maths, Physics, Chemistry
BSc (Hons) Computer Science (with music and maths thrown in for good measure)
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Work History:
Helping out in my Mam’s corner shop (->17).
Summer job working in a plastic bucket factory (18-20).
Industrial placement as a Programmer in Llanwern Steelworks. (1 year).
Graduate programmer in Llanwern Steelworks (1 year).
Systems Programmer/Administrator at Port Talbot Steelworks’ Data Centre (6 years).
Database Consultant in London/Manchester (<1 year).
Database Administrator in Newport/Cardiff (20 years).
Software Engineer, Texas, but based in Cardiff (6 years so far).
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Current Job:
I’m a Software Engineer for a Texas-based global software company, but based in Cardiff (6 years so far).
I also run a Code Club, teaching year 6’s how to code. I put the “FUN” into functional programming.
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Employer:
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
maverick mainframe magician
What did you want to be after you left school?
Sadly, a computer programmer!
Were you ever in trouble at school?
Never. I saved my "getting in to trouble" phase for when I started work. Oh, the systems I have broken...!
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
Run a Code Club full time.
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Uhhh... Beethoven? Zaz. Good Boy Daisy. Laufey. Dodie. (Google them. Then see how cool I really am!)
What's your favourite food?
French, Italian, Thai. Basically anything that's stopped moving. And red wine. That's food, right? Right?
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
Peace and quiet; A house in the South of France; that my knees wouldn't hurt.
Tell us a joke.
Why don’t programmers like to go outside? Because there are too many bugs! 🐛🌳😂
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