FROM successful international rucks to mucking in to provide IT and communications solutions and support for businesses large and small, Kyle Johnston has converted his winning ways from the sports pitch to the business arena.
Born in Dundonald, Kyle attended Methodist College in Belfast where he described rugby as his chosen focus.
By the age of 19 he was playing for London Irish earning £650 a week and went on to study at Brunel University where he said that again rugby was the highlight of the curiculum for him.
"I was accepted into University I believe not as a result of my outstanding academic qualifications more, I fear, to do with international schoolboy XV performances," he said.
"So my first job playing for the London Irish involved running around a large grassy field having chunks removed and removing chunks from others.
"Fortunately this pain and cold mornings have all gone and has been replaced with the ridiculous idea to run my first marathon in May."
However Kyle took the decision that he would not pursue rugby as a permanent career, instead picking IT.
"I made that decision as IT is so diverse and I seemed to have a head for it." Kyle has now been working in the ICT industry for more than 10 years and for the last five months has been working for Leaf Consultancy.
"Officially the working hours are 9am - 5.15pm but realistically this works out to at least 8am-6pm, not just due to the fact that we are extremely busy but due to ensuring our clients receive the level of service they demand.
"By this I mean responding to clients morning noon and night. If they are working at eight in the evening then why should we not be as well," he explained. "I work five days in the office and two at home.
"The industry we work in doesn't stop and neither can we, I have a new HTC Windows 7 phone which permits me most of the functionality I have in the office albeit with a limiting screen size, so I'll often be caught head buried in my phone while out and about with the family."
Kyle says his typical day usually starts at the crack of dawn with some slightly less glamorous tasks to take care of.
"I am up at 6.30am - change nappies, coffee and out the door and in the office for 8-8.20arri, strong coffee and responding to emails client requests and confirming meetings.
"I could be in the office all day or in/out with clients and partners all day, generally a hybrid of both."
He says his main responsibilities include ensuring that clients are "educated in the ever developing world of ICT solutions". "My role allows me to deal with both new and existing clients as well as the development of leading edge ICT solutions," he said.
"Essential skills for this work include the ability to learn and absorb information very quickly, due to the rate of change in technology.
"Empathy, the ability to listen, being approachable, tenacity and a professional mannerism are all key."
Kyle said one of the most important things to him in a job is working for a forward thinking company with drive, ambition to succeed, and passion.
"Also ensuring my colleagues and I have a high level of qualifications in our areas of expertise," he said.
"This makes an enormous difference in our ability to provide a first class service.
"The industry we work in is diverse and includes both small and larger organisations each with their own challenges.
"Our mantra for success is 'to do what we say we are going to do when we say we are going to do it'."
Kyle said he would advise students hoping to work in