Hi, I'm William.

I'm a Cape Town-based SQL and BI developer with over 6 years of experience in building innovative data and reporting solutions.

MS SQL Server, Reporting Services (SSRS), and Power BI are what I do best, but my interests extend to all kinds of tech - whatever is needed to get the job done. My current interests include the Azure platform (machine learning in particular) and web development.

Experience

2019 - Present
Freelance Data Engineer

  1. Development of custom Power BI reports to client specifications
  2. SQL Server development, maintenance, and performance tuning
  3. Systems integration & business workflow automation using SQL Server
  4. Examples of solutions created or contributed to include:
    1. A Power BI and SQL-based on-time performance monitoring system for the Gautrain feeder bus network, replacing a slow, manual paper-based system and facilitating real-time insight into fleet performance
    2. Various Power BI reports leveraging data from vehicle tracking systems to evaluate driver and vehicle performance
    3. Integration of several discrete systems used in a client operations centre into a streamlined process with data propagated to other systems from a single point of capture, eliminating error-prone and time-consuming duplication of work

2017 - 2019
Business Intelligence Developer

  1. Maintenance and refinement of existing Power BI solution
  2. Built SQL Server data pipelines from source tables to reporting data warehouse
  3. Performed extensive query and data model tuning to shorten cycle between generation of data and availability for reporting (from up to 24 hours to minutes), while reducing server resource requirements
  4. Implemented monitoring and alerting procedures to escalate data quality and availability issues for human intervention

2012 - 2017
Technical Support Specialist

  1. Level 3 technical support on vehicle tracking hardware and related internal infrastructure
  2. Scripting tracking device configuration files based on customer requirements (Cellocator, Calamp, GoSafe, and various other proprietary platforms)
  3. Responsible for monitoring installed devices for correct operation – Implemented a suite of automated scripts using SQL to automatically detect and escalate deviations, reducing routine quality management workload from +-5 hours of daily manual investigations to <1 hour daily
  4. Developed PHP-based intranet site for use by frontline technical support staff as a self-service facility for many routine requests, deflecting unnecessary escalations and improving time-to-resolution
  5. Developed Excel-based tool to capture customer configuration requirements, detect incompatibilities between requirements and device capabilities, and guide sales staff to a resolution, thereby improving first-time delivery of promised solutions
  6. Project-managed development of suite of reports by USA-based development team, including drafting specifications and acceptance testing
  7. Ad-hoc data analysis using SQL Server, SSRS, Power BI, MS Access, and Excel

Education

2020 B.Sc Hons (Computing) | UNISA

  1. Courses completed: Software project management, software engineering, information security, enterprise architecture (TOGAF & ArchiMate), user experience (UX) design, human-computer interaction (HCI), research methodology
  2. Capstone research report: “A Game-based delivery method for improving cyber-safety awareness”

2015 B.Com (Informatics) | UNISA

  1. Blend of business management and informatics covering range of topics touching on all important areas of business and information systems.
  2. Informatics courses completed include: Systems analysis & design, database design and development, UX design, HCI, e-commerce
  3. Business management courses completed include: Strategic management, marketing management, financial accounting, auditing, risk management, economics, project management

Certifications

Microsoft Certified Associate

  1. 2023-02-15 | Power Platform App Maker Associate (PL-100)
  2. 2022-12-29 | Power BI Data Analyst Associate (exam DA-100 passed 2021-02-19, updated exam PL-300 passed 2022-12-29)
  3. 2022-10-17 | Azure Data Scientist Associate (DP-100)

Microsoft Certified Fundamentals

  1. 2023-01-18 | Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)
  2. 2023-01-17 | Dynamics 365 Fundamentals (ERP) (MB-920)
  3. 2023-01-16 | Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals (SC-900)
  4. 2023-01-03 | Dynamics 365 Fundamentals (CRM) (MB-910)
  5. 2022-01-21 | Power Platform Fundamentals (AZ-900)
  6. 2021-06-21 | Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-900)
  7. 2021-05-21 | Azure Data Fundamentals (DP-900)

AWS

  1. 2021-10-23 | AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner

CompTIA

  1. 2016-03-23 | CompTIA Network+
  2. 2016-02-22 | CompTIA A+