think computer science is for nerds? think again! ABOUT JOHN VOLANTHEN JOHN VOLANTHEN, CEO AND COMPUTER CONSULTANT, WAS CEO, Hub Network Services ONE OF THE DIVERS WHO RESCUED THE FOOTBALL TEAM IN THAM LUANG CAVE, THAILAND. HE TELLS US WHY THERE’S MORE Cave Rescue Diver, Cave Rescue TO A JOB IN COMPUTER SCIENCE THAN CODING Organisation, South and Mid Wales Cave Rescue

“As CEO, I ensure the company is YOU STUDIED ELECTRONICS IT ABOUT CAVING THAT DREW YOU IN moving in the right direction, both AT DE MONTFORT UNIVERSITY. AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE? from an organisational point of view WHY ELECTRONICS? and also from a technology perspective. I have always liked the balance or difference It’s about ensuring we deliver the best I chose electronics originally so as not to end between a physical hobby such as climbing, solutions for customers t meet their up spending my life behind a screen. The world caving or running, and being inside, nice and dry needs both now and in the future.” has changed considerably since then. I have and warm. Caving presents physical challenges to found the discipline used in electronic design has overcome and enjoy – plus it allows teams to get helped me immensely, along with the experience to know each other much better than through WORLD RECORDS I gained during work experience and my first job sports such as football. after university. Deepest British cave dive, completed with Richard Stanton in 2004 I still take scouts caving today. SO, HOW DID YOU TO GET Longest cave dive, completed in the INTO COMPUTING? Pozo Azul caves, Spain, with Richard, HOW DID YOU GET INTO CAVE DIVING? Jason Mallinson and René Houben By chance! I ended up in a house with three in 2010 Scouts get to free dive short sumps (flooded computer scientists in my second year at cave sections) in a safe manner, with no university. We also had programming lessons breathing apparatus. At various points in my in assembler (ASM) and Pascal [computer AWARDS caving career the leaders would point to a programming languages]. With the help of my loner sump and declare it ‘impossible’. That was Royal Humane Society award for the house mates I made good progress and found I undoubtedly the seed for me. I don’t like to think rescue attempt of a diver in a French could conceptualise data and program flows. of things as impossible – I want to ask ‘how?’. cave, 2012 My degree had a sandwich year in work WHAT ABOUT CAVE RESCUE DIVING? Bronze Cross, The Scout Association’s [sandwich courses are degrees that involve HOW DID YOU GET INTO THAT? highest honour, awarded for the Thai a year working in industry]. I spent a year at cave rescue, 2018 Great Ormond Street Hospital in the medical I’m not sure anyone chooses to go into cave electronics department. At that time, interfacing rescue diving. In the UK, at least, cave rescue Pride of Britain for ‘Outstanding computers to medical devices was a relatively is voluntary, and local cave rescue groups look Bravery’, awarded for the Thai cave new idea. While working there, and through my to the cave diving group to provide support for rescue, 2018 subsequent years of employment, I found I had a rescues as and when it is required. I have been flair for developing software and interfaces. I also involved in a number of incidents over the years, studied for and gained an MSc in information some with happy endings, most not. ABOUT HUB NETWORK systems design. SERVICES (HNS) Rescues of non-divers are very rare events, and Later, I worked for a small internet services HNS is primarily an internet always an absolute last resort due to exceptionally provider and decided I could do a better job. Out services and connectivity provider. high risks for both the rescuer and the casualties. of that, HNS was born. The company delivers connectivity Normally, this type of specialist rescue involves solutions to businesses. These involve the body recovery of cave divers who have YOUR INTEREST IN CAVING STARTED connecting large numbers of sites encountered difficulties of some sort or another WHEN YOU WERE A SCOUT. WHAT WAS together, sometimes to the internet, and drowned. Tham Luang was the exception. data centres and/or cloud services – usually a combination of all three. John explores the Rinquelle Resurgence cave in Switzerland.

YES, YOU WERE PART OF THE to non-cavers why the children could not remain I might have agreed with you 25 years ago, but RESCUE TEAM THAT SAVED 12 YOUNG in the cave but, writing this now in December, FOOTBALLERS AND THEIR COACH not today. Good computer scientists require the water level in Tham Luang still hasn’t dropped a very different mindset and understanding TRAPPED IN THE THAM LUANG CAVE enough to walk out. IN THAILAND. WERE YOU SCARED AT than just playing games. All businesses need ANY POINT? highly competent IT teams and individuals, all YOU MENTIONED IN AN INTERVIEW the way up to board level [top management]. WITH THE BBC THAT CAVE DIVING “IS These people, male and female, employ a raft The diving conditions at Tham Luang were well VERY CALCULATING, VERY CALM”. within our capabilities, although there were some of skills, including communications, finance and DOES IT HELP TO HAVE A HEAD many others. specific difficulties that required great respect – FOR MATHS? the low visibility, and the complexity and size of the passage in places needed concentration. The FINALLY, WHAT ADVICE DO YOU Maths helps with diving to some degree, but I HAVE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO scary part was taking another human life from think the real key is problem solving – being able a relative place of safety, placing them directly ARE CONSIDERING A CAREER IN to look at all the variables of a situation, make a COMPUTING, BUT ARE A LITTLE UNSURE in harm’s way and being solely responsible for sensible rational decision and follow it through. their survival. WHETHER COMPUTER SCIENCE IS I liken this to the old problem with the chicken, FOR THEM? the fox and the grain, and how to get them across WHAT WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF THAT the river – Google it! RESCUE MISSION? Computer science offers not just a grounding in traditional programming, but also in structured A TYPICAL STEREOTYPE OF SOMEONE The success rate was unexpected. Given the thinking – and now offers a career path from a WORKING IN COMPUTERS IS THAT OF coding job all the way to the boardroom. difficulty of the mission, to achieve 100% success A NERD WITH TERRIBLE SOCIAL SKILLS. was almost unbelievable. It is very hard to explain WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THAT?

"COMPUTER SCIENCE OFFERS NOT JUST A GROUNDING IN TRADITIONAL PROGRAMMING, BUT ALSO IN STRUCTURED THINKING - AND NOW OFFERS A CAREER PATH FROM A CODING JOB ALL THE WAY TO THE BOARDROOM"