Andrew Lennon, senior automation developer, Lionbridge Technologies

"In 1999, I was unemployed and frequently down in the job centre in Ballymun and I noticed they had posters up for general courses. I picked computers, applied, did the aptitude tests and they told me I had a good suitability for programming.

"To be honest, I didn't even know how to turn a computer on. But I started the course at Whitehall College and I took to it like a duck to water.

"Five months on we had to set up two-month internships. My class went to AIB, but I heard the Clondalkin FIT class was going to Microsoft and asked if I could go along. I joined Microsoft and was put on their automation team.

"They extended my internship by a month, then another month, then six months. But they had a hiring freeze at the time, so they contacted Lionbridge and asked if they would be interested in taking me on as a vendor, then they'd use me on the automation project.

"I had to pack up my desk at Microsoft, then go to the Lionbridge interview. They hired me right there and an hour later, I was back at Microsoft, unpacking my desk.

"It took longer for me to pack my desk than get the job! I've been with Lionbridge ever since.

"Microsoft outsourced the automation project to me and I have a couple of people who work for me. I'm out at Microsoft every few days. FIT was hugely beneficial to me. I never thought I'd be a programmer.

"When you're in that situation [ unemployed] it's hard to see you have these options. In Ballymun, I thought computers definitely weren't an option unless you were college-educated.

"My friends laughed when I went into programming - but now every other day one of them calls to have me help them with their PC."