Jacques Steennot

Background

About Jacques Steennot

Jacques Steennot's journey in the world of technology began at the age of 10 in 1986 when he first encountered a Philips 'home computer' running the Microsoft MSX operating system. It was during this time that he began dabbling in programming using the Microsoft Basic language. As he progressed through high school, Jacques found himself at the forefront of the internet revolution in Belgium in 1994. The internet's boundless potential quickly captured his imagination, leading him to dedicate his time and energy to learning about every facet of it. This dedication persisted during a Sabbatical year when he took on a role at McDonald's to finance his upcoming studies in Computer Science. Upon completing his degree in Applied Computer Science in Diepenbeek in Jacques embarked on a career at Ford Werke AG in Genk. His journey had come full circle, as he had previously interned there, working on the implementation of a production and stock management program. During his tenure at Ford Werke AG, Jacques managed the administration of the Ford Werke AG Belgium Proposal Plan while nurturing his aspirations for a computer-related position. In the spring of Jacques decided to follow his passion and joined Mercury Interactive Corporation in Heverlee (Leuven) as a Support Engineer. His experience with Mercury Interactive's testing tools only deepened his desire to pursue a role as a System Engineer. By the fall of Jacques found himself at the Expertise Centre for Digital Media (EDM) in Diepenbeek, near Hasselt, working as a System Engineer. In this role, he carried out diverse responsibilities such as system administration on a heterogeneous network featuring Windows, Linux, UNIX, and IRIX server platforms. He also handled the installation and maintenance of Windows domain controllers, managed mail, web, FTP, DNS, and NAS servers, and performed firewall maintenance. Additionally, he provided first and second-line support for Windows, macOS, and Linux client systems, played a pivotal role in ordering and recommending hardware and software, and maintained and installed the network infrastructure, which included access points, switches, and routers. Jacques also managed service agreements and liaised with hardware and software suppliers. Following a reorganization at EDM, Hasselt University extended an offer to Jacques, allowing him to transition to the institution's main building and IT team. He continues to serve as a Support Engineer to this day, contributing his knowledge and skills to the university's technological advancements.