INTERVIEW: Liam Blakers, Software Engineer

Liam Blakers is a software engineer, and is currently employed by IGT Australia. IGT is renowned as the world leader in the design, development and manufacture of microprocessor based gaming products. Liam’s desire to create and build things, were the two motivating forces that influenced his decision to make a career in software engineering. A number of games he had developed have been released in Crown Casino, Victorian pubs & clubs, various clubs in NSW and Queensland. He currently holds a Masters of Information Technology majoring in Software Engineering.

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Tony: What is it about IT [Information Technology] that find appealing?

Liam: I am drawn to software engineering. The idea of creating software appeals to me very much.  I like the mental challenge of solving various problems while creating the software, as well as seeing the end product being used. I get a real kick out of my work being seen and used in public.

Tony:  It’s being creative, and it is very satisfying to see the end results of your work, especially when people respond positively.

Liam: Yes, it is very satisfying. It is like elbowing a friend in the ribs, pointing them to my work, and say “I built that”.

Tony: Much like a writer who points at a show, TV, movie, or book, and says “I wrote that.”

Liam: Yep.

Tony: How do you navigate your career as a deaf person?

Liam: Hmmm, well up until about 6/7 years ago I didn’t really see myself as a “deaf” person, but rather as hearing impaired (without going into the whole debate about labels)… but the nature of my work is mostly sitting in front of a computer and bashing the keyboard.  This makes it easier in some ways as people can write emails detailing what they want as opposed to telling me in person.

When I first started full-time work, the company I worked for was very proactive about my “deafness” and we explored options in getting a special phone, etc.  However, by that time, I lost too much of my residual hearing to be able to take advantage of assistive devices for the phone.  So I told my employer it’s easier all round to get people to email me.

Meetings were a problem as I struggle in group situations so I just bluff my way through, although when a question was directed at me I had to ask someone to put it into context. On the whole I’ve never really experience discrimination, none that I could see anyway.

Things had changed quite a bit since I got the cochlear implant. This meant that I could start using the phone, participate in meetings a little more, etc., but I still ask people to email me rather than calling me!

Tony: Is that preference for email, a diehard habit, or an aid to clarify communication?

Liam: Bit of both. Emails create a trail in case I forget or if other people forget the topic or issue being discussed.

Tony: I notice your business partner, in the glamour website project you are working on, is hearing.

Liam: Yep. As I said most of the communication is in email and sometimes we’d talk issues through on the phone, and then summarise what was discussed in an email for future reference.

Tony: Do you see yourself as promoting deaf awareness on any level?

Liam: No, not really. Sometimes my work colleagues would be curious about my implant and ask me questions about it.  Because I don’t sign at work they know very little about the cultural side of the Deaf community and so on. What I’m trying to say is when I’m at work I’m more hearing than deaf if that makes sense?

Tony: Yes it does. So your deafness doesn’t really come into play in your work place?

Liam: Not to the point where people start avoiding me or where they’re uncomfortable around me.  I do have this habit of hearing a babble of words without really understanding what was said and when I say something in response it’s usually exactly or similar to what my colleague said.

Tony: [Wan Smile] something that happens to us all.

Liam: It can be annoying, but on the whole, being “deaf” doesn’t really have an impact.  I guess partly because I can be “hearing” at work and sometimes if someone’s voice is not being projected well enough for me to hear I’d get them to repeat it.

Tony: Yes, as most Deafies who work in an all hearing environment can attest to. When I first met you, you were very much an IT boffin, right into programming, etc, then your interest waned, and in the last year, you found yourself coming back to IT, especially programming.

Liam: Yeah I remember that. At the time I was stuck on a software development project where I couldn’t see a way for me to advance my career, so my motivation to try something new was pretty high at the time. Also, it can be tiring having to constantly keep your skills up to date due to the rapid changes in technology.

Personally I was kinda stuck as well. At the time I was still using hearing aids and they were slowly becoming useless, which also affected my outlook on life in general.  I made the decision to get the implant and to go back to university to upgrade my skills so I could get a better job.

Going back to university was fun. It was new, shiny, stimulating, rapid exchange of ideas and concepts and I was meeting new people at the same time. It was also the first time I had used Auslan interpreters.

When I used the Auslan interpreters I realised how much knowledge I had missed out on during my undergraduate days.  I’m still kicking myself for not learning Auslan much earlier or at least seek out the deaf community earlier. I think I’d probably would have done something other than IT had I used the interpreters… but there’s little point in pondering that now

Tony: Well that is an interesting proposition…to say that if u had access in the past you would be doing something different.

Liam: Yes it is.

Tony: Do you have any idea what that something might be?

Liam: I don’t know. I probably would have done something in philosophy or psychology, as I had little interest in finance, economics or law.

Tony: But I think the point is that your communication choices or rather, your access choices actually influenced what you ultimately chose to study? In fact u could say that it influenced the career path you took.

Liam: Yes you’re right, or at least I would have taken more time to explore other areas of study before settling on a career path. Because in lectures I’d have the interpreter present, I had to concentrate & absorb what was being taught as well as absorbing the questions & discussions about the subject.  You learn a whole lot more than just reading a book.

Tony: Do you see IT and programming as your permanent career path or long term career goal?

Liam: Not permanently no, as I realise being an employee for life doesn’t appeal to me.  Going into business in a related area is a better way to go. Even that path requires you to learn even more.

Tony: Where do you see your career taking you?

Liam: At this stage I’m not sure. This partly because I am waiting to see what will happen with the online business, whether or not it will pay off in the long run.  If that fails, I know that I can always try something else. That said, I’ve learnt a great deal about running a business in general, and it is quite overwhelming what you need to know.

Tony: Yes it is…and it is an ongoing learning process as I am finding out. Going back a bit, you’ve never really let yr deafness stand in the way of what you wanted to do.

Liam: Never. I’ve never seen it as an impediment to what I wanted to do in life (within reason). You see, it’s also part of my upbringing in my family. My parents had raised us to be independent as much as possible. Also another reason is due to limited exposure to the deaf community while I was growing up.  I never learnt concepts about access, deaf identity, hearing identity and so on.

Tony: And now that you are being exposed to access, Deaf identity, Hearing identity, and so on, are they opening up other possibilities that you never dreamed of?  Will you take career change and delve into philosophy for example?

Liam: Well, not really, with access for sure as it would have given me an education with more “depth”.

Tony: Sure.

Liam: As for opportunities and possibilities, that’s a hard one, because it’s also your attitude to life, other people in general also, has a role in shaping how you view the world. I’ve found in the deaf community in general there is a sense of “us vs. them” mentality, which no doubt gives people a different perspective on life in general.

Tony: That “us vs. them” mentality, while true, is understandable. However, a friend of mine had remarked that when Deaf people talk about their work and career, for example, even professional organisations, they think of themselves as Deaf first and not professional first. As in Deaf Professional Network, as opposed to Professional Deaf Australians who think of themselves as professionals first!

Liam: I agree. I’ve never thought about my deafness where my work is concerned. When I apply for jobs, I don’t state I’m deaf or when I go into interviews I just tell them this is the deal then concentrate on what I can do for them and so on. I’ve found that’s the best way to go about it.

Tony: With your glamour photography website, you have taken the step of setting up your own business.

Liam: The reality is a friend started it, and then I jumped on board.

Tony: But you have your own company, is that correct?

Liam: Oh yes, “on paper”.  I forgot to tell you I was going to go down the path of creating games and apps for the iphone, and use that business to handle it.  And use the same business while working on the online photography site.

Liam: But it didn’t work out that way at the moment because most of my free time is spent on the photography site (it’s unbelievable how much work is involved) so I can’t do the iphone apps side of things and when I signed the share holder’s agreement it states individuals not companies or trusts etc can own shares in the business…It’s funny how things work out doesn’t it.

Tony: But tripping the light fantastic for a moment, if you do decide to follow your desire to create iphone apps, games etc, what kind of things are u looking at creating?

Liam: Mostly novelty apps, as for games well I was going to apply some of the principles I had learnt in designing gaming machines into my “casual games”. That was it I hadn’t got as far as designing one yet.

Tony: Is the prospect of designing one appealing?

Liam: Yes, because it’s stimulating meaning it keeps my mind busy and will stop me from going bonkers.

Tony: LOL…….and tell me, if were to create games how would u target the deaf market?

Liam: The same way I’d target the hearing market. Think about it, there’s little need for sound in these games its mostly visual so…

Tony: Well, some would say, as you yourself, have said to me in the past, sound does add to the timbre of the experience!

Liam: LOL.  Yes, different context Tony!

Tony: No not really, speaking to a hearing friend he has to have sound on whilst watching movies….. It adds to the timbre of the experience, and hence by extension wouldn’t you say that applies to games…. we are talking two different cultural approaches to sound!

Liam: It depends on the game and yes since you put it that way yes sound does add an “extra dimension” to the experience.  You also got to remember a deaf person will be looking at the visual aspects of the game where as the hearing person will want to have sound or they could just turn the sound off and use the iPod while playing the game.

Tony: I appreciate that……after all, on one of the projects I am working on, I will be organising a band, music and related paraphernalia. As a Deafie though, it would make for interesting relationships working on a project that involves audio.

Liam: Kinda ironic being a Deafie organising projects involved with music & sound. But I do recall you mentioning that you grew up with lots of music?

Tony: I did, and ironic as it is, it’s a good thing wouldn’t you say? We can be trailblazers!

Liam: Yep it can be a good thing.

Tony: Do you see yourself as a trailblazer?

Liam: I’ve never really thought of myself as a trailblazer. I am just open to exploring new possibilities.