Sean unleashes his inner entrepreneur

That was the case for Larne man Sean Ramsey, who has just launched his own computer repair business in the town.

Sean, who is qualified in electrical and mechanical engineering, worked at Ivex Pharmaceuticals before being made redundant in 2010.

He then spent more than two years on the hunt for a job in electronic maintenance, but time and again Sean met with disappointment and frustration.

“I was doing my best to find employment in my chosen field, including taking on courses such as the Steps To Work programme to improve my employability, but it felt that every opportunity was passing me by,” he told the Times.

However, all that was to change after Mark McCord, a careers advisor at the Jobs and Benefits Office, planted the seed of an idea in Sean’s brain.

“One day Mark asked me if I had ever considered going into business for myself. I must admit I had never really thought about it before, but I took the idea and ran with it.

“It had been pointed out to me by my mechanical engineering teacher, Alan McLorie, that I had a knack for working with computers. That had not been something I had ever intended to get into as a career, but I was able to pick it up quite quickly so I decided to pursue it,” the former St Comgalls College pupil said.

Once he had decided he was going to establish his own computer repair company, Sean took the bull by the horns and signed up for a training course with the Princes Trust, designed to give him a better understanding of how to run a business.

Sean’s fledgling company, SR Computers, is now up and running and he is adamant that it was the right move for him at exactly the right time in his life.

“It is the best thing I have ever done and there is nothing holding me back,” he added.

Sean laid out the aim of SR Computers in simple and straight-forward terms: “If your computer is running slow, I will make it run fast.

“I carry out virus removals, system maintenance, software and operating system updates, and other jobs that will help improve the performance of people’s computers in the Larne area.

“I perform my work at the client’s home and have a no-fix, no-fee policy. I will also walk the client through exactly what I am doing as I go along to give them peace of mind.”

The modest 22-year-old claimed he would not have made it to where is today without the encouragement and support of those around him.

“People like Mark and Alan really gave me the push I needed to do something constructive with my life. Mark also ran his own business and so he has been providing me with invaluable knowledge. There are many others who have also influenced and guided me, including my mentor, David Gillespie of LEDCOM.

“Looking ahead, I am planning to take up a computer course this September at Newtownabbey NRC to help me expand my knowledge base and allow me to offer an even better service to Larne residents,” Sean concluded.

Anyone interested in the service provided by SR Computers can contact Sean directly by calling 0756 494 3111.