Hello my name is Clarke Towson. I’m a High Performance Computing system administrator.

So - why have I - a HPC system administrator, started a recruitment and contracting company?

Let me start today by telling you what I believe. I believe that the future of high performance computing in Australia is great. There are scientists, engineers, mathematicians and others who are working for Australian companies, government departments and academic institutions that are using HPC to innovate and to deliver value to shareholders and to the Australian people and society. Using HPC to Make scientific discoveries and building wealth for our great country is a very important undertaking. Innovation is paramount. I believe that Australia needs more innovators - we especially need more people working in the high performance computing field. We can’t simply rely on our natural resources, digging rocks from the ground and selling them overseas.

HPC is an area of computing that is very hard to recruit people for. There are a number of reasons for this. First and foremost is the fact that not many people have had the opportunity to work on a supercomputer before and therefore don’t have the experience and it’s hard to get a job without experience. Those who have a year or so of experience can command bigger dollars overseas and many leave our great country for opportunities in HPC abroad.

HPC is a small world here in Australia. Everybody seems to know or know of each other. I see and hear the names of the same distinguished people all the time in my work. I know there are those of you who are out there who would like to work in the field, to build up your skills and experience and make a contribution to HPC in Australia. But where do you start? Where do you get access to a supercomputer? There are not too many places in Australia with supercomputing facilities.

This company of mine I have started because I recognised the need for a small, boutique recruitment and contracting agency which needed to be run by a technology expert and not just another sales or business person who doesn’t understand the technology nor people like ourselves. I started this company not for the money, not for the fame. I started this company as there was nobody else around with my background to do it. There are times in life when the techies have to stand up and take the lead in order to build value which would not be possible had the techie remained in the background. This is one of those times ladies and gentlemen.

I want you today to tell people that I’m here. That I’m interested in meeting others like ourselves who are obsessed with technology. Obsessed with linux, with programming, with working through frustration with blood, sweat and tears, being determined to develop solutions to complex, challenging problems. I’m looking for you. For those of you with a hard sciences degree, with a background, skills and experience in HPC and linux. Get in contact with me. Make yourselves known. Work with me. Send me through your resumes. Meet with me in person. Let’s open a dialog - let’s get to know each other and discover how we can work together to innovate and add value to the HPC industry in Australia. Think of me as a beacon. A lighthouse if you will. Shining a light to help guide you. There is great value in us connecting with each other and developing a professional working relationship.

People don’t buy what you do they buy why you do it. I’m here talking to you today because I believe that we have great opportunity in Australia to build our HPC capacity and to make a significant difference to this great nation and our people. I care about this and so should you. My goal is to do business with people like ourselves who believe what I believe. Have a good look through this website. I’m building it for you and I will expand it over time and yes i’m building it myself using my programming skills. This company is currently a company of one. I hope that you will consider contributing to it as well in some way. I will be adding functionality shortly to enable you to upload your resumes and will also be adding the ability for employers to advertise vacancies in the HPC field as well as other functionality of benefit to all of us.

The future of HPC in Australia looks bright. This video is about me saying i’m here. I’m working in this space. I’m not a salesman. I’m a techie just like you and i’m here for the right reasons. Look past the suit and tie and see me for the computer nerd I am. I’m doing this for the benefit of all of us. High Performance Computing in Australia is expanding. Many of you would know that last year President Obama signed an executive order calling for the United States to build the worlds fastest supercomputer by 2025. Exaflop computing is coming. Closer to home, there are Australian companies, academic institutions and government bodies that are expanding their supercomputing capacity. This is a great time to be involved in HPC. I’m excited about the future possibilities my friends. Possibilities made possible only due to the contributions of people like us who are working in the HPC space.

Now - I can’t promise you a job in HPC but what I can promise you is if you and I are in contact with one another and I believe in you I will certainly put my reputation on the line and make you known to the distinguished people I know who work in HPC. That’s the point I step back and you do the convincing as starting this company means I cannot be involved in any selection process nor be on a panel to select HPC specialists in my day job. There are other learned people who can do this. These people don’t have the time to do what I’m doing here with this company so overall we all benefit anyway. You never know - you and I may one day be working alongside one another as colleagues. You might even be on a level in the hierarchy higher than me from day one and that’s OK. If I can find you and put you forward as an applicant to Australian companies, academic institutions and government departments as a high performance computing specialist - especially those of you with more skills, experience and and achievements than my own in HPC I will be a very happy man knowing that I have helped contribute to HPC in Australia in this most important people capacity.

That’s it from me for today ladies and gentlemen. I look forward to meeting you.

All the best!

I’m Clarke Towson