So this is me, writing about me as if i'm not me! Thank you to @michelle.gent for providing this task and offering the mentorship on how to tell a good story.
The brief: Write your introduction to the group. Who you are, what you've done, what you'd like to achieve from this - but write it as an observation, not as 'you' but as an observer.
I'd like to introduce Matthew, better known as Praada, he is a 28 year old adrenaline junkie from the small village of Tibshelf in Derbyshire.
By day, he works in an office in Chesterfield for an Architects' Journal Top 50 voted practice called Whittam Cox Architects. The start of his architectural career came as a complete fluke and accident when still in secondary school. His careers teacher, Mr Pope had been contacted by the now late Mr Powre-Smith of Powrie-Smith Architects, asking for students to apply for an apprenticeship work placement.
At the time, Matthew was clueless about what an architect did apart from the fact he knew they designed buildings. Interested in the opportunity and having nothing else planned post-secondary education, he decided to give them a call and sure enough he was invited for an interview and a weeks work experience.
After a successful interview, he began his apprenticeship whilst still completing his GCSE exams, working in a morning then leaving for school to complete an exam in the afternoon and vice versa. This showed Mr Powrie-Smith that Matthew was willing and committed to work whilst under pressure.
The next 5 years flew by, Matthew had succesfully completed his GCSE studies and by now had also obtained an ONC in Building Studies at West Nottinghamshire College. It was time to spread his wings and look for another architectural practice where his career could progress further. Thankful for his good start in the real world, he handed his notice in after sealing a position of junior technician at the formerly named WCEC architects in Chesterfield, where he still works to this day under the re-branded Whittam Cox Architects.
Whittam Cox funded for Matthew to attend university on a 6 year part time course in Architectural Technology. Currently in his final year, the stress and hard work is almost paid off as his responsibilities within the work place constantly increase and job title rightfully revised to Architectural Technologist.
Although he has sealed what some may call a fantastic and stable career, Matthew still had room for more and 3 years ago was given the chance to perform a live DJ set at a well known nightclub in Sheffield, The Plug, recently renamed The Warehouse. From here his nightlife career took off and soon after this had sealed a residency at the Victoria Warehouse in Manchester supporting huge DJ names in the Electronic Dance scene, whilst managing to keep his night life and day life completely separate. What started as a hobby became a paid affair once or twice a month.
Around a year ago, whilst having a day of no lectures on his release day to university, he was sat in his good friend Josh's front room when they came across an urban exploration website on the internet. After an hour or so of browsing they discovered that there were lots of places locally, above and below ground worth having a look. Being the adrenaline junkie he is, took the preference of the below ground locations and together with Josh, headed to Tesco to buy some torches and batteries.
This was the start of the mining adventures for Matthew. The excitement and danger gave him a new passion and soon after the first mine explore, he was signed up on all the forums and finding locations all over the UK.
This leads us to the present and to date has played over 100 DJ gigs, explored over 40 different abandoned mine workings and worked on countless architectural projects. There is so much contrast between his day job, night job and hobbies! Certainly not your stereotypical architect so to speak!
I think this is enough about Matthew for one day, if you like the sound of him, drop him a follow @praada where he shares all his mining adventures as well as photo's of projects he has worked on as an Architectural technologist.