Meet Mike, our CMS trainer

We build our client sites in the SilverStripe CMS because it's a useful system for developers, but also because it’s great for content authors. Although it's so easy to use, you probably want someone to show you around the first time, so if you're a commercial client of ours, your training is likely to come from our CMS training and client support specialist Michael Andrewartha. He trained me when I started at SilverStripe, and he'll probably train you too. This blog focuses a lot on the finished products we deliver for clients, so I thought it would be nice to take the time today to chat with Mike about the work that he does.

You've worked at SilverStripe for approximately a million years, right? Or how long exactly has it been?
I started in June 2004, that makes it over six years.

Have you been training clients how to use the CMS for that whole time?
No, it's been a natural progression with providing SilverStripe support. Over time I've needed to visit clients and do one- on-one training, and they gave good feedback about me. I've been doing training more frequently as the company has grown, and now it’s become my official title.

Do you generally do training inhouse, or at the offices of clients?
I prefer inhouse training but I'm also happy to visit clients when needed.

How long do you usually spend with people?
It depends on the amount of support needed, but usually the overview training sessions go for an hour, and if the client wants more specific training they can just let us know.

What do people pick up on quickest about the SilverStripe CMS?
The page tree makes it easy to find where content is on the site, and also editing pages is a breeze with a content editor that is similar to editing a Word document.

Have you learnt more about the CMS by teaching it?
I've discovered its quirks and also how to get around them - quite often from users which is interesting. I've also found where people struggle with editing their sites, which helps with future training sessions so I can try and spend more time helping others avoid these issues.

What are the biggest issues to overcome for someone learning SilverStripe for the first time?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions and play with the site on the draft area (that’s what it's there for)!

Any hilarious anecdotes or stories about training to share?
I'll tell you the most embarrassing - I once turned up to a training session at a client's office and the test site was broken. I had to make a couple of frantic calls to a developer at the office to find out what was the problem, and the meeting continued. I learnt quickly to make sure all developers working on the project know when I am doing a training session, and that no one touches the test site till after the training!

Finally, what do you like the best about providing training?
What I like is interacting with the clients - the personal side, I guess. I like helping them discover SilverStripe and answering questions.