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(ale)xander pickering

Computer Science Student & Developer

Edmonton, AB ajamespickering@gmail.com linkedin.com/in/alexjpickering

About

Computer Science major at MacEwan University with enterprise desktop-support experience: service desk operations, workstation provisioning, Active Directory, SCCM, and ServiceNow: paired with strong, human-first client relations.

Education

Computer Science Bachelor's Degree MacEwan University · Edmonton, AB
Expected Graduation 2027
  • Introduction to Software Engineering: collaborated with three other developers to build an Android employee scheduling application while studying team-driven development and Agile/Scrum methodologies.
  • Introduction to Game Design: collaborated with three other developers to create a fully-functional, 4K rhythm game in Godot.
  • Programming Methodologies: collaborated with another developer to build a text-based action-adventure RPG using C and ncurses.

Employment Experience

Desktop Support Specialist Alberta Pensions Services Corporation · Edmonton, AB
May 2026 – Present (expected August 2026)
  • Operated the service desk alongside a team of support specialists, taking phone calls and rapidly closing tickets/incident reports to keep up the pace of org-level activities and ensure every employee had a usable work environment.
  • Worked fully on-site daily, handling on-the-go hardware tasks: provisioning new workstations, PXE-booting enterprise Windows onto evergreened corporate machines, and maintaining human-first client relations.
  • Managed internal inventory auditing and compliance/regulatory concerns during downtime.
Sales Associate Canadian Tire · Edmonton, AB
August 2019 – June 2021
  • Collaborated with team members to keep stock palettes and carts organized and accessible.
  • Used strong product knowledge and customer service skills to help customers find the products that best suited their needs.
  • Kept the store well-stocked by restocking shelves and facing aisles regularly so customers always had access to the products they needed.

Projects

Hardware-Integrated Vehicle Telemetry (University Capstone) MacEwan University
2025
  • Designed and implemented a hardware-software bridge between a 2011 VW Jetta dash cluster and the BeamNG.drive simulation platform.
  • Engineered a real-time telemetry interface using custom firmware and microcontroller integration to mirror in-game vehicle data onto physical automotive hardware.
  • Demonstrated practical application of embedded systems, CAN bus communication, and real-time signal processing.
ChatGPT-powered TI-84 Calculator Personal Project
2026
  • Soldered a Pico W wireless mainboard to a headphone cable to bridge a TI-84 to a remote server.
  • Scored 83% on a mock pure-mathematics exam; roasted my mom's cooking when prompted.

Community & Volunteer Leadership

App Help Desk Associate Festival of Trees · Nisku, AB
November 2018 – December 2018
  • Staffed a technology help desk, assisting festival visitors with the proprietary software used for the event.
  • Provided technical support and troubleshooting for software-related issues.
  • Assisted visitors with information on upcoming events and donation options.