A second generation Heathrow security officer has returned from Las Vegas where he spoke in front of 20,000 people at the Microsoft annual conference.
Samit Saini, who has lived his entire life in West Drayton , worked at Heathrow Airport for 14 years. However, that last year has been spent developing apps to help make the airport run more smoothly.
"My dad worked as a security officer at Heathrow for 27 years and I did my work experience there when I was 14. I left school at 16 to work at the airport" Samit told getwestlondon .
"I always knew I would work at Heathrow growing up, because where else would I possibly want to work?
"I was a security officer for 13 years, where we used Excel to do a lot of our work. We had a translations book to help us speak to people who don't understand English.
"There was so much paperwork involved in that job and it took up so much of our time, so I started exploring Powerapps from Microsoft which we all have installed on our computers".
Samit, who says he had no real experience with computers beyond being taught how to use Microsoft Office while at Uxbridge High School , went on to develop a language translation app that passengers could use while travelling through airport security.
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Refreshingly, for an IT bod, Samit speaks with incredible speed and passion and you can tell that he is enjoying every minute of explaining what he does and how he does it.
Samit says he was encouraged by his managers and colleagues to learn programming and work on building the apps.
"I used to stay up late at night learning about computers and working to build these apps," Samit said. Just over a year later he has built 17 apps using the platform and was invited to chat with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella at Microsoft Inspire speaking to a crowd of 20,000 people in Las Vegas and streaming to tech enthusiasts across the world.
He said: "I'd never even been to a conference before you know, I haven't even been to university, and suddenly there I was with 20,000 people in the audience speaking with the CEO of Microsoft.
"At the time I couldn't even see or hear anything but Satya, but only when I watched it afterwards did I realise people were clapping. People were actually clapping.
"It has been amazing for my confidence now, I feel like I could do anything."
Exactly a year ago, Samit Saini was offered a job at Heathrow's IT department. Since accepting he has been working on other apps to improve processes to save the airport time and streamline processes.
Samit, who is just 32-years-old and still living in West Drayton, just ten minutes away from one of the world's busiest airports.
"Another reason I loved my job is that I met my wife there," admits Samit.
"The moment I saw her I said I would marry her and a month later we were engaged.
"Every manager I have had at the airport has been so supportive and Heathrow is amazing but it is the people who make it amazing. There are so many people to be thankful to for me getting this far."
Asked if children should be taught more technology, Samit replied "No. I've always believed in learning what you love and pursuing that.
"I have two children, aged just five and two, and it's silly but I'm always telling them learn what you enjoy and go after it".
