Photo: Wes (second from left) poses with his girlfriend, Ghesika, and their friends while visiting Yosemite.
Yuba Water Agency's information system analyst, Wesley Morse, characterizes himself as a "mechanic for computers and servers," ensuring that all of the programs, databases and servers are communicating and working properly. Scroll to learn more about Wes, his background and some of the activities he enjoys in his free time.
What does your average day look like? Or what are some of your essential duties?
My day starts with putting out any information systems-related fires (figuratively speaking) that may have happened after hours before attending morning meetings. After that, I run through any planned maintenance on our servers and systems and assist our helpdesk with anything they may need. I then work with our information systems team to complete any projects that are in the works. There is a never-ending flow of work in information systems and I relish every moment to make our systems better and to learn more.
Do your duties differ throughout the year? And if so, how?
I have yet to hit my one-year mark as a systems analyst, but I imagine that my duties will not differ too much on the daily. As I accrue more experience and time in the role, my duties may expand, though - from taking on more projects to being the owner of other new systems that we implement.
Photo: Wes and his fellow Yuba Water coworkers celebrate winning the "People's Choice Award" at the 2023 Yuba-Sutter Lip Sync Battle.
What is your background/formal education that led to where you are in your career today?
Before starting with Yuba Water, I had a little more than eight years of hands-on experience in the information technology sector. The majority of that was in a hybrid/system administrator role.
How did you get involved in your current career path?
I started building my own computers in high school because I loved PC gaming. After building computers for several other family members, I figured I could make a job out of something like that. From there, I got my first tech job working at Staples as an "Easy Tech" and the rest is history.
What do you like most about working for Yuba Water?
I enjoy the people! My coworkers truly make it a great place to work and everyone is so willing to help each other. I wouldn't trade that for anything.
What do you like to do in your free time?
One of my favorite pastimes is hiking. My proudest personal hiking achievement is summiting Half Dome in Yosemite. I also love to play video games when I have free time. For exercise, I am part of a jiu-jitsu and Muay Thai gym in Yuba City.
What are three words you would use to describe Yuba Water?
Impactful, positive, transformative.