Sofia

Hi Sofia! Could you tell us briefly about your background?

Hey, sure! I studied business administration at Turku University of Applied Sciences. As part of the studies, I did an exchange period in Valencia, Spain. That’s where I discovered the subject of information systems development, and was immediately hooked to it. It didn’t take long before I landed my first job in IT, working on a SaaS development project. I spent just over a year working on that before deciding to apply to Capgemini. And here I am!

Recruiter’s comment: There’s room in the Ignite Graduate Program for technical roles like developer, but also more consultative ones like project manager, service delivery manager, service designer and business analyst. That being said, we all share a passion for technology and curiosity to learn. People come from business studies as well as engineering. There is no “right background”. 

What made you choose Capgemini?

So, I found Capgemini’s YPA (currently: Ignite) program online and read some positive experiences from people who had taken the path before. I just felt that we’d be a great match, considering my interest in tech & business, and the possibilities that Capgemini offered. 

What are you working on at the moment?

Right now, I’m knee-deep in an initial requirements analysis for an ERP system. We’re basically gathering and formulating the business requirements for a client’s solution. This may not say much, but the project is very interesting. Not least because we’re using prototyping as a tool to help visualize the potential solution for the users.

Whether you join the program to code, design services, or manage projects, you share the same goal with others: to transform our clients’ businesses with technology and to help them grow. 

What is the most challenging part about your work?

My work deals with a lot of interconnected relationships and requirements for a solution between different stakeholders, business functions and functional components. Meeting all the different needs with the solution’s structural design can be challenging. In other words, there are lots of moving parts, and I need to switch between several perspectives to make the end result work.

Staying on top of the tech field requires continuous learning. In the beginning of your career, this means getting out of your comfort zone and maybe jumping to something very new to you. Team working skills cannot be highlighted enough as that’s what the Ignite program is all about. We help each other learn and succeed, and there isn’t a challenge that we couldn’t overcome together. 

What is the most rewarding thing about your work?

Oh, it’s a great feeling when you get the system design right and all the pieces just fall into place!

In tech consulting, you are constantly building something new and shaping the future of the services that we all use in our everyday life. Like all of us at Capgemini, our Igniters get to work for the biggest companies in Finland and worldwide. In this program, you really get to impact the world around us. 

How would you describe the culture at Capgemini?

I’ve always found the culture encouraging and humane. I feel that we are ambitious and have a strong can-do attitude, but still recognize the value of a healthy work-life balance. In my experience, flexibility works both ways here, and that’s what I value the most.

Why should someone choose Capgemini as their workplace?

We have great teams in Business Analysis and Enterprise Architecture here in Finland. So, on top of interesting projects, you get to work with really professional and friendly workmates.

There’s a broad range of expertise areas to choose from! Whether your ambitions lie in project management, service design, data analytics, software development, SAP-consulting, cybersecurity or cloud & DevOps, you will have a brilliant team to work with at Capgemini Finland.

Why should someone join the Ignite Graduate Program? What have you enjoyed the most?

For me, the great thing about the program was that I got to learn from top professionals from day one. My mentor was and still is a true inspiration to me every day. We also formed a real dream team with the other Igniters, and I’m hoping to be friends for life with many of them. 

Ignite Graduate Program opens up a fantastic network and is in itself a source of new friends at the beginning of the career. To make the most of our blend of different backgrounds and skills, we try to get our Igniters to work on projects together with more experienced colleagues as early on as possible. 

How do you plan to grow as a professional in Business Analysis?

A big part of it is repetition, and getting to build the confidence in projects. I’m eager to see and experience different kinds of project requirements and setups, as it broadens my view each time.

How does Capgemini support personal growth and self-development?

I am currently finishing my Master’s Degree in Information Systems, and Capgemini has been really flexible and supportive about combining work and the studies. Self-development is overall a high priority for me and it’s been great to see how much the workplace encourages this. I’ve for example taken work time to complete RPA certifications.

We’re dedicated to supporting our Igniters’ career development. We have a career framework to guide one’s career progression at Capgemini. At the beginning of Ignite program, our new talents get to go through a heavy set of trainings while also learning in projects. 

The program starts with an intense 4-day course on how to collaborate with the clients and is followed by other trainings focused on the Capgemini ways of working and the specific role.

We have several platforms also available to support the learning. Our NEXT platform offers access to Coursera where you can enroll to university courses to e.g. learn a new language or hone in on some of the skills related to your job. You also have access to our own Capgemini University which offers virtual courses on a variety of topics. The resources and opportunities to learn are practically unlimited, it’s more a matter of having the time to learn all the interesting stuff there is.

In terms of work, where do you see yourself 5 years from now?

Progressing on the path that I’m on now, working with information systems projects, requirements engineering and enterprise architecture. 5 years older and hopefully a lot wiser.

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