- Current Position: IT Support Specialist, Atlas Copco South Africa
- Specialist Subject: Customer service, IT programming
Ntombezinhle Thela has been fascinated by computers since a young age. To fulfil this curiosity, she has been working hard to turn her interest into a career in information technology (IT). In 2015, she joined Atlas Copco as an IT customer service engineer, and now works as an IT support specialist at Atlas Copco South Africa. Learn more about her experiences on the job and her views on career development in the company.
What are the key skills required when working in IT?
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to IT. As professionals in the IT industry, we are often stereotyped as very equipped with knowledge, but lacking social skills. However, my biggest learning since starting at Atlas Copco has been dealing with people, both colleagues in the team but also customers on the service side. Atlas Copco places considerable value on people, and the way we treat each other. This is one of the reasons I love working here. You are never made to feel as a mere cog in the machinery, but instead we have a caring culture.
In what way is the company supporting you in your career development?
Promoting a culture of “never stop learning”, Atlas Copco is supporting my pursuit to get a degree in IT with specialization in programming. I have also been encouraged to join the “Future Fit Female Program”, which is focused on upskilling women within our organization and empowering them to reach the next level of their career.
This is a not only a great opportunity for my personal career, but also inspires me to look at the bigger picture. At Atlas Copco, we believe “there is always a better way”. Now one of my life missions is to create learning and mentorship opportunities for young girls who come from less privileged backgrounds to develop their interest in careers that are today typically dominated by men, such as IT.
What do you think you’ll be doing in 5 years?
I hope I will be an IT programing expert at Atlas Copco, working in a team with many more women. Then we might also work on another “Future Fit Female Program”, discussing interesting questions with young girls, such as “Do you know the difference between dial up connection and wireless connection?” Maybe they can then become our future colleagues at Atlas Copco!
