Career paths are not always straightforward. In 2016, Patrick Steegstra decided to make the switch from academia to the business world. When he landed a job at Kapernikov earlier this year, he found the variety and freedom he was looking for.
From an academic standpoint, Patrick Steegstra’s resume is quite impressive. Patrick has a PhD in Chemistry and has held positions at the University of Gothenburg (Sweden) and at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). In his latest academic job, Patrick was doing electrochemical research for renewable energy applications.
And yet, you can’t get the IT geek out of the academic, Patrick must have thought. That’s why in 2017, he started to look out for a more fulfilling IT career. Through his network of friends, Patrick soon learned about Kapernikov.
Not your everyday job interview
“I did not quite have the job interview you might expect,” says Patrick. “The first time I met with the Kapernikov management, there wasn’t really an opening yet. However, they did offer me to join them on a conference weekend, which I gladly accepted. For me, it was a great way to get to know the industry, the people at Kapernikov, as well as the typical challenges they are faced with. For Kapernikov, it was also an ideal way to learn about my skills and personality.” This type of job recruiting may well be illustrative for the creative approach Kapernikov has towards managing the company.
The opportunity to learn
Today, Patrick is one of the data consultants working for Infrabel, the Belgian railway network operator. When we ask him what he loves so much about working at Kapernikov, it’s difficult for him to pinpoint just one thing.
Kapernikov gives you time to learn, something that is rare in today’s business world.
“I love the fact that, at Kapernikov, you get the opportunity to learn new things at your own pace. In the academic world where I come from, this might seem obvious, but in today’s fast-paced business world, it is not. Plus, you get all the help and training you need to reach your learning goals.”
One of the other perks Patrick can truly appreciate is the job variety. Next to working on his projects at Infrabel, Patrick has also prepared a recent hackathon and on a regular basis, he gives workshops about Power BI (Microsoft’s Interactive Data Visualization BI tools).
Why work at Kapernikov?
Would Patrick recommend working at Kapernikov? Definitely! “If you have a learning attitude, if you like a creative, open-minded company, and if you like variety in your work, then you should definitely consider applying for a job at Kapernikov. Couple that with a great work–life balance, and you can’t go wrong by joining us.”