Interview05
IT Infrastructure Engineer
Joined as a new graduate in 2023
H. A
IT Infrastructure Engineer
Joined as a new graduate in 2023
H. A
I’d always loved working with machines and PCs, yet I’d never dealt with or studied IT. So I was greatly reassured to learn about the full complement of technical training opportunities available to me after I joined the Group. At the recruitment interview I was impressed by the fact that my interviewer was an employee of foreign nationality. This was because, as a non-Japanese myself, I realized that the ID Group’s employment of foreign workers meant that I could play an active role here as well.
The ID Group’s emphasis on technical training was a big source of reassurance for me as well. In my training period of about five months after joining the Group, I started off using virtual PC software and learning on actual machines. In the second half I worked as part of a team to tackle the practical issues of creating a single virtual environment. I also undertook qualification training, studying for the Fundamental Information Technology Engineer Examination (FE) and the Linux Professional Institute Certification. As a result, during my training I acquired FE qualification. So I was equipped with this knowledge when I was assigned to my workplace.
Currently I’m working as part of an accounting-system implementation team, in the accounting system foundation group of a corporate client. Our team is tasked with operating the development prototype, advancing work on the live environment and constructing the development environment; my duties consist of everything necessary to ensure that the work team’s operations go smoothly, including arranging the test schedule for each development environment, preparing documents for active maintenance when the system goes live, liaising with related groups and furnishing backups and other materials. This workplace has a long history with systems, so we have a vast amount of documents and many of my colleagues have many years of experience. When we’re working, my colleagues, knowing that I’m a newcomer, encourage me to try different approaches, saying they’ll be able to recover from any errors. They also follow up on my work, so it’s a workplace where I can learn by tackling challenges when I put my mind to them. It’s a friendly atmosphere, too, on work premises and off: I have plenty of opportunities to communicate with customers, and my colleagues and I often get together for drinks, go to see a sports event after work or just admire the flowers in the park.
I now understand the workings of systems I never understood before, so well that I can take questions about them at work and answer them on my own. The moment I realized that, my self-confidence grew tremendously. Going forward I plan to study Excel VBA, so I can create and improve tools used at the workplace, thereby contributing to improved work efficiency.
The front lines of the work we do require not only knowledge of IT but also understanding of the customer’s industry. At the beginning I didn’t know much about either, so I was often at a loss. Looking at that experience from a different angle, I see that it was an opportunity to expand my own knowledge and horizons. So my advice is, just dive in and see what you can do, always valuing the spirit of questioning, curiosity and excitement about things you don’t know. One day you’ll look back and be amazed at how much you’ve grown before you noticed it.
