Employee Q&A: Joining Tisski as a Computer Science Graduate

Associate Consultant, Omar Gamgoum, joined Tisski earlier this year after completing his computer science degree at the University of Buckingham. We caught up with Omar to find out about his journey so far with Tisski – from graduation to future aspirations.

Tell us a little bit about you. How did you come to study computer science?

I wasn’t originally sure what I wanted to study at university to I went to a variety of different subject talks before choosing computer science. I’d always had an interest in computer science growing up, though, so that was the one that really stood out to me. The modules that were taught – AI, programming, and software engineering – all seemed quite challenging, but as these subject matters are always developing, I could definitely see the benefits of taking on the challenge. I love to push myself, so this seemed like the perfect course for me. I have learned a lot through my degree, and there are numerous skills I gained from studying this course that I’m able to put to good use in my role as a Dynamics Consultant.

How did you come to hear about Tisski and to join us as a graduate?

After completing my degree, I set up a LinkedIn account and started my search for a job. Shortly after, I received a message from Darren Bassett (Corporate Services Director at Tisski) asking whether Tisski is somewhere I’d be interested in working, and if I would like to discuss the opportunity further. I did some research and found Tisski to be a great, well-respected company in the world of Dynamics. I was invited to have a 30-minute informal chat with Darren, where he asked what I was after from the role and gave me the opportunity to ask any questions – it seemed a perfect fit. I was offered a further interview which was more about the technical side of things, but it wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be! The next day, I heard back from Darren and was thrilled to be offered the job.

What does your day-to-day look like here? What sorts of things keep you busy?

I have meetings each day with my team where we discuss what work we have outstanding, and any problems we need help with. I also have daily calls with our customers, where we can update them on completed work and gather any further information, if required. We use DevOps, which allows us to keep track of our work and our deadlines, including our current sprint, personal tasks, and the assignment of new work. My current focus is on build work, which involves creating fields, views, forms, business rules, business process flows, dashboards, and workflows.

What do you like most about working at Tisski?

Tisski’s company culture is something I never expected to find in a workplace – everyone is extremely supportive and always willing to help. When I first joined Tisski, I was overwhelmed by how many employees, from all departments, took the time to send me messages welcoming me and offering me their help if it was ever needed. It doesn’t feel like your standard nine to five job, there are lots of cool events going on and challenges you can get involved in. In April, we participated in a gaming tournament where we competed against other companies, with the chance to win money for charity. I’ve loved my time here so far!

Have you had any additional support as a graduate?

Tisski is focused on nurturing and developing its staff, which is one of the many reasons I was initially drawn to Tisski. Since joining, I’ve achieved three Microsoft certifications which I am so pleased about. Tisski offered advice on which certifications they thought I should go for but let me make the final choice. They also ensured I had enough time to prepare and provided ongoing support through a Teams channel dedicated to the exams. I was also able to shadow other consultants, who were more than happy to help teach me about their roles. As a beginner, it’s vital to have others who support you and recognise when you need additional help.

What are your career aspirations? Where would you like to be in five years’ time?

My main career aspiration is to strengthen my skillset and develop as a consultant. In five years’ time, I would love to be a Senior Consultant, with enough experience and knowledge to take the lead on projects, alongside helping junior consultants with their development.

There will soon be a fresh group of graduates looking to enter the world of work – do you have any advice for them, especially those looking to go into the tech sector?

Network! Networking is so important. Get yourself out there and be proactive. It’s important to let people know if you are passionate about working in a certain field. Networking isn’t as scary as it sounds. My main advice is to set up a LinkedIn account and go from there – you will find a variety different of companies, and the right people to connect with. It is the best way to get yourself out there and find your future career.