It is now about 9 months ago Kevin took his first step into the building at Lilla Bantorget 15, where Epical's Stockholm office is located. Coming straight from University with three years of Computer Science studies in the back and a bachelor's thesis under construction, Kevin was very nervous at first. 

Luckily, he had a very good impression of the people behind Epical from the recruitment process. It felt almost too good to be true, so he 'prepared for the worst'. However, he was blown away of how his perceptions turned out to be. After the first week, Kevin felt motivated and safe in starting his career within the IT-consulting industry through Epical. He knew that this was the right place for him.

After some initial training material and certifications had been taken (e.g. on the IAM solution NetIQ Identity Manager), Kevin was assigned to his first project. A big delivery to a large company with amazing people. He was assigned a mentor at the project, and was carefully guided through tasks until he took ownership of his own. Tasks include various skills required such as programming, configuration, and implementation.

Something Kevin has found to be the most challenging in his role so far, is to be in the middle of wanting to be autonomous, but at the same time not be afraid to ask questions. You have to find your own way to navigate between not being afraid of asking for help, and to not be afraid to trial and error.

A memorable achievement Kevin has reached in his journey at Epical so far, was the honour to host a 'Lunch and Learn' session for a big client on how to implement AI in their workflow in order to create high quality documentation with a security mindset. More than 50 project managers and scrum masters participated and the outcome of the presentation was very appreciated in the organization. 🌟

Today Kevin's role within Epical has developed drastically and he has now been rolled out into two more projects. He is assigned more complex tasks and he is more involved in the advisory parts of every solution as his understanding grows. 💡

How Kevin has coped with the challenges that comes with being a junior consultant within a complex field is his mindset. He explains that Epical has amazing people, and if they have chosen you to represent them, they know you are a future expert. Believe in that, and believe in yourself. Do not be afraid to say "I don't know", because you don’t know, YET.

When asking Kevin about what advice he would give future trainees considering a similar career path within Epical as an IAM Consultant, he says to embrace the journey and understand that being a trainee is a phase of immense learning and growth. Be open to new experiences and challenges that will push you out of your comfort zone. 

Don't hesitate to ask questions and collaborate with more experienced colleagues. Take full advantage of the mentorship opportunities provided. Mentors are not just there to guide you through technical challenges but also to support your personal growth and ensure your well-being. 🚀

- Kevin Sanaee, Identity Management Consultant at Epical