A unique opportunity for first-hand training in being an IT-consultant
– It is a truly spectacular opportunity to get first-hand training in being a consultant and working with customers, and at the same time gaining technical knowledge, says Mahdieh Fetrati, business consultant and trainee at Mazeppa.
In 2023, Mazeppa employed six young and talented people in a trainee program we’re setting up together with our biggest partner, Infor. The goal is to find new talent and develop the next generation of ERP consultants. We want to introduce all of them.
Meet Mahdieh Fetrati.
Fetrati lives in Copenhagen, where she moved to work in a collaboration with Aalborg University. She started at a research position and then went into a PhD in innovation management.
– During this time, I also collaborated with two large companies in Denmark, one being a hearing aid manufacturer, and the other produces heavy machinery, Fetrati says.
With an impressive resumé behind her, Fetrati has experience from sales and finance from when she lived in her home country Iran, and from industrial management and operational research before that.
– You can say I’ve tried a little bit here and there. I enjoy exploring different fields and industries to widen my own experience and knowledge, she says.
A great thirst for knowledge
In addition to her hunger for knowledge, Fetrati likes physical exercise, with running and playing badminton as some favorites. She is also a highly social person who loves being a member of Copenhagen International Rotary Club.
– I’ve been a member for three years. It’s a place for other international people in Denmark to meet and we see each other every week. I love being a part of it because I get in contact with so many different people from very different backgrounds.
Naturally, technology has also been a big interest for Fetrati. Her great curiosity and passion for technology fits well into her background in industrial management and operational research.
– This interest is tightly connected to me personally and through my family. My father has always been very engaged in and encouraging about new technology which has rubbed off on me, I think, says Fetrati.
– Also, these days the world of technology is extremely fast-paced. You can’t even compare it to what it was like just five years ago. It’s so interesting and exciting to take part in that development and explore what technology can do.
A spectacular opportunity
As Fetrati was finishing up her PhD, she got a message from Mazeppa’s own county manager in Denmark, Christian Gierahn, on LinkedIn, asking her if she’d like to join the trainee program in 2023. Luckily, Fetrati thought Mazeppa sounded interesting and wanted to be a part of our team of early talent.
– I thought this sounded like a spectacular opportunity. It’s a unique chance to get first-hand training in being a consultant, working with customers and at the same time gaining extensive technical knowledge. So, you have the technology, learning the system, on one side, and then the more human side of an IT-process on the other, says Fetrati.
– Changing ERP systems is often a big change for a company, so the human factor is just as important as the technical skills. At Mazeppa, we learn how to deliver that whole package.
Fetrati started together with the rest of her new colleagues in January. After a week of introductions and training with senior business consultant, Nuno Peixoto, the trainees are now actively working with the system and the software.
– And after meeting the other trainees and some of the experienced consultants in Oslo for dinner and workshops a couple of weeks ago, we’ve officially started, says Fetrati.
Technology in practice
Learning the ins and outs of Infor LN CloudSuite is complicated. It takes time, practice and experience to now only know the system well, but to harvest value from it on behalf of clients.
The program is designed to provide the trainees with both the technical skills and seeing from a customer point of view to put everything into practice. In a few months they’ll put their training to the test and get to work with customers.
– That’s what I’m most excited about. I’m looking forward to moving to the customer side of things and using all the knowledge I’ve gained so far, working with real projects. I hope I get to work with a lot of different customers and industries, says Fetrati.
She emphasizes that being part of a team of like-minded trainees within a similar age group, makes the training extra dynamic and interesting.
– The other trainees are full of knowledge and support. We make a great team and I know we’re building a lasting network for the future. They’re what makes this program special.
