Jim Pronk started as a trainee consultant at Kaya. By now, he has grown to be a logistics consultant and worked with various clients. In this blog, Jim will tell you more about the growth he has experienced and what kind of work he does exactly.
Jim, what did you study before starting at Kaya?
‘’I studied Industrial Engineering and Management [Technische Bedrijfskunde]. I was mostly occupied with assessing processes and seeing how these processes can be further optimized. There is also a part about general business operations, creating balance sheets: financial topics. It is very broad and teaches you a certain way of looking at things, to optimize processes and help people move forward. That is really fun.’’
So, what you do now does not particularly have to do with your studies?
“No, but that is also not necessary.
Dynamics is a package, and you can study ERP packages. But the feeling for processes, and learning how to look at them, is something you need in your education in order to be able to do this well. You need to like processes and working with people. Of course, you do need to have some affinity with IT systems and you need to like working with them, but knowing them is not a must.’’
And what was the reason for you to start in IT?
“At multiple companies where I worked as an intern, there was always some kind of problem with the ERP system or other software packages they were using. I always really liked to fix those things. Furthermore, I see lots of opportunities, and since Kaya is a consultancy company, you can work at lots of different businesses. That makes your work fun and dynamic, and you are not just sitting in the same place all the time. You are working on different problems at different clients. That is fun and challenging.’’
What made you so enthusiastic about Kaya?
“The advantage is that it is an agile company with short lines of communication, which is nice because you can take on many responsibilities. That means you can do many different things, and those may also be opportunities that you wouldn’t get at other companies. At Kaya, you do get those opportunities. I have also done things during projects which would normally be done by someone with more experience than me. But here, I did get to do those things, which is very cool.’’
Can you tell me something about your development as a consultant at Kaya?
“Actually, that happened quite quickly. I started here in January 2020 as a trainee consultant. The first few months, I worked alongside my colleagues and assisted them. I really got to know the system at that time. Since Dynamics is a big package, I mostly focused on the supply chain-part, such as production, logistics, product information management and also some purchase & sales. After a few months, I got my first own project in which I was responsible for the production design. Within this project, I started picking up more and more things. That’s how I got started, and now I am a logistics consultant, so I grew quite a lot. I am certified for both logistics and production. With Microsoft, you can obtain various certificates, which I found fun and important so that my knowledge is good and up to date.’’
Your work at Kaya has mostly taken place during the Covid-19 crisis. How do you maintain contact with your co-workers and clients during this time?
‘’It is a bit more difficult. I get lots of energy from sitting with people one-on-one and helping them. Due to corona, this happens a lot less. So, now you have lots of emails, Teams meetings, Teams chats… You do work long days in which you get a lot of tasks done, but if there were any opportunities to go to the office, I liked going to the office for a day to work there with a colleague. Then, you do maintain 1.5-meter distance, but you still have more interaction, which I prefer. However, that is also very personal, other people could feel differently about this. I also know that we have consultants and developers here who do like to work from home more often. In the future, I would like to work from home around two days per week, because then you can really focus and get things done. But I also like to go to the office or to the client a few days per week.’’
What kind of work do you do on a day-to-day basis?
‘’That is quite diverse. One moment, I am talking to a client to create a design for a solution, sometimes also some custom design that needs to be done, functionally. Then I will make a document about what I want to have and pass that on to the developer. Sometimes I also look, together with the client, at their processes to see if there is anything to be optimized. Sometimes, things need to be adjusted in the process and not in Dynamics itself. Another moment, I will be talking to a colleague who is also working on a project and asking me if I can help them with something. Or I am doing some work in Dynamics, configuring things so that it works in accordance with the client’s expectations. And when you are at the start of a new project, you go to the client, get requirements, formulate demands… So, it is really diverse.’’
What are your ambitions for your future work at Kaya?
‘’Of course, I want to continue developing myself as a consultant. I also hope to do a few more fun projects at Kaya, but I also hope to grow towards a role as a solution architect. That means that you really create the whole solution. But it should be functional because I am not very interested in the technical side. Also, I am not very good at that: I am not a developer. Besides that, I also need to await what the future brings at Kaya and what opportunities will come. But that also depends on which clients we will get.’’
Lastly, do you have any advice for students or starters who are looking for a job in IT?
‘’There is a lot of work to do, so you will always have various opportunities. Just talk to multiple parties and see where you feel good. Do not let yourself get distracted by fun-sounding traineeships or money, because those are not always the things that will make you happy. There needs to be enough space for some custom work and for focusing on what you find important. If you want everything to be completely outlined for you already, then you need to be at another company and Kaya is not very suitable for you. But if you want some more space and flexibility, want to have more input, and be able to take decisions by yourself (of course in consultation with your colleagues), then you need to come work here at Kaya. It’s as simple as that!’’
Are you interested in a job at Kaya? Have a look at our vacancies. Can’t find the perfect vacancy? No worries, we would love to receive your application. Send an email with your CV to hr@kaya-consulting.com, then we will contact you as soon as possible.