Empowering growth: Learning and development successes at gridX

We'll delve into the unique journeys of Alei, Anna and Nora and show the impact their learning and development investments had on their personal and organizational growth here at gridX.

Alei Salem – Team Lead Security 

Alei leveraged his learning and development opportunities to deepen his knowledge on various security topics. He wanted to broaden his understanding of current security topics and techniques and therefore opted for an online platform with various tools. 

1a) Alei, what did you do with your learning and development budget?

I used part of the budget to sign up to an online platform that offers courses and hands-on labs focusing on various information security topics.

1b) What motivated you to use your development budget for this specific course or skill enhancement?

Our field is very dynamic and changes quite rapidly. So, I wanted to have access to the latest topics in my field and be able to broaden my array of technical skills. Secondly, it inspires me to create content for our "Security Guild", which we use to spread security awareness for our engineering specialists (i.e., developers and engineers).

2. What were the key takeaways or skills you gained from the course?

Various technical skills and knowledge about different classes of security issues and vulnerabilities, tools used to exploit them, and methods utilized to protect against them. All of those, I regularly make use of in my daily tasks.

3. How have these new skills or knowledge impacted your day-to-day responsibilities and work performance?

Not only did it help with the "Security Guild", which is the main regular contact my team has with our software engineers, but access to such a platform also continuously alerts me to how certain threats against gridX can manifest and, in turn, what security controls we can use to avoid, hinder, or mitigate the risks of those attacks materializing.

‍Anna Katharina Schreck – Senior People & Culture Manager 

Senior People & Culture Manager, Anna, has spent her budget developing herself in her leadership role. She is undertaking several months of training with our partner platform. From conflict resolution to communication strategies, Anna’s journey highlights the pivotal role learning and development plays in shaping effective and empathetic leaders.

1. Anna, how did you become aware of the program?

We have a detailed internal listing of all possible training programs. Here you can find everything from language courses, to mental health, or leadership programs. This gives every employee the opportunity to develop in the way that suits them best at their particular career stage.

2. What is your tip for other people?

My tip for maximizing your learning and development opportunities at our company is to approach it with a proactive mindset. Take ownership of your own professional growth by actively seeking out relevant training programs, workshops and resources. Don't wait for opportunities to come to you – be curious and identify areas where you can enhance your skills or acquire new ones that align with your career goals.

3. How do you like your program so far?

It's great. I've already learned an incredible amount in the first few weeks and I'm glad to have used my budget in this way. My supervisor gives me the freedom I need to complete my course. It's really great that gridX offers such opportunities. 

Nora le Coutre – Customer Success Manager

For those new to the energy industry, it is crucial to gain a more in-depth understanding of the ins and outs of the energy market and how the energy transition is changing these structures – from the electrification of mobility to home energy management to the importance of energy flexibility. Wee spoke to Nora, who spent part of her budget on a course about energy-related insights and trends. 

1. What did you do with your learning and development budget?

This year I opted for two different courses:

Firstly, I took part in a workshop on ‘Power Markets and Systems’ at the beginning of the year and secondly, I am currently completing a learning program on ‘Lateral Leadership’.

2. What were the key takeaways or skills you gained from the course?

The Power Markets workshop was my perfect introduction to the world of energy and gave me the ideal knowledge base for my day-to-day work.

The Lateral Leadership Program helps me to recognize and understand different dynamics in the internal and project teams in which I work, and thus to work together effectively in teams. This helps us to achieve success faster.

3. How have these new skills or knowledge impacted your day-to-day responsibilities and work performance?

The combination of these two programs has given me the right content knowledge to understand correlations and developments in the market in my work. On the other hand, the personal development of my soft skills enables me to achieve project success together with colleagues and customers.

It is evident that investing in the growth and development of our employees not only fosters a culture of continuous learning but also directly impacts our bottom line. As we heard from the diverse perspectives of Anna, Alei and Nora, a budget for learning and development can lead to increased employee engagement, improved retention, enhanced skills and a competitive edge in the market – for both the individuals and the company.

Would you like to foster your individual growth? Check out our job opportunities and start your path to ongoing professional development.