IBM TechXchange Group

 View Only

IBM TechXchange feedback from a junior's point of view

  • 1.  IBM TechXchange feedback from a junior's point of view

    Posted Fri January 26, 2024 12:57 PM

    Hello,

    my name is Miquel and I will explain my background as a way to introduce myself. I started studying system and networking administration after the pandemic ended, and as part of the curriculum I'm currently doing my internship at Amvara Consulting S.L., working hand on hand with Ralf, an IBM champion, since November. Thanks to him, I had the opportunity to attend the IBM TechXchange conference here at Barcelona.

    I passed three fantastic days here at Barcelona attending the convention. From it, I take with me mr. Vollmar's incredible public speaking skills, he rapidly captivated me with his outstanding performance. Also, I found mr. Girsch's speech on "Things fail!" super entertaining. But for me, the session that stands on top of every other I attended is "Learning through volunteering" where members of the AIDA group provided a light and soft talk about how volunteering can be such a rewarding experience. This session truly inspired me, as I realized you don't need to be born with the will to help or provide for others. The will to become a volunteer is more like a flame (wink wink), any little spark can ignite it. Volunteering represents an action, an action that is not motivated by greed nor personal objectives; through it, we manage to unveil the true form of our soul. 

    However, all that glitters is not gold. As an apprentice, sometimes I felt overwhelmed. The level required for most talks was quite high, or at least it was for me. At the same time, trying to start a conversation with such renowned and talented people while still being a mere student was difficult for me. This is how I perceived it from my colleagues too. I think that techXchange represents a great opportunity for younger people to learn and fall in love with the tech industry. That is why having some type of mentoring or session for the most inexperienced would have lightened the burden and pressure of being "the smallest fish in the tank."

    It has been a great experience for me and I hope to be able to find more opportunities like this in the future. Please comment freely on your impressions of the convention. 

    If you arrived here, thanks for reading me!

    Best regards,

    Miquel.



    ------------------------------
    Miquel Palau Navarro
    miquel.palau@hotmail.com
    www.linkedin.com/in/miquel-palau
    Barcelona, Spain
    ------------------------------