Top Picks Archives - NSC Global

Our Charities

23rd June 2020/in Latest Posts, Top Picks/by motive

We support a range of charities

As part of our goal to always do more and always go further, we try to do our bit with a number of different charities to help those who are really in need.

Houses to Homes

So far we’ve built four homes in Guatemala and provided the families with water filters and groceries for a whole year.

We also set up a 7th grade in the local school – providing additional teachers and helping the children extend their educations.

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS)

With our support the LLS was able to develop an innovative new chemotherapy drug for patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia – one of the most difficult to treat blood cancers.

The Prince’s Trust

Last year, we helped advise several young entrepreneurs and awarded seed funding to their promising start-ups.

Five of our team also raised donations by taking part in the Palace to Palace cycle ride – and so far we’ve helped educate 20 young people about starting and running their own businesses.

The Open University OpenLearn

We believe in supporting the next generation of business talent in a way that opens up opportunities to everyone. This is why we support the Open University’s OpenLearn who address the skills gap through open, online learning.

NSC is supporting the development of OpenLearn in order to reach new audiences through new course content, develop mobile delivery to hard-to-reach audiences globally and creating social media communities to support learning.

Our paratrooper on the ground

15th June 2020/in Latest Posts, Top Picks/by motive

We’re always looking for smart, bright talent and we like to reward those who work hard and go the extra mile. This month we shine a light on Carlos Castilla – one of our rising stars.

Carlos, you joined NSC in 2012. How did you find yourself working in the IT industry and what brought you to the organisation?

I am Spanish and in 2007 I made the move to the UK. I’d worked as a diesel injection specialist in Spain, but I couldn’t get any work as a mechanic here as my English wasn’t good enough, so I took a job in a kitchen. After three years cooking I realised I didn’t want to be a Chef, I decided I needed another path.

I enrolled with Jobseekers, for the first and only time in my life, and did a jobseekers funded CCNA course with them. Around that time a Field Engineer job came up with NSC, I got an interview, travelled to London and was offered the job – dependant on me passing the CCNA course – which I did without a single mistake!

You’ve had many roles and progressed from field engineer to a managerial role at NSC – how did you achieve this?

I started off installing routers, switches and phones, I found this easy and always took the chance to take on more responsibility. I’m always looking for different and more efficient ways of doing things, and when I came up with new ideas people seemed to listen! Soon I was in charge of site migrations, with small teams to manage and organise. Again and again we would finish the job, on time or ahead of schedule, to a high standard and making no mistakes. It wasn’t long until I wasn’t only managing teams, but also choosing the individuals that I thought best for each job. I have an instinct for knowing who will be right for a role and without wanting to sound immodest I’m usually right!

At the beginning of 2017, I was offered a full-time, permanent role as a Verizon IPT engineer at State Street corporation Bank in Edinburgh. After about 18 months I was offered to move back into a managerial role again as EMEA Resources Manager, which I accepted immediately. I really enjoy this sort of role, I’m very organised, good with people and a bit bossy so it’s a natural fit!

Where are you based – how much time is spent at home? Do you think you have a good work/life balance?

I am based in Edinburgh and I have a great work life balance. I work from home, so I am able to pick up my daughter from school. I appreciate the flexibility, but I am very disciplined and organised and make the most of every minute – I hate not being busy and I don’t like being told what to do so I always make sure I am one step ahead!

What are the most important skills an IT Engineer needs to succeed?

You need to be reliable and resourceful. You need knowledge, but no one knows everything, so you need the ability to ask the right questions and find a solution or a work around for a problem. You need to act and look professional – if you are well dressed and courteous it gets you a very long way.

What tech innovations are you most excited about?

AI – without a doubt – that is the future. We are on the verge of something big and I am so excited that it is happening in my lifetime.

If you didn’t work in IT what would you do?

I’d probably own a pub by now!

Who is the most inspirational person you’ve ever met?

My daughter. She inspires me every single day.

What is something people don’t know about you (and might surprise them!)??

I was a paratrooper in the army for two years. By the age of 22 I had taken off hundreds of times in planes, but I landed in very few as I used to get off while the plane was still in the air!

And finally, if you could have dinner with any three people in the world who would they be?

Neil Degrasse Tyson (great chat!)
Emma Watson (great date!)
Elon Musk (great advice!)

Coral Escolà – Service Desk Agent, Barcelona

9th June 2020/in Latest Posts, Top Picks/by motive

When did you join nsc}? What brought you to the company?

I joined nsc} when T-systems transferred the Servicedesk to nsc} in October 2017. I was looking for a job where I could use the languages that I speak, and this role allowed me to use all of them.

Can you describe your role?

I coordinate, and I am also developing, the global Servicedesk for Atos. Not only do I manage the team, training and performance, but with my colleagues I’m also trying to unify all the processes used in the different countries so that the new global Servicedesk can work more effectively.

What aspect of your job do you enjoy most?

I enjoy coming up with solutions and helping users and companies to solve their IT issues. I also enjoy anything that requires me to speak foreign languages.

If you could make one change to the company what would it be?

It would be great to increase the synergy between all the nsc} offices around the world.

What is your greatest achievement – what are you most proud of? It can be work or personal.

I am very proud of my master’s degrees and language skills, but what really makes me proud is being able to find solutions in stressful or chaotic situations while remaining calm and professional.

What is your favourite country and why?

I’ve studied in Germany and I consider it my second home, I have a lot of friends and great memories there. I also lived in Italy for a year and had a great time there. I find it hard to choose a favourite country as each has its own particularities. Having said that, the fact I’m now living in Barcelona must be because something brought me back home.

You clearly have a talent for languages? How many languages do you speak fluently? Are there any other languages you plan to learn – and why?

Yes, speaking languages is one of my biggest talents and passions. I speak six languages (Catalan, Spanish, English, German, Italian and French). I’m thinking about learning something with a different alphabet, but I haven’t decided which one yet. It’s not only the practicality that matters, I’m also convinced that there is a special connection with the culture if you speak the language.

Do you think you have a good work/life balance? What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I think so and it’s important to disconnect when you are off duty. I really like reading, getting lost in Barcelona and taking pictures of the city. I would say I am a foodie, so I spend a lot of time cooking and discovering new places to eat.

In your opinion what are the most important skills people need to succeed in the workplace?

Team thinking, being committed and decisiveness. If you see difficulties as a challenge and an opportunity to learn, the path to success is almost guaranteed.

What tech innovations are you most excited about?

I believe 5G is the next step and will change the way we communicate with each other – I’m excited to see how this will be reflected in our day to day lives. What I am most looking forward to though, and I hope that it happens soon, is the development and implementation of clean energy solutions, which is our most urgent duty to our planet.

Who is the most inspirational person you’ve ever met?

People who inspire me are the ones that are creative and can find a path through a complicated situation. I know it is a cliché, but my role model will always be my mother.

What is something people don’t know about you (and might surprise them!)?

I can tell the tale of Little Red Riding Hood in Spanish inverting the order of the syllables in each word!

And finally, if you could have dinner with any three people in the world who would they be? And why?

I would have loved to speak with Stephen Hawking who unfortunately recently passed away.

Haruki Murakami who is perhaps my most favourite writer and has a very special mind to be able to write as he does.

And lastly, I would choose Emma Watson. She is my age, I grew up watching her and she impersonated one of the characters of my childhood. Not only has she become a great actress, but I also admire her role as UN Goodwill Ambassador.