NextGen Spotlight - Kamar Abbas Ali

The ServiceNow NextGen programme aims at building an exquisite digital workforce by providing access and opportunity to people from all backgrounds. It empowers participants with alternate paths to employment through long-term initiatives, discovering the hidden talent in them.

NextGen Programme: A road to unlocking the new generation of ServiceNow talent?

Unifii is a NextGen employer, committed to supporting the training process and hiring programme graduates. Over the past few years, we were very lucky to have dozens of talented alumni joining the team. Learn more about the journey with Kamar, our Consultant Analyst and a graduate of NextGen.

Can you introduce yourself?

Hi, I am Kamar Abbas Ali and graduated in Aerospace Engineering. After taking a gap year to travel, I started my master's in Space Engineering which I left 6 months later, noticing that my passion lies elsewhere. During my gap year, I travelled to 5 different countries where I challenged myself with extreme activities such as paragliding in Turkey and ziplining in Thailand.

I once raised funds to climb Mount Toubkal, which is the highest peak of the Atlas Mountain range, for charity. Every year in August, I volunteer for the Tribal Earth Festival in Brighton, where the proceeds go to The Clock Tower Sanctuary Day Centre for supporting young homeless people with space, support and stability.

Outside of work, I like to spend time with friends and family. Over the weekends, I attend Zumba classes and collect/read Manga.

How did you become interested in working in the tech industry?

Struggling to find a job during the pandemic, I have been motivated to develop my skill set through multiple courses such as the Railway Engineering Track Maintenance course, a 12-week online digital business internship with Fast Futures, and the ServiceNow NextGen programme. 

That was a blessing in disguise as it opened the door for me to a career in tech.

Is there anything that drew you to ServiceNow? 

I stumbled upon ServiceNow in the programme. Before that, I had no clue what was ServiceNow and how many companies used it for their IT services. The 6 months only scratched the surface of my ServiceNow learning and even though I am still a novice, I believe I will be on this pathway for a long time to come.  

What was attractive to you about the NextGen scheme? 

In the course of job searching, I realised my lack of digital skills and how this might affect my career development. This is when I saw an Instagram ad promoting the course. I liked how it focused on delivering entry-level skillsets for candidates who might have zero to no experience in tech, while guaranteeing an opportunity for employment.

By then, I didn't even know it was called the "NextGen" scheme, but I took the step forward and have never looked back. It was the single best decision I have ever made.  

What has been the most exciting project you have worked on so far? 

I love Unifii, and the most exciting project I have been on is with a leading fashion retailer, it's been really interesting to get insight into what happens behind the scenes of their IT operations! It has been challenging at times but is definitely a great learning process. With a wonderful team at the helm, it has been smooth sailing so far.  

How do you see yourself growing within the next few years? 

I am still working hard to acquire coding skills and practical experience working with the platform, but I hope that with the time spent on projects and online training, I can grow and become a competent member of the team.

In the next few years, I can see myself continuing to work on a more technical side as a senior consultant, but am also open to opportunities of switching to different parts of the business, e.g. marketing, sales and project management, to gain diverse experience.  

How would you describe Unifii in one word? 

It is hard to describe a company which I love in just one word, but I will try. Excellent!  I am so glad to be part of such a close-knit team, working with people who are fun, encouraging and supportive.

Unifii aims to inspire from the inside. We guide our home-grown talents like Kamar into tenacious ServiceNow experts, unifying with our client's team to pick up business challenges and achieve sustainable results together.

If this sounds exciting to you, check out our open positions on the career page. We look forward to working and growing with you!