We don’t know exactly what it takes to be an Aizer. But when we talked to developer Lucia Gomez, we certainly discovered a few success factors.
On another frosty December day here at Fornebu, Lucia Gomez’s decision to leave her native Castilla-La Mancha in Spain seems somewhat puzzling. Though two years in, the 30-year-old front-end developer has no regrets. On the contrary.
– I think it’s far too hot in Spain. I actually enjoy the cold weather here – except the ice. I didn’t grow up with glazed streets like this, so my feet don’t really know how to deal with it, Lucia says and laughs.
Based on the role she’s in, you’d be forgiven for assuming that she's a programmer to the core. But her job title only tells half the story.
– I have a master’s degree in Industrial Engineering. When I graduated, the job market in Spain was tough, so I started working as a programmer. My plan was to switch back at some point, but I never did. So I’ve been a programmer for six years now.
Before she moved to Norway, Lucia worked in Madrid for four years. When she explains how she also had stints as a consultant in Paris and Munich, it’s hard to not count backwards from 30 and ask yourself how she’s been able to get around to it all. And she’s not done yet: The accomplished developer recently became a scrum master – a fitting step for someone of her ambition.
– Yeah, I really enjoy challenges. I guess that’s part of the reason why I like working at Aize so much. As a front-end developer here, I face a wide variety of tasks. And I can truly influence my own workday; if I come up with an idea for a feature, the product owner gives me the space to experiment and see if I can make it work. And because we have the benefit of working with engineers with first-hand knowledge from the industry, I can quickly qualify the concept. So it’s a very efficient process compared to other places.
Programming skills are in high demand everywhere, and someone like Lucia can easily find work almost anywhere. So why Aize?
— I can combine my business knowledge with my programming skills here. We’re developers, but we have to understand what drives our customers. So it’s an ideal fit for my background and skills.
In Love with The Workplace Culture
Many foreign workers in Norway are surprised when they first start on the job. The typical workplace culture here is often different from what they’re used to. Lucia noticed too. She points to the high degree of trust as something she particularly appreciates.
– In Norway, you can work as much as you need until your work is done, and maybe leave earlier if you’ve finished your tasks. In Spain, it’s important that you work your hours, so it was weird for me to leave earlier than “the leaving time”. I also had a bit of a culture shock when I figured out that it is allowed to play ping-pong on working time – and you are even encouraged to do it! But it makes complete sense, because moving your legs and body clears your mind a bit, helping you return to work fresh. That’s something that doesn't really happen in Spain, Lucia explains.
– When it comes to Aize specifically, I have to highlight my colleagues. They’re such a nice crowd. We all help each other out, and they’re all really smart, she says enthusiastically.
For Aize to succeed on our mission to transform the energy industry, we have to attract – and retain – the brightest minds. Lucia’s evaluation of the culture thus bodes well for our future. And Lucia sees no shortage of challenges to grapple with, citing an ever-growing need to improve processes in the energy industry. Also, the pandemic has demonstrated to the entire industry that remote isn’t just a viable alternative, but often the preferable approach.
She mentions how documents used to be shipped on ten-ton helicopters to and from off-shore rigs; whereas the Aize platform allows users to simply grab or send them digitally – from land. But while she does get a buzz from making things more efficient, nothing lays closer to her heart than cutting-edge user experience.
– The 3D modeler in Aize Asset Explorer is stunning. We make 3D models clickable. For instance, we add layers of data to pumps and other equipment, so you can read pressure and other parameters in real-time. It completely wows our customers.
Lucia politely reminds this talkative reporter that she has a meeting coming up. But before we leave her, we have to ask – like any Norwegian would – if anything here has made a particular impression.
– It would have to be the northern lights. I studied here seven years ago and visited Tromsø. The colours of the sky were mesmerising!
Watch the video below to hear more about Lucia's journey at Aize!
We highly appreciate Lucia for taking the time to talk to us, and wish her the best of luck here at Aize.
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