Ascendion and I
Meet Anju TK, a Data Manager with Ascendion. She is originally from Kerala but has settled in Chennai for the last 12 years. Apart from being a data engineering whiz, she also has her own You Tube channel, where she reviews Malayalam books, narrates stories and talks about her experiences. She has also done a fair share of acting in school and college dramas, plus, she has tried her hands on dubbing too. Today she is learning the finer art of public speaking.
Anju was always a keen learner and for her learning was not about taking one small step, but about striding ahead. After completing her B.Sc. in Computer Science, she wanted to pursue teaching as a career, but then a big software giant offered her a job plus, an opportunity to pursue master’s degree while she was working. It was a win-win for both. So, she took their offer and completed her PG in 4 years while she was working. Post her master’s, she was designated as a Senior software engineer in the same organization.
Over the next few years, she was part of the data warehouse team, and she worked on multiple SQL database projects. Her next job was as a data analyst where she was exposed to python. Her projects and POCs got her even more well-versed with python scripts, even though she didn’t have any formal training in python. That’s where the transition from Teradata to Python took place.
Anju then went on maternity leave, after which COVID struck. But both these came with a silver lining. She could work from home. Plus was an interesting opportunity to work primarily on Python. She took up a project with a BFSI client where she got to work on the ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) module as an SME. She was tasked to develop several Python scripts and algorithms to calculate the ESG scores for different banking and insurance sector and assess them based on their scores.
This had started to become a routine for Anju, and she wanted to explore new terrain. That’s when she heard from her colleague and ex-manager of an opening at Ascendion. Her ex-manager referred her, and she soon found herself at a desk there.
Hi, I am Anju, and I am really happy to be at Ascendion. I joined in November 2021 and since then have reconnected with my ex-manager. I began with a POC for a leading sporting goods manufacturer as a Snowflake and Python developer. The client needed modernization of their data approach, to easily get insights from large amounts of customer data. The POC involved working on a subset of the data and showcasing how the data is consumed by displaying it on a GUI. My primary responsibility involved flattening the data and writing stored procedures to load the data into the Snowflake database. I also enjoyed working on building the GUI using Python.
Post this POC, I got an opportunity to work with the same Client as a Data Engineer on a data migration project. I built data pipelines using Azure Databricks and assisted in migrating their traditional database and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) data to Azure data lake and then eventually to Snowflake. I leveraged my expertise in Python, data engineering and Azure services, to ensure a smooth and efficient data migration process, optimizing data transformation and ingestion for the client’s specific needs.
I am presently engaged in a multi-cloud migration project, utilizing AWS cloud services.
As a woman it is truly a place that gave me equal opportunities. Like working from anywhere, a good work-life balance, never being home sick, never missing any milestones of my kid and always be there for him.
As a professional it allowed me to explore the multi cloud environments, upgrade to the latest in technology, get mentored from experts, and the list is endless. We also have a strong technical community across different technologies which we call Ascendion Circles to nurture and hone our craftsmanship and realize our true potential.
Today, with mentors who are so supportive, flexible and in the constant search for the next big idea, my next step would be to become a successful architect and a great technology leader.
Ascendion has partnered with Toastmasters International, where our employees can be a part of it to develop interpersonal, public speaking and communication skills. This has enabled me to gain confidence and build my soft skills required in the day-to-day job. Programs focused on employee wellbeing for women, free psychological counselling etc. shows Ascendion’s commitment to build a mindful workplace.
There is also a Women Leadership Retreat Program which is held at an offsite location. The idea of the program is to help women leaders reach their true potential. The program emphasizes on women health, prioritizing tough schedules, stress management and managing work-life.
I have seen myself growing in every aspect of my career and life. I still remember in of the Toastmasters meeting, I gave an ice breaker speech, and it gave me a lot of confidence when it came to public speaking. It was an ‘A-ha’ moment for me as I hadn’t realized till then that I could actually hold an audience. Even my manager noticed it and complimented me on it. But I am sure the best it yet to come.
Lastly, you too can join Ascendion and join me in taking it and your career further. All you have to do is stay ‘relentlessly curious.
