What skills have you gained since you joined?

Hi – Thank you for asking this interesting question, though I feel more comfortable talking about the fantastic things Nokia is doing and the fantastic opportunities it offers than about myself and my own accomplishments.

First, I will provide some context into my professional background. I’ve enjoyed being a learning and development professional and have worked in this area of Human Resources for more than 20 years (the past seven years with Nokia). My current assignment at Nokia is that of a Learning Solutions Consultant where I manage the logistics and resources for technical and product training deliveries for Nokia customers in the Americas. The other roles I’ve performed during my career, including technical writing, courseware development, project management, technical instructor (delivering classroom-based technical training to customers and employees), and training delivery management) have prepared me well for my current job’s responsibilities. Since first beginning my career in learning and development, I’ve earned an undergraduate degree in engineering technology (to accompany the technology degree held when I joined) as well as a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in Education (with specializations in corporate training & knowledge management and training & performance improvement). I’ve also earned a master’s certification in project management and the PMI® project management professional certification.

I’ve completed hundreds of training courses since joining, both classroom training and self-paced web-based training. The many pieces of training have been technical (covering the full range of telecommunications technologies, practices, and trends) and soft skills (interpersonal skills, project/program management, Nokia code of conduct, protecting intellectual property, etc.). Within Nokia, most organizations have goals for the minimum amounts of learning (formal training, social exposure, and on-the-job experience). Individuals, in consultation with their supervisor (and mentor if applicable), can choose the training they feel is best suited to gain or enhance the knowledge, skills, and behaviors for their careers.

I think that my colleagues' learning opportunities, of course in regard to their particular interests and needs, have been similar to my own. For me, and at this stage in my career, I focus my new learnings mainly on the knowledge and skills areas that will allow me to keep pace with the rapid rate of change in the technology sectors. Among the learnings that have benefited me most are those that improved my communications skills and my ability to work with individuals and within teams (all levels within Nokia not being afraid to speak up) as a contributing participant.

I’ve also learned that having a clear understanding of the job processes and expectations, frequent and relevant feedback from my supervisor(s), effective tools (hardware and software applications), and incentives that align with my personal and professional motivations are just as important as what I have learned since joining.