Carlos' Journey to Hursley

Staying updated in today’s rapidly evolving IT landscape is a big challenge. Therefore, we want to encourage our team members to update their knowledge every now and then. Together with i8c Belgium, some of our members took off to Hursley to visit the IBM offices. Today, our own Carlos will share his experience with you. Ready for take off?

An IBM journey through the Eurotunnel

Carlos works as an integration engineer at i8c NL, engaging with IBM products on a daily basis. He’s been part of our team since March and has been growing his expertise ever since. Being so busy with IBM products, it made sense for him to go to the two day IBM event in Hursley. He went together with his colleague, Jaco. After a roadtrip of 8 hours, they reached their destination and were ready for the event.

“Hursley is the place where the IBM software factory and offices are based in the UK. Going to Hursley meant being able to see and engage with different IBM technology experts who gave us some insights of the products and offered valuable guidance on our future focus.”

The visits and talks took place on Monday and Tuesday, where the days were filled with interactive sessions and presentations by different IBM integration experts. After 5 PM, the talks concluded and an excellent team building opportunity presented itself. “Our whole i8c group consisted of more than 20 individuals. For me, this was a great experience and opportunity. I’m quite new so I haven’t had the chance to meet everyone in person yet. The trip wasn’t only about visiting the IBM offices and gaining new insights, but also about making connections with colleagues and getting to know them beyond our professional roles”, says Carlos.

IBM is in his DNA

Carlos has been working with IBM since he was just 18 years old, so visiting IBM’s Hursley base was a full circle moment. During the visit, there were moments where presentations and discussions took place in a central area and other moments when attendees could engage with IBM specialists to delve into the world of IBM products. “Everyone there already had quite the experience in working with IBM and their products, so presentations were not solely about product explanations. It was more interactive. I also had the feeling they appreciated our feedback. They actively asked us how IBM could improve their products in the future.” If there’s one thing that everyone who’s busy with IBM should keep in mind, it is the following: keep an eye on future developments and be ready for it.

Work hard, play hard

At i8c NL, we firmly believe in the motto: work hard, play hard. Throughout the day, we engaged in interesting and interactive sessions with a variety of IBM experts. After 5 PM, all present i8c members had the opportunity to enjoy their free time. They had an Indian themed dinner, an African themed dinner, an axe-throwing contest and had a beer tasting – although our Belgian colleagues, known for their affinity for Belgian beer, were a bit skeptical about non-Belgian brews. That wasn’t a problem for Carlos.

Overall, the event was a success and Carlos had a great experience participating. “Most of our colleagues have 10 to 20 years of experience working with IBM so I was very happy to expand my knowledge on future IBM developments. I enjoyed every part of this trip and I’d go again if I got the opportunity. The only thing I’d change is the roadtrip, we spent 8+ hours in the car, it was quite a journey! Even though that roadtrip was teambuilding with Jacco on its own!”