Today, employees in the tech industry face a difficult challenge on one hand, the need to develop and not get stuck in one place, and on the other hand, the desire to maintain stability and not change jobs every year or two. Accelerated technological development requires learning new skills. How can this gap be bridged? And can the workplace itself help in this process?
At Dell Technologies’ development site, ways have been found to make the workplace a platform for learning and personal growth. One example is a senior professional who, despite challenges at the start of her career, eventually reached a unique senior position. She shares that in her first year, she did not speak the local language. “The only way to succeed was to excel and not get discouraged when it was difficult or when I was told ‘no’. This approach to excellence continued throughout my professional path.” She began in a startup with technology leadership roles and later joined Dell. Today, she is a system architect in the PowerStore group, an advanced solution for data storage and management developed by the company.
She was introduced to data storage over a decade ago through a friend. “At that time, it was not clear how important the data field would be in the future, but I had a gut feeling. It was one of the best decisions I ever made.”
For her, the path to the current role went through a technology leadership community at Dell. This is a group of experienced employees who share knowledge, give lectures, mentor projects, and promote ideas through competitions. The community helps connect employees and advance cross-group initiatives.
“When you share your work, you understand your value,” she explains. The community provides not only a professional supportive environment but also a space for personal growth. “I saw people who were technological leaders, which made me consider options I had not known. The community allowed me to give lectures, share projects and challenges I overcame, and meet people I would not encounter daily. It is not just a professional opportunity, but also a personal one. Speaking about what you do makes you understand your value.”
The company’s approach also allows impact through expertise, even for those not pursuing management paths. “My role requires systemic vision, technological leadership, and the ability to work with diverse teams on projects involving multiple areas,” she says. “When I work on a project, I use my experience to decide what will be done in two years, how to solve problems involving multiple groups. I like that there is a choice management or technology expertise. Often, an individual can undergo significant role changes within the same workplace.”
In addition to the leadership community, she participates in ERGs volunteer employee groups promoting gender equality, expanding tech access to different sectors, environmental protection, and more. She leads a forum promoting technological innovation, giving monthly lectures on new trends, product integration, and work methodologies.
The company also provides additional enrichment and learning opportunities under the “Dell University” project. Another senior professional, head of a development group for the PowerFlex software-based storage solution, says: “We have access to online courses, management workshops, independent learning platforms, and dedicated learning days. There are also in-person meetings and lectures, some led by international experts.”
Another channel for personal growth comes from connecting the company to local technology communities. He recently organized a professional meetup around the Go programming language to strengthen connections between employees and the tech community. “I have been following technology meetups for some time there are many groups gathering around programming languages. We hosted the meetup at our site with full company support. It combined professional opportunity with pride showing what we do at the development site to the industry.”
During the event, developers from Dell and the community gave lectures. “I love meetups being exposed to interesting speakers, learning about real-world challenges and solutions, and creating genuine professional connections,” he shares.
“Despite the intensity of working in a competitive field, there is recognition that we have lives outside work,” he adds, while she says, “The diversity of my team women, men, people of different backgrounds is part of what makes work enjoyable.”
Skills for the Future: AI, Personal Branding, and Virtual Management
A regional HR manager explains the company’s approach to personal development: “The company philosophy emphasizes maximizing personal potential, high performance, and creating career and networking opportunities. Employees take ownership of their development, with managers as coaches. Each team member has personal goals derived from their aspirations, team, and organizational objectives, set jointly with the manager. Opportunities for mentoring with global professionals also exist.”
The company offers a wide range of learning opportunities, including physical and online courses, professional communities, programs for students and graduates, local and global lectures, and tuition participation programs. “Dell encourages patent writing, hackathon participation, and offers internal mobility options. AI literacy and future skills such as resilience, personal branding, virtual team management, and cross-cultural work are emphasized.”
When a project ends, new opportunities are identified. “It’s not just flexibility, but a strategy to retain talent. If someone has reached their potential, they can move to a different role,” he explains. She adds, “The key is to recognize opportunities when you encounter them and choose them.”