Get to know Sidwell

What are you currently working on?
I am currently working for a leading clothing, footwear and textile retailing group in Southern Africa involving SSRS and Visual C# technologies. I also recently worked on quality assurance using Visual Studio 2010 Testing Tools including Microsoft Test Manager. I had never used this technology before so this was an enormous challenge involving lots of research and testing. I was also part of the team that developed an EDA handheld device that is used for Queue Busting.

What is it like to work at Avanade?
I say to friends that working at Avanade is like swimming in a sea of knowledge. If you want to work with Microsoft technologies before anyone else then Avanade is truly the place to be. 
 
How does your team support you?
I really feel that I’m part of a big family working here. If I get stuck with any problems there’s always someone here to help—you’re never left to your own devices. I look forward to every Monday morning at Avanade to see my teammates and work on interesting projects.

Does Avanade look after its employees?
I feel like I’m treated as an individual at Avanade. My personal development plan means that my career aspirations are documented and worked on. Avanade also works hard to foster a team spirit with its employees. Recently we held a Family Picnic where the whole company was encouraged to come along with partners and children, which was a great and fun way to build good morale in the office.
 
How does Avanade recognize you for your contributions?
Good work is praised but also, just as important, help is on hand if things are not going so well.
 
Are you challenged with interesting/innovative work?
I’ve always enjoyed my work at Avanade—even the testing! If you want to progress or work with new and exciting technologies, you are given plenty of opportunity to do so. I recently expressed an interest in working on cloud technologies and now I’m gearing up on Windows Azure.

How do you balance work and your outside interests?
Outside of work, I devote a lot of my time to being a youth leader with my local church. I also run Bible study groups and conduct three choirs. Additionally, I organize sports tournaments and lots of other activities for children and young adults. I believe that if you can make a positive difference in someone’s life, it will change your life for the good, too. I also play soccer and volleyball with my church brethren as well. I am a poet and a philosopher of sorts too.