Learn, Unlearn, Relearn: A Tale of Transition and Growth
Name: Paramjit Jolly
Position: Director Engineering | Site Lead India
Company: Thales Group
In my remarkable journey, I came from Haryana, a middle class boy who transitioned from a Civil Engineering graduate (NITK) with no computer knowledge to a successful software engineer within a year, driven by passion and hard work. My career was shaped by key mentors and opportunities, from Mr. Navneet Sahni who gave me my first chance, Prof. J K Jain (IIT Delhi) who became my guiding mentor. I navigated through corporate life at GE Capital but ultimately chose the path of startups and hot projects.
I had to earn & learn in a very short time so I was 150% working towards grasping knowledge & earning.
My career took a pivotal turn when Mr. Keshav Pathak from a Startup proposed that I consult for his company. This marked the beginning of my consulting career. I joined Solutions Inc and embarked on a journey that included international conferences and sponsorship for my Master’s Degree in Computer Science. I thrived by applying a learn, unlearn, and relearn approach.
My consulting journey ignited my passion for learning and challenging myself. I ventured into creating a startup in Singapore, returned to India, and then joined Guavus Inc in the telecom Big Data domain.
I fostered a culture of bonding and collaboration within my team and extended it to other teams, focusing on people and culture as the backbone of success. Speaker opportunities at UX-India , Apache Con-Berlin, Tech Trevini, Agile NCR broadened my horizons. Infact I ignited my team to take the challenge to start speaking in different conferences which really helped to shape them.
I nurtured the growth of my team members and created new leaders within my team for different techs. Leadership training programs at Thales provided fresh insights, and I continued to focus on the growth of each team member, even if it meant they moved to different teams or companies.
The path was not without its hurdles, but with determination and support, I achieved the Director Engineering & India Site Lead position.
Mentoring Chinese design college students to define an innovative product was a rewarding experience, earning me the Best Mentor Award. Design Thinking became a hobby, and I continued to share my knowledge through articles, presentations & helping different startups.
In closing, I emphasize the importance of honesty, loyalty, continuous learning, community contributions, and helping others. As my journey shows, with strong mentors, determination, and a commitment to learning, one can navigate the twists and turns of a dynamic career.
