Interview with Patrick (31), application administrator in the IT shared service unit
As a trained banker with a great affinity for IT topics, Patrick has additionally completed his bachelor of science degree in business IT. Since 2016, he has been working as an application administrator of the ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system at EQOS Energie, thereby combining his interests in business administration and IT. He sees himself as the interface between the two areas. What he particularly appreciates about his work is acting as an intermediary between systems and people and to help his colleagues in this manner.
Patrick, how do we have to imagine your job?
I am mainly in charge of our ERP system. In doing so, I take care of support as well as all system areas and projects. When we wish to simplify processes or if our colleagues have additional requirements for the system, I advise the technical departments, explain what is possible and think of solutions. While dealing with technology during my work in IT, I also deal a lot with the people.
What is essential to you in your work?
The exchange with my colleagues. In my work, I primarily depend on people. As users, they must explain to me what the problem is, what functions they require or what they did in using the systems. As users, they must explain to me what the problem is, what functions they require or what they did in using the systems.
Systems and programs simplify and improve human processes.
Why is IT important?
If you think back 25 years and what all has been simplified by IT over time, the question is almost self-explanatory. We cannot do without IT in our day and age. Systems and programs simplify and improve human processes. IT is constantly evolving and you have to follow this trend – which is one reason for continuous updates. From the content point of view, the topics are often very complex and it takes IT experts to help with problems and take care of the systems. An IT department within the company makes such processes easier. We serve as direct contacts and can also provide simplifying explanations of processes and systems on site and train people how to use them.
Which tasks are your favourites?
There are a lot of things I like doing: The system maintenance of our share point, the project work in collaboration with our technical departments and the training of new employees. Training sessions are particularly fun if the colleagues actively participate and ask questions. The more interaction, the better the participants understand the content and the more successful the collaboration.
How do you know that you are doing good work?
If it’s about a project it’s easy to assess: If everything has been implemented and works, then my work can’t have been that bad (laughing). When I help with application problems, my colleagues frequently thank me. Sometimes I get an e-mail with the information that everything’s working again, sometimes it’s a phone call. Then I am just happy. Name me one person who doesn’t like to hear a thank-you here and there!