The Power of Passing It On

Switching Jobs: A Leap into the Unknown

At some point, your children will head off to university, and you’ll realise you’ve spent 27 years at the same company. You’ll know every system inside out, have tackled countless challenges and supported users through every twist and turn. So, what comes next?

For me, the answer was clear: it was time for a new challenge. And if I was going to make a change, why not go all in? A short walk to the office turned into a longer commute, and a familiar environment made way for something entirely different.

After nearly three decades in a company where IT played a supporting role, I stepped into Endava – a place where technology is the driving force. It wasn’t just about switching jobs; it was about immersing myself in a culture where learning never stops and sharing knowledge is second nature. That’s when I discovered Pass It On.

What is Pass It On?

Pass It On is Endava’s internal knowledge-sharing program, designed to encourage employees to share their expertise through technical talks. But it’s more than just a series of presentations. It’s a platform that fosters collaboration, builds technical expertise, and helps employees develop both hard and soft skills.

Soft skills matter, and for me, they’ve been particularly important. ?I am an engineer to my core, and I know I have plenty of hardcore engineering and programming knowledge, but I lack soft skills.

Participating in Pass It On has been transformative. It has enhanced my technical abilities and improved my communication and leadership skills. Sharing knowledge and learning from others has become vital to my professional development.

?The concept of Pass It On is quite simple! If you possess knowledge that can benefit others, share it. Whether in-depth exploration of a technical subject, insights into industry trends, or best practices drawn from personal experience, Pass It On sessions create an opportunity to disseminate knowledge across teams and locations. This is where my journey truly began.

Facing the Fear: Public Speaking in a Second Language

I’ve always enjoyed mentoring colleagues and organizing internal training sessions. In my previous role, I even spoke at conferences - in Slovenian. But when I heard about Pass It On, my first thought was: This means speaking in English.

I still remember my onboarding English test - it was a daunting experience. I struggle to find words in Slovenian sometimes, and my wife often has to help me out. So, delivering a structured 30-minute talk in English? That felt like an entirely new level of challenge.

But I love TED Talks, and I even watched a TED Talk about how to give a TED Talk. (Yes, there’s a TED Talk about giving TED Talks. You can look it up!) The key takeaway? Practice until you can do it in your sleep.

For my first Pass It On session, I prepared like never before. I rehearsed, refined, and repeated until I could present backward. And guess what? The talk went well! Sure, I was nervous, but once I got into the rhythm, the words flowed, and my confidence grew.

From One Talk to Another… and Another…

Encouraged by my first success, I kept going - one talk after another. Initially, I spent hours rehearsing before each session, but over time, I needed less preparation. Speaking in English became more natural. Instead of memorizing entire sentences, I focused on key messages and trusted myself to deliver them smoothly.

Two years later, I no longer fear public speaking in English. I still get nervous before a session, but that’s a good thing - it keeps me sharp. I still forget words sometimes, but my colleagues are used to it, and it has become part of my signature style - a small quirk that makes my talks more human and relatable. (At least, that’s what I tell myself!)

Navigating .NET Concurrency - And Self-Doubt

My recent Pass It On talks have covered Concurrent Programming in .NET, containing everything from Threads to Tasks and async/await. These concepts are essential in modern software development, and I aimed to provide my colleagues with practical, real-world insights they could immediately apply.

Rather than diving straight into async/await, I took a step back to .NET Framework 1.0, starting with threads When you master threads, it becomes easier to understand the concept of Tasks, which form the basis of async/await. Along the way, we have also learned about synchronization primitives and many other topics.

The feedback from these sessions has been positive. Colleagues have shared how they’ve applied the concepts in their projects, leading to more efficient and effective solutions. This validation has been gratifying and has motivated me to continue sharing my knowledge.

A Global Initiative: Learning Beyond Borders

What makes Pass It On genuinely remarkable is its reach. It’s not just a local initiative - it spans across all Endava locations. Whether in Slovenia, Serbia, Romania, Croatia, or anywhere else, you can participate, learn, and share insights. This cross-location collaboration ensures that best practices and innovations are not siloed but spread throughout the company.

The diverse perspectives and experiences shared through Pass It On enrich our collective knowledge and drive innovation. It’s a testament to collaboration's power and importance in continuous learning.

Ready to Pass It On?

If you’ve ever considered putting your expertise out there but felt unsure, here’s my advice: plan, practice, and just go for it! You don’t have to be the most seasoned speaker - or even speak perfect English. All you need is a willingness to share.

Putting your insights forward can make a real difference no matter where you stand in your tech journey - whether you’re a rising star or a seasoned pro. At Endava, we’ve built a culture on this spirit of continuous learning, because when we share knowledge, we help each other grow.

Why not take the leap and share your expertise? You might be surprised by the impact it has-not just on others, but on yourself.

Thank you to our Development Consultant Matjaz Prtenjak for his contribution!