Academy Interviews

He’s done them all – the Nexthink training courses offered by our Academy. Since the Nexthink solution was introduced at Union Investment, Thomas Liss has completed nearly all of the training courses online. He was only able to attend the last one in person. In our very pleasant conversation, he explained the difference this makes and why, while he values the online format, he would always prefer an in-person event.

THOMAS, YOU'VE COMPLETED ALL OF THE NEXTHINK TRAINING COURSES WITH US. HOW MANY WERE THERE, AND HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT?

I don’t even remember exactly how many there were, but I definitely didn’t miss a single Nexthink training session. It actually started right away with the implementation of Nexthink and the subsequent training sessions and briefings led by our assigned consultant. After that, we quickly turned to the Academy and booked the training courses.

HAVE YOU ALREADY ATTENDED TRAINING WITH OTHER PROVIDERS, AND IF SO, HOW DOES THE C4IT ACADEMY'S TRAINING APPROACH DIFFER?

Yes, I’ve taken similar online training courses before. The Consulting4IT Academy’s online training stood out in two key ways: first, because of the care package. I’ve never seen that in any other online training course I’ve taken. And second, because of the personal welcome from Academy Director Mandy. Usually, with an online training course, you just log in and get started. With you guys, you’re first greeted very warmly and helped get in the right mindset for the training. That shows so much appreciation and gives the whole experience a very personal touch.

SELF-STUDY VS. ACADEMY – HOW DO YOU RATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BOTH OPTIONS?

Generally speaking—regardless of your training—I always prefer a combination of both, though formal training is always my top priority. It provides you with the necessary foundational knowledge and theoretical content. Afterward, you have to take it upon yourself to deepen that knowledge. I would never rely solely on self-study, but would always include training. This is especially true for the Academy, because the technical content is really good. On top of that, there’s simply the way you’re treated and welcomed there, especially during in-person training sessions.

ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE ACADEMY'S HYBRID SYSTEM? WHICH FORMAT (ONLINE OR IN-PERSON) DO YOU PREFER, AND WHY?

Definitely the in-person event! It offers so much more than just online training. As great as the care package is, it’s simply no match for on-site training. Just the way you’re welcomed and looked after throughout the days is incomparable. At other places, you’re sent to a curry joint at lunchtime; with you, you’re greeted with coffee in the morning, escorted to a pre-booked restaurant for lunch, and then there’s the evening at the Kesselhaus…! That creates a really high feel-good factor, which also ensures that you can absorb the training content much better. I haven’t experienced that anywhere else and think this type of training is very rare.

WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF AS A TRUE FAN, AND IF SO, WHAT WAS THE DECISIVE FACTOR BEHIND YOUR ENTHUSIASM?

Two thumbs up—yes! It’s all about the personal touch, the warmth, and the appreciation. With you guys, you just feel like a welcome guest.