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From a young age, Asha Kapadia and Nika Qiu had two things in common: an interest in technology and the drive to turn it into a career.
But building a meaningful professional path didn’t happen by chance. For both women, it took dedication and the desire for continuous learning.
“With rapid changes in technology, it is crucial to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and advancements, which can be difficult in a constantly evolving industry,” says Nika. Asha nods in agreement, adding, “The journey is just as important as the destination. I find joy in the day-to-day and get excited to take on new challenges.”
Both women are now technical product managers at Logicworks, a leader in AWS & Azure Professional Services and Managed Services, where they're bringing their technical expertise to the forefront of their work. We sat down with Asha and Nika to learn more about how their passion for technology began, how they turned it into successful careers, and the advice they’d give others looking to grow their technical skillset.
An interest in engineering from the get-go
For both Asha and Nika, developing an interest in engineering started at a young age.
Asha always loved solving problems, and when she realized the technology field would provide an endless supply of complex problems to tackle, she knew exactly what path to take. “As my curiosity and passion for technology grew, I began my career in software development and gained a range of experience in different areas of software development life cycle (SDLC),” she explains.
As a Technical Product Manager, Asha combines her technical experience and business acumen to drive product innovation and growth for Logicworks. “With my extensive experience in the software development lifecycle, I have a deep understanding of the various teams and processes involved in creating successful products,” she says.
Like Asha, Nika also became interested in technology as a child. It all started when she saw a commercial on TV claiming e-Commerce was the future. “At the time, I didn’t understand what it meant, since access to computers and the internet wasn’t yet widespread. As I learned more, I became increasingly fascinated by the intersection of technology and business, and how innovative products can be developed to meet the needs of customers in new and exciting ways,” Nika shares.
Once Nika finished college, she pursued a career as a technical consultant, working on various projects across different industries. One project, in particular, she’s proud of involved working on a team that developed a mobile app for a healthcare provider, allowing patients to book appointments, see test results, and talk to doctors all in one place. “It was incredibly rewarding to see how our solution improved the patient experience and made it easier for doctors to provide care,” she adds.
Making the move to Logicworks
Eventually, both Asha and Nika landed roles at Logicworks as technical product managers, helping customers migrate, run, and operate mission-critical workloads on AWS and Azure with security, scalability, and efficiency.
Asha was working on cloud projects when she came across the opportunity to align her interests and expertise. It piqued her interest immediately, especially since Logicworks focuses on cloud infrastructure and technology innovation. The ultimate seller was Logicworks’ core values. "These core values, along with the opportunity to work with like-minded individuals passionate about technology, drew me to join the Logicworks team,” she adds.
Nika was also impressed by Logicworks’ expertise in technology and consulting and was immediately interested in working with a talented team who shared her passion for cloud technology. “I saw this as an opportunity to deepen my own knowledge and skills in this area and to be part of a team that is making a significant impact on the industry,” she shares.
Honing in on technical skills
Throughout their careers, Nika and Asha have prioritized developing their technical skills at every turn.
For Nika, she’s pursued continuous learning opportunities, such as completing online courses to earn new certifications. She shares, “I believe that staying up-to-date on the latest tools, technologies, and best practices is crucial for success in any technical field. Online courses have been an accessible and effective way for me to do so.” She even started a certification course in Microsoft Azure, which has helped deepen her understanding of cloud technologies.
For Asha, seeking opportunities to deepen her technical expertise in cloud services has been incredibly important. “I attended the AWS summit a few years ago, which was a pivotal experience that sparked my interest in cloud technologies, setting me on the path of continuous learning and growth,” she explains. Since then, she’s pursued various certifications, taken online courses, and learned from her colleagues.
Logicworks has also helped both women sharpen their skills. With a strong culture of continuous learning and improvement, the organization provides a range of resources to all employees looking to build their technical skills. Nika shares, “For example, we have regular technical book club meetings, where we dive deep into specific topics related to our field and discuss the latest trends and best practices.”
5 tips for growing your technical skillset
Gaining the knowledge and expertise for a technical skillset didn’t happen to Asha and Nika overnight. It took dedication to their craft and a continued commitment to learning.
We asked Asha and Nika the tips they would offer to someone interested in taking their technical skills to the next level. Here’s what they had to say:
- Remain in-the-know. For Asha, it’s all about keeping up to date with the latest innovations, whether through conversations, reading the news, or just listening to those around you.
- Don’t forget soft skills. It’s easy to get entirely wrapped up in improving your hard skills, but Asha knows that soft skills are essential, too. She shares, “I've seen that soft skills are just as important and handy as technical skills, so put in the effort to improve them. This includes ideas such as communication, teamwork, and leadership which are important to become a better and more effective team member.”
- Stay up to date on trends. “It’s so important to regularly attend industry events, webinars, and workshops. Understand how emerging technologies could impact your industry and how you can leverage them to stay competitive,” shares Nika.
- Be willing to collaborate. No matter what type of company you work at, consider taking advantage of your coworkers' knowledge! Nika explains, “Work with your team members who have strong technical skills and learn from them. You can also join technical book clubs, and attend online courses or workshops to expand your technical knowledge.“
- Do some experimenting. “Take a hands-on approach to learning by experimenting with new technologies, software, and tools. This will help you gain practical experience and deepen your understanding of how technology can be used to solve problems and create value for customers,” shares Nika.
