Ericsson’s GenNext talents – a force to be reckoned with
Social Media Specialist
Social Media Specialist
Social Media Specialist
“Doesn’t Ericsson make phones?” That’s one of the questions my friends often ask me when I tell them where I work. I think there is a general misunderstanding about Ericsson and what we do. Another misconception – a big one – is that Ericsson is a very traditional company. That’s definitely a myth! Sure, we are 150 years old – ancient compared to most tech companies – but we are constantly changing and evolving. After all, our purpose is: “To create connections that make the unimaginable possible.” We’re game changers and we want more young people to join our crew, to work with us to create a sustainable and connected future. That’s why we created GenNext in Kista, a community of young people at Ericsson: a place where we can grow together and change the world.
GenNext – leading the change
GenNext Kista was officially launched in September 2021 to provide a meeting hub, a support network for the rapidly growing number of young professionals at Ericsson. Our mission is to create a sense of belonging, foster future talents and be a strong voice for young professionals. We are really focused on making sure young people don’t feel that they have to assimilate to the team, but instead they are encouraged to share their fresh perspective and diverse ways of thinking. To do this we need to be able to speak up and make our voices heard. I like to think of NextGen as a bridge - it’s as if we are Brooklyn Bridge in New York – and instead of standing at opposite ends, GenNext Kista is helping us meet in the middle.
Focus on personal development
GenNext is making sure we have a lot of personal and career development opportunities at work, especially as our generation sees less of a separation between these areas. We are meeting this need by creating a supportive network where young people can meet, socialize, attend workshops and events that support our personal and professional growth. We don’t leave our personality at home when we go to work, instead we want the freedom to be ourselves at work and develop professionally and personally. That is how we create not only engaged employees, but also happy ones!
At GenNext Kista, we come from a wide range of tech backgrounds with different interests and cultures - take the core members of the GenNext Kista team, for example. I sat down with them to discover why they are passionate about technology.
The GenNext Kista team
Agnes Westerberg, Sourcing intern
“In today's rapidly changing world, technology has the power to shape society and create change that matters. The ability to constitute change requires strong leadership and business integrity, which I have obtained vital insights into during my three years at Ericsson. My passion for establishing strong relationships and creating an inclusive corporate sector drew me to my previous role within the People function. In my new position in Sourcing, I have been allowed to add a strategic perspective to my daily work and learn how Ericsson can improve its current processes to ensure a positive change for employees, suppliers and customers."- Agnes Westerberg (LinkedIn)
Kajsa Johansson, ICT Project Manager
“I’m passionate about technology because I believe it’s at the core of modern society – after all, so many of the things we see around us are based on it! The interaction between technology and humans was also the reason I was specifically drawn to project management and IT.” - Kajsa Johansson (LinkedIn)
Bryndis Björnsdóttir, Agile Lead
“I am passionate about the fact that technology can help people, that we can solve so many problems with it when we work together. That’s what drew me to agile coaching: the ability to facilitate the ‘working together’ part of that passion!” - Bryndis Björnsdóttir (LinkedIn)
Evelin Kängsepp, Project Manager
“My passion for technology has grown over the years as I can clearly see how society benefits when great ideas are turned into great technology. I ended up in logistics as I wanted something fun and couldn’t see myself being an engineer. Now looking back, I’m happy with this choice as it gives me endless opportunities – after all, everyone needs logistics!” - Evelin Kängsepp (LinkedIn)
Axel Krottler, Demand Marketing Manager
“My passion for technology probably comes from my dad and his passion for mechanical stuff. He fixed engines when he was young, and I fixed computers and websites. My dad has taught me that having a basic understanding of how things work makes things easier to improve. Like my dad, I'm always trying to improve things and that explains the strategic part of my work. That doesn't explain why I'm in marketing though, I have my creative mother to thank for that!” - Axel Krottler (LinkedIn)
Johan Boström, Security Specialist
“Ever since my family’s first Windows 95 I ‘ve been hooked on computers. It started with games, and later developed into an interest to understand more of what was under the hood. The turning point for me was during a previous job when I managed to automate parts of my work tasks – this was also my first steps on my programming journey. During my studies and work experience, I’ve always been drawn to, and challenged by, the security field. My interest in IT Security definitely spiked when I did a course in cryptology, where I built an encoder, decoder and key hacking tool for the ‘Vigenère Cipher’ – which you might recognize from the book ‘Angels & Demons’ by Dan Brown.” - Johan Boström (LinkedIn)
Pallavi Rajanna, Developer
“The endless possibilties of technology has always astonished me. The first ‘hooks’ that got me fascinated about technology were television and space exploration. From there my interest grew into computers and electronics. I graduated with majors in electronics and communication, which paved my way to Ericsson.” - Pallavi Rajanna (LinkedIn)
Abhishek Vigh, Strategy and BI Development Manager
“I’m not certain when the ‘light switched on’ for me and I started developing an affinity towards technology. It might be because I come from a family of engineers, so it was always in my DNA. As a company Ericsson is evolving rapidly, we’re moving towards a more software focused offering for our customers, and I firmly believe that Digital Services will play a leading role in the continued success of Ericsson moving into the future. I’m delighted that while working in the Operations Support Systems (OSS) division at Ericsson, I can add my 2 cents into how we go about building the future.” - Abhishek Vigh (LinkedIn)
Jennifer Hagman, Social Media Specialist
And finally, why am I so passionate about technology? I believe today's technology has a way of changing people's lives. It’s about creating connectivity for the world, enabling education and creating endless opportunities. I am passionate about social sustainability and that’s one of the reasons why I love working for Ericsson. I also have an interest in communication and social media, so in my role I can combine my interests: technology, sustainability and creativity - Jennifer Hagman (LinkedIn)
It’s not just the GenNext Kista core team that believes it is important to support the next generation of talent, we’re also getting strong support from Ericsson leaders. One of our key supporters – and executive sponsor – is Joakim Sorelius, Head of Development Unit Networks. Joakim shared with me why he thinks GenNext Kista is so important:
Joakim Sorelius, Head of Development Unit Networks
“At the core of R&D is innovation. One of the key ingredients to enable innovation are new and different perspectives. GenNext Kista empowers our future innovation by ensuring we are attracting the very best emerging talent in Sweden to complement our existing great talent, thus ensuring our future success.”
Final words
Our GenNext Kista community is growing each day, and I am looking forward to seeing the huge impact that I know our community will have. We’re definitely a strong young force to be reckoned with! Call us, game-changers or go-getters. Either way, we are crazy enough to think that we will make a difference. And we will.
What does Ericsson actually do?Ericsson is one of the leading providers of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to communication service providers (CSPs). We've been a key player in evolution of mobile networks and 5G –we’re leading the way in making 5G the global standard for the next generations of wireless technology. Our focus areas include: Networks, Digital Services, Managed Services and Emerging Business; powered by 5G and IoT platforms. Ericsson also accelerates new and sustainable businesses beyond Ericsson's traditional core business – our overall focus is on creating game-changing technology. Technologies like 5G, artificial intelligence, automation, VR/AR, and edge computing are opening new, vast opportunities for our customers, partners and our company. Our current businesses are targeting high growth markets where our technology is relevant, e.g., Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing, IoT connectivity, connected vehicles, security and edge computing. Innovation is at our core, and Ericsson ONE is where new, game-changing ideas are brought to life. From UX to social media, there are a range of opportunities available at Ericsson. |
Discover more about Ericsson and some of our other exciting initiatives
- Ericsson Careers: explore our graduate programs
- Ericsson Response: a volunteer initiative that provides communications expertise, equipment and resources in times of a disaster
Are you working at Ericsson and are in Kista? Don’t hesitate to reach out to the co-chairs, Jennifer Hagman and Kajsa Johansson.