Discover the supports available to Ciena employees for exploring engaging and fulfilling career paths.
When it comes to career advancement, Ciena understands that not every journey is going to be a straight line. Every person has a unique career path, and those paths can change over time with exposure to new ideas, new ways of working, and new fields of interest. At Ciena, there are several supports in place for those who wish to pivot their career into a new area or explore growth opportunities beyond the realm of their previous education and experience.
Vikram Rohilla is a Ciena employee who has taken advantage of those supports to advance his career in a new area. Originally, Vikram joined Ciena as a member of our Fields System Engineering Operations team, providing technical responses to customer inquiries and supporting network planning tasks. Today, he is a consultant on our Field Marketing team.
After spending almost 10 years in an engineering role, I wanted to learn new things and explore different opportunities.
Investing in ongoing education
Ahead of making his career transition, Vikram completed an MBA to expand his education and develop a deeper knowledge of marketing practices. Employee growth and development is a priority for leadership, and so Vikram was fully supported in making this decision. He also benefited from Ciena’s tuition reimbursement program, which covers certain tuition costs associated with employees completing courses, certifications, diplomas, and degrees for the purpose of advancing their career.
His education doesn’t stop there though—in his new role, Vikram continues to pursue relevant courses online to enhance his marketing skills and knowledge, as well as accessing Ciena’s marketing research and education tools to stay up to date on the latest developments in the field. This formal education builds upon the on-the-job learning he has been able to enjoy through close collaboration with other teams. By taking advantage of opportunities for collaboration across sales, engineering, and marketing throughout his career with Ciena, Vikram has grown his knowledge of Ciena’s operations and the larger industry.
I'm grateful for the opportunity Ciena provided to invest in my professional development.
Being supported by leaders, managers, and colleagues
Vikram didn’t make this change without support. He says “Ciena's open culture and supportive management provided the first line of support.” With the help of his manager and system engineer colleagues, Vikram was able to leverage his skills in understanding customer requirements and creating a positive customer experience toward his new career in marketing.
He also took advantage of Ciena’s mentorship program to seek out connections with others who could provide him with insights, advice, and guidance throughout his career transition. He describes the mentorship program as a “valuable experience” which goes beyond skill development to encompass personal growth and relationship building.
Thanks to our mentorship platform, Vikram was able to review the profiles of potential mentors for the perfect fit. He found two people who helped him understanding the marketing culture at Ciena, as well as providing support through the interview process and insights on what to expect through his transition.
Ciena has a structured mentorship program with guidelines and questions to help facilitate the mentor-mentee relationship.
Discover your unique career path with Ciena
Vikram’s story illustrates the wide range of opportunities that are available with a career at Ciena. In addition to traditional career advancement within one area of expertise, Ciena employees have the opportunity to explore new areas and advance their career in unique ways.
If you’d like to join a team that will support you wherever your career path takes you, view open roles and apply today.
My message to anyone pursuing new career opportunities is to be open to learning and seek support from leaders.