Hunter Eckholm, DevOps Systems Analyst, Mattr, is a graduate of the Executive Leadership Program. She recently shared her insights on the energy services and technology sector.
ENERGY WORKFORCE: What is your role with the company? What does a typical day look like?
Hunter Eckholm: I am a Systems Analyst on our DevOps team (a team of 2!), and I work directly with the business to design and implement solutions to eliminate unnecessary steps in processes. This includes changing paper forms into digital forms or apps, automating repeatable procedures and building reports for visualizing data. My typical day ranges anywhere from creating PowerApps, consolidating and cleaning up data to build reports in PowerBI, or working directly with business users to identify processes that could be automated or eliminated to reduce manual effort and allow them to focus on more value-added items.
EW: What individual has been most instrumental in helping with your career? What did their mentorship look like, and how did it guide your path?
HE: I have been fortunate to have some fantastic mentors and managers in my career, but my current manager has made one of the biggest impacts on my path and career development. He immediately identified my strengths and transitioned me into my current role where I’m constantly being challenged and learning new things.
EW: What has surprised you most about the industry?
HE: The industry is more than just the negative headlines you see in the news. While this is an obvious thing, I don’t think many people realize just how complex and vast the industry really is outside of the negative press.
EW: Where do you hope to see the industry develop over the next five years?
HE: I hope to see the industry continue to place focus on sustainability and our environmental impact for future generations.
EW: How has involvement in Energy Workforce supported your career goals?
HE: I joined the Executive Leadership Program with zero expectations on how the year would go or how the program could help me, but I was surprised by just how much information I was able to absorb from the presentations and discussions during each of the sessions. I consistently left sessions with additional tools to support not only my own career goals but to better support my team and the company’s overall mission.
The coaching sessions and mentorship conversations, in particular, gave me a chance to get unbiased feedback on my personal and professional goals while also providing me with perspective on situations I was struggling with and tools I could use in the future.
EW: What advice would you give someone just getting started in the energy industry?
HE: Whether you’re just getting started in the energy industry or just getting started in your career, go into everything with an open mind.
EW: What do you do for fun?
HE: I love spending time with family and playing outside with my 2-year-old daughter!
EW: What’s your idea of a perfect vacation?
HE: Somewhere warm and sunny with ample time to relax.
EW: What’s a fun fact that people would never guess about you?
HE: I grew up in a very small town, and my graduating class in high school had a total of 36 people!
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