Africa is rising. By 2035, half of all new entrants to the global workforce will come from this vibrant, dynamic continent. As this new wave of talent transforms industries and fuels innovation worldwide, ServiceRocket is embracing the opportunity—welcoming Africa’s diversity, energy and ideas into our global teams. ServiceRocket believes that its strength lies in its people. By diversifying the global talent pipeline, ServiceRocket benefits from fresh perspectives, talent and creates teams that can provide culturally aware and localized support on a global scale.
In order to identify the top technical talent and successfully integrate them into ServiceRocket’s global team, ServiceRocket partnered with Tana, a talent company that specializes in connecting global businesses with tech professionals from Africa. By managing the complex on-the-ground responsibilities of recruitment, Tana enabled ServiceRocket to focus on what matters most: integrating highly skilled, vetted professionals into their existing teams.
“Partnering with Tana has been a joy as we continue to grow and deliver for our clients around the world.” — Founder and CEO Rob Castaneda
Edwin Kanyotu, Olyviah (Amwoma) Nyaboke, and Naomi Wairimu from Nairobi, Kenya were chosen after they passed Tana’s rigorous screening and interview process, which identifies the top 2% of graduates. They then underwent a rigorous onboarding program, which included months of bootcamps that trained them for the tech skills needed and also used real-world scenarios to prepare them for customer interactions. The program set an ambitious pace from day one, challenging the new team to earn their first Jira certification a mere two months into their bootcamp.
“This was a tall order by itself, but they all passed, setting a record then for the fastest time to qualify as a certified Jira admin. A true testament to the program and facilitators, as well as their own motivation and excellence,” said Taiwo Akindele, their manager.
In fact, in under four months, the trio systematically met their certification requirements. They passed the Atlassian Certified Professional exams (ACP-620 and ACP-420), meaning they have developed an in-depth understanding of the Atlassian product suite and ecosystem, including accreditations in Cloud Delivery, Technical Sales, and IT Service Management. Their achievement earned the ServiceRocket London team Atlassian's Gold Partner status, which validates their technical proficiency and gives customers confidence in their high standard of excellence.
The guided training and consistent support through regular check-ins were highly effective, enabling the trio to begin working directly with ServiceRocket clients in just four months, fully equipped to handle the challenges of their roles.
The success of the ServiceRocket-Tana partnership is best illustrated through the journey of its Kenyan Rocketeers.
Initially unsure about her career path, Olyviah learned that a successful IT career didn’t have to be about "coding things from scratch". She could apply her technical knowledge and be her gregarious self in a dynamic, client-facing role.
"The role at ServiceRocket has allowed me to combine my personality with my inner 'tech wizard' and do things I never thought I was capable of," she shared.
Edwin, a former architecture student, transitioned to the IT field by honing his technical skills through boot camps and then working at a startup, where he worked in backend development. He enjoys his current role for its supportive and collaborative team and the unique opportunity to work directly with global customers, which has significantly enhanced his customer-facing skills, a shift from his previous back-end roles.
"The opportunity to work directly with customers from around the world is amazing," he said. "You learn to navigate cultural nuances and lead meetings with a global team."
Naomi Wairimu managed a demanding, year-long project where she successfully automated a previously manual process for a client. This achievement not only improved scalability but also secured a contract renewal, a testament to her business impact.
"I discovered a quality in myself I didn't know I had: the ability to get things done through resilience and grit," she said.
Their journey culminated in their taking the stage as guest speakers at a workshop about Atlassian Certification in Nairobi, sharing insights on certifications and career growth. "Perhaps all three struggled to find their voice in the beginning; I remember us challenging and encouraging them to speak up more and be bold about their ideas and the value they contribute to the team and our customers," said Taiwo.
Today, Naomi, Edwin, and Olyviah are Rocketeers actively serving clients across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. They lead complex migration and implementation projects and have won praise from ServiceRocket's clients and partners. "Embracing and embodying ServiceRocket values is a huge part of Rocketeer success. Aiming to be the most reliable partner to our customers and team members is the secret sauce," said Taiwo.
“The role at ServiceRocket has allowed me to combine my personality with my inner 'tech wizard' and do things I never thought I was capable of.” — Olyviah Nyaboke
The Rocketeer Promise is to empower our team members to learn and grow, enabling them to have a positive impact on their careers and communities.
"We have partnered with Tana to extend this promise to talented individuals like Olyviah, Edwin, and Naomi," said Aimee Castaneda, Senior Manager of Workforce Planning. "We strive to be their most reliable partner, providing a platform to accelerate their growth and transform their careers".
Ultimately, the partnership between ServiceRocket and Tana created a bridge where ambition could meet opportunity, transforming talented individuals into confident, global leaders. This success story shows why ServiceRocket invests in talent from Africa and why this creates a stronger, more diverse global team.
“We set a high bar for our team both technically and culturally,” said Founder and CEO Rob Castaneda. “Partnering with Tana has been a joy as we continue to grow and deliver for our clients around the world.”
Ready to apply your skills to global tech challenges? ServiceRocket is always looking for passionate problem solvers to join our team.
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