Datacom Academy: Paving the way for career growth

• Datacom Academy provides structured, hands-on learning that empowers employees to upskill, explore career pathways, and secure new roles.

• The programme builds a strong internal talent pipeline, enabling faster role placements and supporting organisational growth.

• Since 2022, it has facilitated over 500 permanent placements, with growing impact across New Zealand and Asia.

Launched in 2020, Datacom Academy (formally called Connect Academy) has become a cornerstone of internal development, building a strong pipeline of high-performing individuals who embody the organisations values. As part of Datacom’s commitment to being a “net creator of talent,” Datacom Academy provides structured, hands-on learning that empowers employees to grow and shape their careers with confidence.

Participants follow tailored foundational learning programmes for each service line, utilising tools like Percipio for soft skills training and gaining exposure to various service lines within the company. This approach enables members to upskill across disciplines and explore new career pathways.

Kelli Ames, Learning and Development Advisor (Managed Operations Academy Lead), explains the programme’s origins: “Datacom Academy began in Customer Experience Operations (CXO) to give frontline staff professional development and clear career pathways.” At the Modbury site in South Australia, it helped respond to rapid growth by ensuring a ready talent pool as customer and service needs expanded.

By equipping employees with the skills and experience to step into new roles, hiring managers can fill positions more quickly and confidently. It’s a win-win: our people grow and our teams thrive.

Intakes are shared through employees’ Datacom emails. Those interested can meet with their Team Leader to discuss eligibility and gain endorsement. Leaders assess candidates on performance, alignment and capacity before endorsed team members move into the formal application and interview process.

Each service line has a tailored foundational learning programme and its own approach to role placements, designed to meet the needs of both team members and customers. “The number of intakes per year is dependent on growth as well as any movement of talent that the service line experiences,” explains Kelli Ames.

Members complete the foundational learning programme within six to twelve months, graduating into the Academy Alumni. “Alumni members continue to receive any promotional opportunities. A member leaves Datacom Academy once placed permanently in an elevated role. When volumes of members are permanently placed, it opens the need for further intakes”. This ensures a steady pipeline of trained talent ready to meet the organisation’s evolving needs.

Datacom Academy members benefit from:

• Tailor-made professional development programmes.
• Access to internal job opportunities, including secondments and permanent placements.
• Integration with Career Pathways and Datacom’s self-directed online learning platform.
• On-the-job learning and mentorship from experienced leaders.
• Support with job applications and interview preparation.

Since 2022, the Datacom Academy has facilitated over 500 permanent placements. With its expansion into New Zealand and Asia, its impact on accelerating careers is set to grow.

Kendra Anderson never expected a job application during the early days of COVID-19 to spark a major career transformation. After over a decade in the dental industry, she applied as a CSR “to see where it could take me.”

Not long after joining Datacom, she applied for the Datacom Academy – a turning point in her development. “I explored key skills sets that are required for many roles and gained significant value from the emotional intelligence skills we covered.”

“Datacom Academy helped me focus on the core skills needed for coaching, learning and development, and team leader roles,” she says. “So when a learning and development opportunity came up, I was already embedded in the group.”

Now a team leader of Customer Experience Operations, Kendra is a strong advocate for Datacom Academy. Her advice? “Just go for it! The support and encouragement… is crucial in being able to develop not just yourself, but your place in the wider organisations.”

Before joining Datacom in February 2024, Ejaz Hussain Sultani balanced casual fast-food jobs while studying nursing. He began as a Customer Service Representative and quickly progressed to the service desk.

“After 6 months, I applied for and got a Senior Service Desk role. I’m currently working as a senior agent but have recently been accepted for an Associate Systems Engineer role. My journey at Datacom has been amazing! It’s been unreal.”

Ejaz credits much of his growth to the Datacom Academy. “The culture really encourages you to step outside your comfort zone. I’ve had access to mentors and lots of training resources like Percipio.”

He embraced technical learning from the start, completing courses such as CompTIA Security+ and Microsoft Fundamentals, with Datacom covering exam fees. His advice to new starters is simple: “Say yes to everything – ask questions and learn from others. Datacom Academy gives you all the tools, but it’s up to you to show the drive.”