Adam Glover is a Solution Architect at Esri Ireland. Growing up, he was encouraged to try as many new things as possible, to explore his interests fully and to discover his true passion. This is a habit that followed him into adulthood.
In 2007, he graduated from university with a BSc in Geography and Environmental Management. In his own words, at the time he had a questionable hairstyle, a lot of enthusiasm and was ready to begin his career.
Selecting the topic from his degree which most interested him, Adam took a position with a local authority to work as a technical assistant in the field of Geographic Information Science.
While it is easy to draw a straight, upward line between ‘Adam the graduate’ and ‘Adam the Solution Architect’, to do so would smooth over 14 years of accomplishments and failures. There were many moments of pride coupled with moments of disappointment, and feelings of being underqualified followed by the need for a bigger challenge. Through it all, Adam learned a valuable lesson: that finding a company with similar goals and ambitions as his own was key for a successful, fulfilling and happy working life.
During his early career, Adam held positions with the local authority and the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service, before establishing his own limited company. Through the course of his work, he gained a huge appreciation of Esri Ireland, the market leader in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Esri’s technological capabilities and “work for good” ethos impressed him massively. Here was a company he could empathise with completely, so it was a natural progression that his goal would once again evolve, and he would set his sights on working for Esri Ireland. It wasn’t the recognition that comes with working for the industry leader that Adam was seeking, rather the opportunity to work for a company that inspired him through their technology, and their research and development strategies.
While it’s easy to fall into the trap of measuring “success” using job titles or salary (though both have a place), neither can ultimately guarantee job satisfaction. Adam saw that in Esri Ireland he had found a place of belonging, or professional “home”. He would encourage anyone to identify what is important to them as an individual and, like Esri Ireland is for him, find an employer who is a good fit. Adam recognised that Esri Ireland had a unique company culture; that there was a tremendous sense of pride amongst the team at large. An important attribute in any successful company, according to Adam, Esri Ireland had created an environment where employees feel valued.
Since joining the team in 2014, Adam has been provided the opportunity to grow and develop his career in a way that matches his interests, and has helped him to realise his ambitions and travel the world. Working with Esri compliments Adam’s keen focus on IoT and real/near-real time data and how it can be visualised and analysed spatially. He has progressed over the last seven years from Consultant to Senior Consultant, before becoming a Lead Consultant. Now a Solution Architect, Adam works closely with customers to design cutting-edge solutions using Esri’s world-leading location intelligence technologies.
Every promotion was a direct result of the experience and knowledge he had gained since he first joined Esri Ireland. Each position represented an increase in personal responsibility for projects, something that offers Adam a huge sense of job satisfaction. His progress up the career ladder was supported by a nurturing environment. At Esri Ireland, employees are listened to and advice is readily available. The company is currently in the process of implementing career development paths and programmes, something Adam keenly participates in as an advisor to others who are on their own career trajectory. He is described among the team as an inspiring leader who embodies many of the qualities that led to Esri Ireland winning a Great Place to Work Award for the past two years.
Now with 14 years’ experience in the industry, Adam feels that his career can be divided in two. In the first seven years, he wasn’t satisfied that he had arrived at his final destination and was looking for new opportunities. But since he joined Esri Ireland seven years ago, he has settled; since he found an employer whose words and actions align with his own values and passions. He feels both challenged and supported in equal measure and this has helped his professional development to reach levels he had never considered possible before joining Esri Ireland.
This article first appeared in the Summer 2021 edition of the Sync NI magazine. You can download your FREE copy and sign up to receive future digital editions here.
