Xantaro has been an enabling partner of the esports player foundation since the beginning of 2023. Xantaro specializes in network and IT services and works with customers to optimize their networks and improve the performance of their IT infrastructure.
What is the Xantaro IT-Trial?
The Xantaro IT Trial gives selected talents the opportunity to gain exciting insights into IT and pursue their dream of becoming an esports professional. Through the scholarship, Xantaro enables them to combine their IT career and Esports. For example, Xantaro provides them with opportunities for internships or working student jobs and they also receive support from the esports player foundation.
After a multi-stage selection process, 5 talents were chosen who have already gained an insight into working life at Xantaro.
The start of a new chapter - network management in the XNOC team
Miki is a career changer, has completed a dual degree in design management/metalworking and now works part-time at Xantaro. Due to social circumstances and socialization, he never had the courage to take a deeper interest in IT, although the interest had been there for a long time.
In the first few weeks, a lot of self-study was on the agenda to familiarize himself with the topic of networks. Miki is supported by a team of three colleagues and a supervisor who has been working in the industry for many years and shares his knowledge with the entire team. The environment is very motivating and gives you the feeling that you can ask for help. In a few months Miki has to take an exam (JNCIA-Junos in Routing and Switching) and therefore appreciates the patience of his manager and the opportunity to ask questions in the weekly meetings. Through his job at Xantaro, Miki has realized that a good working environment is essential for self-development and clearly sees the parallel to an esports team.
Miki: “If you enjoy your work or your game, then you automatically perform better. So far, I particularly like the fact that I can now acquire new knowledge on the subject of IT and networks, which I knew almost nothing about. I am very grateful that Xantaro has given me this opportunity.”
From theory in the lecture hall to practice in everyday work - Junior Systems Engineer in the Optical Transport team
Jana is studying for a Master’s degree in physics and works 20 hours a week at Xantaro. At the moment, she is still in the familiarization phase and, in addition to introductory talks and regular meetings, is working a lot on the topic of “optical data transmission”. This involves theory and technical implementation, but also Xantaro’s role in the industry.
Thanks to her physics degree, she can clearly see at Xantaro how the theory from her studies is put into practice. She describes her day-to-day work as listening attentively, making connections, asking and answering questions so that she can learn something new. She feels safe, especially thanks to the good working environment. Jana really appreciates the fact that she can openly share her ideas with her colleagues. After her induction period, she will be working on evaluating the control options of manufacturer-independent DWDM systems (Open Line Systems, OLS for short), as well as investigating the energy-saving potential of optical interfaces in the data center environment.
Jana: “This environment not only allows me to learn for work or myself as a person during my working hours, but I also notice the positive impact on my performance in League of Legends. The job is definitely an improvement to my everyday life and I’m grateful for the opportunity.”
Looking to the future - Junior Systems Engineer in the Xantaro Access Networks team
Aria is studying Business Informatics and works 20 hours a week in the Routing & Switching department at Xantaro. He has been looking for a way to balance his interests in IT and his competitive spirit in esports, which is why this scholarship is perfect for him.
At the moment, Aria is still in the learning phase to prepare for Juniper certificates, which he must obtain in order to be able to work for customers in the future. Xantaro has an onboarding program to help Aria gain a foothold in the company. Organizing calls and team meetings with other employees independently to get to know them and exchange experiences is therefore an integral part of everyday working life. For Aria, it is a huge enrichment to see what his everyday life could look like after his studies, as he is already involved in ongoing projects.
Aria: “Everyone seems to have made it a priority to ensure that we are doing well at the company. I have a mentor who I can pester with questions at any time, otherwise everyone else is always there for me if there are things that interest me and that they can tell me more about.”
Through the XantaroIT Trial Program , Xantaro has shown how an innovative company can offer young talent the opportunity to gain valuable job experience in IT while pursuing their dream of becoming esports professionals.
Together with Xantaro, we offer talents a variety of perspectives and experiences and show that you can pursue your esports career and at the same time work successfully on a “career after your career”.