''I really enjoy working with my colleagues''
The open atmosphere, freedom with responsibility, and "not the same thing day in and day out" have kept Mikael Zewgren, a system operator at the University of Gävle, loyal to HiG since 2007.
After Mikael Zewgren finished his studies at the University of Kalmar (now Linnaeus University), he wanted to move closer to Bollnäs, where he grew up. A vacant position as a system operator at the University of Gävle came up, which he applied for and got. This was in 2007.
“If you think you know everything, you know nothing”
As a system operator, Mikael belongs to the Network and Operations team in the Division of IT. He and his colleagues are responsible for ensuring that servers and services are running smoothly, such as the KronoX booking system and W3D3 (the university’s document management system). He also works with continuous security efforts.
– If you think you know everything, you know nothing. It's an incredibly broad field, and I'm constantly learning new things, says Mikael about his work as a system operator.
Enjoys the open-plan office
Mikael and his colleagues work in an open-plan office, which he likes because it keeps his colleagues close by. One colleague, however, works remotely from Umeå, but that works well too. The team has a great level of openness, and Mikael feels that the work environment has almost always been a good one.
– Sure, we've had periods where it's been extremely stressful, but that could have been due to a lot going on both at work and at home. But I have no problem leaving work at work.
Mikael would like to see an increase in the number of people working in the network and operations function. Right now, they need to prioritize tasks carefully, and if someone leaves, it becomes vulnerable, he says.
Won two World Championship bronze medals
Mikael has a remote work agreement and works from home two days a week. He is happy with and appreciates this arrangement.
– I can do the same job from home as on campus. But working from home makes things easier for me as a parent of a young child. For example, I can quickly put in a load of laundry or start the dishwasher.
Mikael has lived for a few years in a house in Valbo with his wife Sophie, daughter Emilia, and two cats. When he’s not solving IT issues at HiG, he competes at an elite level in all-round frisbee, a multi-discipline version of frisbee. He has won two World Championship bronze medals and two Swedish Championship gold medals.
As mentioned, Mikael started working at the University back in 2007, and he’s open to staying on:
– There’s nothing that says I won’t. I really enjoy working with my colleagues, and I appreciate the benefits we have combined with the freedom with responsibility that I feel I have. Our ideas for the operations are often approved after discussions with the boss, which I find encouraging.
This page was last updated 2024-10-28