António Bento was lying on the beach in Portugal when he received an app that would change his life. Seven months later, he has moved to Delft and is working as a security engineer at CGI within the prestigious Galileo project on '100 per cent reliable positioning'. Responsible work on which human lives depend and which makes António happy. 'I get plenty of opportunities to develop. The day my dream comes true and I get to call myself a cybersecurity architect is getting closer and closer.'
As a small child, António was already interested in technology. Machines exert an almost magical attraction on him, he says. It was therefore natural for him to study information technology. 'I gained a lot of knowledge of programming during that time. Not only because I love solving problems by writing code. It also offers a lot of job opportunities.'
Cyber risks
Indeed, António was able to start work immediately after graduation, as a cybersecurity consultant. The interest in security stems from the realization that our society is increasingly dependent on technology. 'And that poses a big risk.'
Back to the app. In it, a friend asked how he was doing. That's how they got into a conversation, where António was tipped off that there was a vacancy at CGI. 'It seemed like cool work. My friend was willing to make a recommendation. I was allowed to come for an interview, was lucky enough to be hired and then moved to Delft.'
Encryption technology
In Rotterdam, António works on security projects, one of which is Galileo. This is the European satellite navigation system 'for robust and ultra-precise positioning'. António is part of a team that, among other things, ensures that no one can tamper with signals. One way they do this is by using encryption technology. As a result, confidential messages arrive reliably and unchanged. 'It should not be possible for someone to locate you against your will. Or that someone can turn off or disrupt a tracking signal,' António explains. 'After all, emergency equipment also uses the navigation system. A breach could mean that emergency services cannot reach someone, so lives depend on that.'
Ownership
António therefore sees Galileo as a socially relevant project. It appeals to him that the team is involved every step of the way. 'We invent the product, create it and together make sure it works'. At CGI, this form of working falls under ownership. A concept that is also interpreted literally, as employees can acquire shares in CGI. 'That also makes working for CGI attractive, because if the company thrives, then I thrive too and vice versa'.
Learn and grow
What António also appreciates about working for CGI is the opportunities he gets to learn and grow. 'My first two months were entirely dedicated to training for Galileo. Since then I have obtained numerous certificates, not only in the field of security but also in agile development, for example. I notice that they really invest in me and listen to my needs and ambitions. I am working towards the day when I am a security architect. In that role, I devise solutions to cybersecurity challenges. I need a lot of knowledge for that.'
Ski trip
António may love working in IT, but the pleasant interaction with colleagues naturally also contributes strongly to his job satisfaction. 'In the team we complement each other well. My strong side is technology, while others are good at documentation, for example. We also get along well outside work. During breaks we play table football and I went to Austria for four days with CGI. There I stood on a snowboard for the first time in my life. I also see that CGI really works on inclusion; these are not empty words. For example, people who want to celebrate the end of Ramadan are given every opportunity to do so.'
So that one little app makes a world of difference to António. Although it takes getting used to how much people talk about the weather in the Netherlands, he doesn't want to go back. 'I like the culture, on my swap bike I get everywhere in Delft where I live now'.
