Interview With Africa Gigster’s IT Consultant Wilkie Ondeng

Wilkie Ondeng is an IT consultant currently working as the director of Wilkie Tech Solutions Limited. His area of expertise is web applications and web design. He is also the web specialist at Africa Gigsters. Wilkie holds a bachelor’s degree in business Innovation and Technology Management from Jomo Kenyatta University Of Agriculture and Technology. He is also an alumnus of Booker Academy and has been in the IT field for 7 years.   

What would you say are the top three skills needed to succeed at your job?  

The top three I would say are coding, business skills and learning. In terms of coding, you need to have the knowledge and know how to code in at least two languages. Courses in Html, CSS and Python are where a lot of folks will want to start.   

The second one is business skills. To successfully sell a product or service, you need to know and understand business. Customer service, target audience, market demand, product marketing and other concepts that fall under business skills. You could be very good at what you do but at the end of the day, it is how you sell and manage your clients that will build customer relationships.  

In terms of learning, the IT industry is and will always be rapidly changing. Therefore, continuously learning new skills is important to ensure success. You can tell by how Artificial Intelligence is being adapted into the industry a lot these days.   

Are you driven by passion or purpose or both?  

Passion, as I have always had computers around me since I was a child. I loved to play video games, code, open up computers and do a lot of research in software development. So, that passion for technology is what led me to where I am today.  

What would you say inspired you to join Africa Gigsters?  

I joined to be able to network and be part of a special group of talented youth here in Africa. The thought of being able to share ideas and work together towards a common goal excited me. Being in a community with young folks from different cultures and backgrounds from all over Africa and beyond is something very special. I believe that together we can build ourselves in the global market.    

What did you want to be when you grew up?  

Just like I have loved computers since I was a child, I also had an interest in aviation and dreamed of flying planes. It is something I am still passionate about and one of the dreams I hope to pursue.   

How would you define success?  

Success is being able to achieve your set goals, mission and vision. I believe that when you have a goal of making 30 sales or gaining 30 clients in say 3 months and achieve or exceed that then you have succeeded. So, success is measured by the milestones that you achieve in what you have set to do.   

What do you like most about being a freelancer?  

Freelancing enables me to work and express my art from my perspective. I also love the fact that I can set my schedules and work anytime from anywhere. Freelancing has also helped me build new networks, business partners and lifelong friends. The thought of not having to wake up every single morning, dress up to go sit at an office desk somewhere for a whole month and eventually years gives me satisfaction.