The Buzz with ACT-IAC
The Buzz with ACT-IAC
Building Confidence and Connections: A Talk with an Associates Graduate from CGI
On our next episode of The Buzz from ACT-IAC, host Yohanna Baez interviews Paige Kowahl, a senior consultant at CGI Federal, about her experiences in the ACT-IAC Professional Development Associates Program. Paige shares her educational and career journey, which began with a pivot from chemistry to computer information systems, leading her to CGI. She discusses how the program helped her overcome social anxiety, gain confidence, and develop essential skills through coaching and collaborative projects. Paige highlights the importance of stepping out of one's comfort zone and offers advice to potential program participants.
00:00 Introduction to The Buzz from ACT-IAC
00:30 Meet Paige Kowahl: From Chemistry to IT
00:54 Joining CGI and Early Career Experiences
02:46 Taking the Leap: Joining the Professional Development Program
03:53 Overcoming Challenges and Gaining Confidence
05:01 The Impact of Coaching and Team Projects
11:53 Post-Program Reflections and Career Growth
16:43 Fun and Games: Acronym Wars
19:04 Final Thoughts and Advice for Future Leader
ABBY
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Intro/Outro Music: See a Brighter Day/Gloria Tells
Courtesy of Epidemic Sound
(Episodes 1-159: Intro/Outro Music: Focal Point/Young Community
Courtesy of Epidemic Sound)
Yohanna: [00:00:00] Hello and welcome back to The Buzz from ACT IAC. I am your host, Joanne Obias. And today, we are diving into the experiences of early career professionals who have taken part in the ACT IAC Professional Development Associates Program. We will explore their journeys. Before, during, and after the program, what they learned, how they grew, and where they are headed next.
Yohanna: Okay, let's jump right in. I'm here with Paige Kowal. Welcome to The Buzz. How are you feeling today? Um, you can go ahead and introduce yourself to our listeners. Yeah. My name's
PAIGE: Paige Koaw. I am a senior consultant with CGI Federal. I've been with CGI, just hit my four year work anniversary a couple weeks ago, actually.
PAIGE: So, first job right out of college and I'm really excited to,
Yohanna: to be here. Congratulations. That's really, that's great to hear. So let's rewind a little bit before, I guess, or maybe during college. Everyone's career journey kind of takes its [00:01:00] own twists and turns. What's the story behind yours? So you said you're straight out of college.
Yohanna: Talk to me about the process of getting with CGI.
PAIGE: Oh, yeah, mine. So I actually went to school for, for chemistry. I was in a chemistry major when I graduated high school and went off to college. I was like, I'm going to do chemistry and be like my dad. That's the path I'm going to take. That lasted a semester and I'm like, Nope, we're done.
PAIGE: Let, let's go do my other interest, which was it. Um, I started out in computer science, thought I was gonna be a programmer, wasn't enjoying that as much as I thought I would, and, uh, ended up in computer information systems. So it's a hybrid degree. Way happier there. Loved that work, so happy with it. My journey to CGI started when I was in my skin ish year in college.
PAIGE: I was a December grad, so semesters don't count. I was introduced to CGI when they came onto JMU's campus. Fell in love right away. I was so taken by the fact that a regular old CGI employee drove from [00:02:00] Northern Virginia to Harrisonburg on a Tuesday night to come talk to a bunch of college students. And I'm like, all right, well, that is definitely a company that these employees like to be here.
PAIGE: So everything I did from that moment was to get here. And. Started at CGI January, 2021, right after I graduated. So definitely an interesting path, but I got here. So that's all that matters.
Yohanna: That's really good. I love, I love folks that like really care because that drive is no joke. No, it is not. You know, so you saw like, oh, that's a quality person there.
Yohanna: Like they're taking, they're taking time and
PAIGE: exactly. And the fact that it wasn't a recruit, like there was a recruiter with them, but the other person was just, I don't remember exactly what role they had, you know, because this was years ago now, but. It's like, that's a CGI employee, that's just somebody who's doing this for, you know, to do it.
PAIGE: I love that.
Yohanna: Yeah, that's good. That warms the heart. Um, so every career move has, I guess, a defining moment. What was it that, like, pushed you to take the leap to join the professional development program? What was it that, I guess, caught your eye and, and made you want to apply?
PAIGE: I knew that I still had things [00:03:00] to learn.
PAIGE: By the time We were applying for the program. I was just at three years at that point and I had a manager. Her name's Cindy. Uh, I adore her. She was really pushing me to continue to, to develop myself kind of outside my bubble. I'm a very, let, let, let's call it a socially awkward person. I am not good with public speaking.
PAIGE: I'm not good with crowds. Uh, I definitely needed some help in that regard. And Cindy said to me, this is going to be a good program for you. You're going to apply. You're going to do it. And I'm like, I trust you. I think this will be good. I applied and got through it and I got so much out of it. And already I think I'm seeing a difference in myself, like volunteering to do the podcast.
PAIGE: I probably, if you asked me this time last year, Hey, you want to be on a podcast, I would have said, no, this, this is a huge leap for me.
Yohanna: So thank you, you're in here. Thank you so much, Associates program. So it sounds like starting something new, there's always a mix of excitement, but uncertainty and there's always like, Oh my [00:04:00] gosh, how am I going to do this?
Yohanna: What were your first impressions when you joined the program? Anything that surprised you? What was something that you were like, Oh, you know what, I made the right decision. Like, cause in hindsight, yeah, he made the right decision. But when you started and during the program, what was going on? Oh, I was
PAIGE: nervous as all get when I first day we walked into that room with all the associates there, I was, I was nervous.
PAIGE: I didn't know there were other folks from CGI who participated with me, but I didn't know them. We all came from different parts of the company. I knew nobody in that room. Like I said, last year I was socially anxious and that was not a good mix for me, but very quickly, I don't know what it was. I don't know if it was just being in a room with other young professionals who were in the same boat as me.
PAIGE: I don't know what it was, but I got slowly, I got comfortable and I was able to talk to more people and realize like, wow, this is not that bad. I'm, I think I'm going to have a good time here. And I think I'm going to, you know, make some new connections and learn a lot from. [00:05:00] this group of people.
Yohanna: Let's talk about like the coaching.
Yohanna: Do you think your coach helped navigate any of these awkward roadblocks? Is that something, or maybe was it the project that you guys worked on? What was it that helped you get out of that awkwardness and like, come and talk to me on the podcast?
PAIGE: Yeah, I, I think it was just exposure just every month, you know, meeting with the whole group and being in a room.
PAIGE: Uh, we did a couple of virtual sessions, but for the most part, being in rooms with these people. And when we met. But I met my team, you know, I had known just about everybody by that point or had at least one conversation with them. And my coach Savin, he was phenomenal. He, you know, he, he provided a lot of great insight in ways that I had never really heard somebody say before, but it's, but here in some of it's also hearing it from a different perspective too.
PAIGE: It's hearing something in a different way that like, when you think about, it's like, I've heard that before, but it never clicked. But I, and then my team, I loved my team. We were, uh, beyond the [00:06:00] service. We were a customer experience COI focused project. It was, it was not an easy project for any of us. We definitely had to learn on our feet and thing on our feet a little bit, but we got through it together.
PAIGE: And, you know, we all brought different perspectives to that taught me a lot about doing these kinds of projects and thinking about things from different perspectives and doing things in maybe a way that to me seems a little unconventional just from my education background, from what I do at work. But.
PAIGE: That was a great experience and I learned a lot from that group.
Yohanna: That's good. Cause you're saying your background is in computer logical stuff. And are you saying that your experience with the associates program, was it not logical stuff or was it not?
PAIGE: It helped me get my logic bubble. Like I brought out of my logic bubble, like, like you said, my, between the business side of my background and my IT side of the background, I was a very, I'm a very logical thinker.
PAIGE: At least I want to think I am. [00:07:00] No one's told me I'm not, so I have to believe I am. But being exposed to people who don't have that same background, who don't do the same kinds of things day in and day out. That really helped me connect some dots and see different ways of, of thinking and, you know, just doing things differently that I probably would not have done, at least not at this point in my career, otherwise.
Yohanna: Yeah, I believe you. I think one of the unique aspects of our professional development program is that mix of professionals from both government and industry, so you get a mix of. Different perspectives from different people from different sectors. What do you think is? Maybe the biggest takeaway that you have from collaborating with peers from all these different sectors and different places.
PAIGE: I think the biggest takeaway I'm going to get maybe from the whole program was it is okay to need a minute. It is okay if a project goes off the rails a little bit. It needs, [00:08:00] you need a minute to take a step back, figure out where you're at and figure out what these next steps you need to take are to get to where you're trying to go, even if that means.
PAIGE: Having to maybe start over or taking it back like two or three iterations. It is okay if that happens, because there are people around you that one understand that that stuff happens sometimes, but will also help you get over that hump, get. Pass that, that, that whatever's blocking you and get to that next step that you need to take to
Yohanna: get to
PAIGE: the end.
Yohanna: That's good. Can you elaborate maybe on the mentors or the coaching that kind of helped you get over those, uh, you know, that hump? Can you share a time where your coach helped you reframe a challenge or an opportunity and, or maybe just said like, you know, well, let's take a pause.
PAIGE: Yeah, it, again, seven. So our, our coach.
PAIGE: Savin Joseph, he was the one who really, at the beginning [00:09:00] of our project, we had this grand idea and it was, uh, way, looking back, it was way too big. It was way too big an idea. And Savin really sat down with us and was like, let's take a breath for a second and let's break this down a little bit more. And we definitely throughout the project, then we loved our idea, start working on the project.
PAIGE: We ran into some roadblocks and we ran into some issues trying to get it done. And it really was Sav and Luz. Said it is okay, these things happen, you all are smart, you all know what you need to do, and you all have the capability to sit as the group of you and talk through it, because you did it once.
PAIGE: So Sabin really got us through some pretty stressful moments getting that project done. And it got done, we were happy with the result in the end, that was the important part. And we all learned from it. That's
Yohanna: great. That's really good to hear.
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Yohanna: Welcome back. We've been diving into the experiences of professional development graduates, and now it's time to talk about what happens after the program, how it's made an impact, and what lessons are carrying forward. Um, all right, so now that you've completed the PDA program, how do you think it has influenced your career path?
Yohanna: Where do you see [00:12:00] yourself going from here?
PAIGE: I definitely, like I've kind of talked about, I definitely feel way more confident in myself now. Like, I definitely feel more confident in one, being able to get up in front of a group of people, especially a group of, you know, way more senior people than me, and one, be able to talk to my work.
PAIGE: Know that I can talk about my work in a way that I don't feel I am downplaying what I'm doing, that I can talk about the importance of what I'm doing and feel confident in being able to say like, this is what I'm doing. This is where we're at. This is where we need to be and not think I'm letting somebody down.
PAIGE: Cause I think we're behind schedule and we're really not. That's always been a struggle. And I think that I have a lot more confidence now to also ask for help. When I need it to be able to, um, go to my manager or go to a colleague and be like, Hey, I got a lot on my plate. I need Kenya, maybe one, tell me I'm doing [00:13:00] this correctly and I'm not overthinking it.
PAIGE: Or, Hey, Kenya, maybe help me finish this up. It's almost done. I just need to do like one or two little things that should take me maybe 15 minutes. I definitely feel more
Yohanna: confident being able to do that now. That sounds amazing. That sounds like a really great. Skill to have. Boosting your confidence moving forward.
Yohanna: One of the biggest, uh, benefits I think our program provides is the network that you build. Have you stayed, uh, connected with your cohort or your coach? Have you continued, like, those relationships?
PAIGE: Lately, I have to admit, no. I actually, shortly after graduation, I transitioned into a new role at CGI. So, my life has been a little chaotic.
PAIGE: Oh, congratulations. Okay. Thank you. Yeah. Yeah, I definitely, uh, things got a little chaotic there as I was kind of transferring over to the new role, having to learn all this stuff. So a lot of stuff kind of fell out of the way the last couple weeks. But I do also know that Especially, you know, my team who I spent a lot, well, obviously spent [00:14:00] a lot of time with throughout the project.
PAIGE: I know that, you know, they're around, the group chats are still, still there, we're still connected, and you know, I know that I'll see them around at the ACT I ACT events throughout the year. They definitely need to reconnect, but life gets in the way.
Yohanna: Oh yeah, absolutely. I don't think anyone's gonna be upset.
Yohanna: People know, like, life gets in the way, you know? When you think about, like, your experience, if there's anybody listening out there, What kind of advice would you give them about this program? What would you say to them? I think
PAIGE: knowing that folks coming into this program are young professionals who this might be a brand new kind of experience.
PAIGE: You know, like I said, I went to school for computer information systems, so that's part business and some of the topics we discussed were at least on a high level familiar. Somebody who went to school for like computer science or any other kind of IT based degree, this is going to be brand new concepts to them.
PAIGE: So I say walk in with an open mind. And walk in knowing that [00:15:00] what you're going to learn in these topics, they will help you. You may not see it right away, but they are going to benefit you down the road in your career. And you'll look back on this in 3, 4, 5 years and be like, I remember. Learning about that in the associates program or something that happened with me.
PAIGE: It was like two weeks after one of the classes. And I heard somebody talking about the topic we had discussed. And I'm like, we just learned about this. Wait a minute. Let me go find pipe notes from class. And it, it, it helped. And it helped me be a little bit more active in the conversations. I actually knew what we were talking about at that point.
Yohanna: Timing is weird, but it worked. Yeah, that sounds amazing. Um, I, I dunno, from your perspective, how does this program help prepare future leaders? For, for today's challenges, um, if there are conversations out there happening, it feels as if future leaders jump in.
PAIGE: Yeah, we'll see. I think I'm going to just go back to what we've been talking about, confidence.
PAIGE: I think that being able to [00:16:00] ask questions and being able to jump into the conversation, you need confidence for that. And it, that, I think that's just a huge thing to have. Not every leader is going to be confident 100 percent of the time. Of course, but having at least enough to take that first step, even if it's just a tiny little baby step.
PAIGE: That's going to eventually keep building and building and building. And then suddenly you're sprinting down the road with the best of them. And, you know, you're, you're there, you're in the room, you're learning, you're developing yourself and becoming that future leader.
Yohanna: I like that answer. I like that answer.
Yohanna: That's really good. Yeah. All right. So we've made it to the fun game segment of the podcast. Um, we've had a great conversation about career growth and professional development and confidence. But before we wrap up, let's have some fun. It's time for Acronym Wars. [00:17:00] That's the name. The truth, that's the name that I've given my little game.
Yohanna: Uh, the rules are relatively simple. I'm just going to quiz you on your knowledge of common or not so common government acronyms. All right. Let's go. Let's try it. Let's give it a try. All right. Round one. S E M A.
PAIGE: S E M A. Is that Federal, Federal Emergency Management Agency? Yes. Hey,
Yohanna: good old FEMA. Good old FEMA.
Yohanna: Oh, good old FEMA. Here's the next one. This one's a tough one. I didn't know this one at all. Right? Here we go. N O A A.
AD KOLLABIO: Oh,
Yohanna: um,
PAIGE: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Yohanna: Yes. [00:18:00] That's a tough one, right? I didn't know there was I couldn't, totally couldn't remember what that first day was. Me neither. Yeah.
Yohanna: National something. Alright, here's the last one, and this one might be difficult. There's another toughie. G A O.
PAIGE: I know the G's government. True.
Yohanna: True.
PAIGE: Oh. Is it an accountability office? Eating? Hey.
Yohanna: Three for three.
PAIGE: Congratulations.
Yohanna: I'm a little amazed by that.
PAIGE: These are
Yohanna: tough. I'm telling you. The acronyms are tough.
PAIGE: I remember when I first started at CGI, like my first project, a number of acronyms I had to learn. I, to this day, there are still probably a few that I never got right.
Yohanna: Yeah, they're [00:19:00] tough. All right. So that was a blast. Thank you so much for playing along. Um, before we close, is there anything else you'd like to share with our listeners or potential folks that might want to sign up for the associates program or the voyages program?
PAIGE: Take the leap. That, that's my advice is take the leap if you're going to be, you know, if you want to be a leader and you want to take yourself somewhere beyond what you're doing now, take the leap, be okay with maybe embarrassing yourself a little bit.
PAIGE: Not everybody's going to know everything. Not everybody's going to be perfect at everything the first time they do it. Be comfortable being uncomfortable. That's a cliche I know, but it is probably my favorite because it has gotten me to this point. So I enjoyed it. I've enjoyed. Everything that I got out of that program and I know it's going to help me down the road.
PAIGE: Great. Thank you so much. Thank you so much for your time, Paige. I [00:20:00] appreciate this. Thanks so much for having me.
Yohanna: This has been such an insightful conversation. Thank you for sharing your journey and experiences with us. And to our listeners, if you're interested in learning more about ACT IAC's professional development program, be sure to check out actiac. org slash professional dash development. Until next time, keep learning and keep growing, and we will see you in the next episode.