We are talking to Suzanne Knauff, Software Engineer & Azure Integration Specialist.
I work as an Azure Integration Specialist, both for and with clients. I was part of the development team at Boskalis for quite some time, and I am currently part of the development team at VolkerWessels. I bring my Azure experience to the table and build integrations in Microsoft Azure with and for them.
These integrations ensure that different applications, which need to communicate with each other, actually can. Data stored in one system can be exchanged with another system that also needs that data. I build components in Azure that transform the data into the correct format for the receiving application and then route it accordingly.
In 2020, I started a Software Engineering retraining program at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. The program is called Make IT Work. It is a higher education–level retraining track with a job guarantee in IT. Before you are allowed to join, you have to go through a rigorous selection process, including an IQ and personality test. This was followed by an application day, where you meet various potential employers. Estreme — now part of Enable U — was one of them. We immediately clicked and quickly reached an agreement.
I then started the five-month retraining program, which covers the full curriculum of the Software Engineering course. After successfully completing it, I did a six-month internship at Estreme. That went very well for both sides, so I joined the company afterward as a full-time employee. It was an intense period — right in the middle of the COVID pandemic — but it was also incredibly interesting and, ultimately, a real success.
I studied two subjects: English and Egyptology. When I completed both, I started looking for a job I would enjoy. I worked as a legal translator and gave project management a try. At first, I enjoyed translating — it is a bit like solving puzzles — but after a while, it became repetitive. And project management did not make me happy either. That is when I came across Make IT Work. You would think the alpha world of language is completely different from the beta world of IT, but for me, they came together perfectly. I have always been most interested in the linguistic side of my studies. In linguistics, you approach language from a logical and analytical perspective. You are constantly puzzling with different components. And that is exactly what I love about IT and integration technology: the interaction between the different parts.
That puzzle-solving aspect! Analyzing all the different pieces and components. Figuring out what fits best and what tools or approaches to use, based on a specific question or challenge. Then building a solution that is clean and well-structured, so that it is clear to others and easy to maintain. But most importantly: making sure it meets the client’s needs and expectations. I also feel genuinely proud when something I have built goes into production — that is when it becomes real and tangible.
I follow several Azure websites and YouTube channels to stay up to date — especially on Logic Apps. There are so many new features being added right now that I can directly apply in my work, including in the area of AI. And even when something is not immediately relevant to my current projects, I think it is important to know in which direction my field of expertise is heading.
I also attended the Azure conference at the Jaarbeurs this year. Kent Weare was one of the speakers, he is Principal Product Manager for Azure Logic Apps at Microsoft. It was amazing to see him live, especially since I had recently been in touch with him via email. I was struggling with something that I could not quite figure out and that was not clearly explained in the documentation, and he responded almost immediately with a solution. It is great that someone in his position is so approachable.
I can tell you the most about Estreme, since I was already working there before we became part of Enable U. Estreme is a small team of like-minded people, all very practical and down to earth. Communication is easy and informal, and it is simple to connect with the others. That became clear to me right away during the job interview. I know everyone, and everyone is willing to help. There is absolutely no competition between colleagues — we work together to achieve the best results for our clients.
What is great to see is that the culture at Enable U is exactly the same. The organization is larger, so it takes a bit more time to get to know everyone. But the same practical mindset and strong sense of teamwork are there. And the merger of the companies has created new opportunities and possibilities.
I studied Egyptology, and I am still actively involved with it in my free time. I write a blog on Substack about ancient Egypt and hieroglyphs. I have also been a board member of a foundation that promotes knowledge about ancient Egypt, and I regularly give lectures and guided tours in museums on the topic. It is such a fascinating subject, and I find it a shame that most people only associate ancient Egypt with mummies and pyramids. I want to help change that.
Why? Because I believe it is important to explore other cultures. It helps you understand that there are different perspectives — and that those aren’t strange, but rather interesting and enriching.
I am married and live in Amsterdam with my husband and our almost 8-year-old son. I enjoy boxing and biking through the city — it keeps me fit. I also love going out for dinner or curling up on the sofa with a good book in the few free hours I have left.
Above all: stay just the way you are! And let’s make sure we keep that relaxed atmosphere and strong team spirit going together.
