Kindred Group was voted 5th out of 173 companies as a desired future employer among young technology professionals in Sweden. This recognition comes from a poll among *Young Professionals by Karriärföretagen (Career Company). The poll took place from May to July 2022, asking their choice of future employers, the three most attractive and exciting employers among the companies designated as Career Companies 2022.
What is it that makes Kindred attractive to young professionals? We asked Johan Engberg, our Tech Employee Experience Lead and Aleksander Dushku, who participated in Kindred's Accelerate graduate program in 2019 and currently works as DevOps Engineer.
Johan, what are the key attributes that make Kindred a desired employer for technology graduates and young professionals?
I believe it starts with our purpose "To transform gambling by being a trusted source of entertainment that contributes positively to society." It sets us apart from the rest of the gambling industry. We also have a very international environment with 68 nationalities represented globally.
In Kindred tech, we develop the Kindred platform using the latest tools and ways of working, providing an environment where you can develop yourself and grow professionally. We have a very pragmatic view on hybrid working where we balance your freedom with the needs of your team for us to be successful; work-life balance is a real thing here. And I think that while operating in a highly regulated business, we still want to have fun together and promote social interaction.
Johan, according to the latest talent trends, innovation is climbing up as one of the top attractors for young engineering and IT talent. So, what type of innovative projects is happening at Kindred Tech?
It's challenging to go into details, but there are some areas where we are currently putting much effort. First, we are introducing more AI and Machine Learning to our platform. We are building our whole front end in microservices. Finally, one of our biggest projects is KSP (Kindred Sportsbook Platform), as we are building our sports betting platform, which is truly innovative.
Aleksander: What made you join Kindred?
Throughout my career, I've recognised the need to learn from others with greater knowledge and expertise than I have. As a result, when the time came for me to improve my job, I looked into Kindred. Furthermore, given Kindred's industry reputation, it is something to be proud of to work for a firm with such an amazing track record and a strong example of industry leadership. After the interview, I heard about the excellent culture and how management encourages continuous education and on-the-job learning while recognising hard work. Based on these evaluations, I would fit in nicely with the team and make an immediate impact.
Aleksander: Why would you recommend Kindred to your professional network?
Since I've been at Kindred for about 3 years, I've understood that it's a place where you can develop personally and professionally with freedom and the right environment—making a lot of new friends, participating in activities that will make you feel welcome, and breaking through that barrier by engaging in chance interactions like 'Fika' and other social gatherings. Yet, despite this, you may endeavour to succeed in all areas of your professional life to feel part of it truly.
Aleksander: How important is Kindred's purpose to 'Transform Gambling' to you?
Participating in the change and knowing that it can significantly impact our society makes it interesting. We all must understand that our actions have an impact. We are moving towards a better future to provide a stable way to gamble, making it a completely fun pastime.
*A total of 3,756 Young Professionals voted in the poll, and they were divided into the following categories: Civil Engineers, Graduate Engineers, Graduate Economists, Social Scientists, Real Estate Agents, and Lawyers.
*The definition of Young Professionals: People who are between 25 – 35 years of age and who have obtained an academic degree within 1 – 8 years and started their professional career.
