Getting to know datacenter employees: Emma Yacoub
Microsoft’s success depends on our people. We are proud to introduce some of the talented folks in your community who work in our global datacenters. Discover what inspired them to pursue a career in the tech industry, the different pathways they pursued, and what a day in the life of a datacenter employee looks like.
Introducing Emma Yacoub
Logistics technician
Gävle, Sweden
Employee since July 2021
Early days
Emma’s parents emigrated to Sweden from Syria and raised Emma in Gävle. She grew up surrounded by her large extended Syrian family. “We always have a lot of people here at home,” she recalls. “I love people. I’m very social and I think I got that from having people around.” As a child she loved all kinds of sports—especially figure skating and martial arts. But she also grew up with an interest in technology, born of her family’s interest in the latest technology and its ability to make everyday life easier. Emma especially appreciates the functionality and aesthetics of technology.
The path to technology
“I would never have known that Microsoft was an option for me, to be honest,” Emma remembers. She was a restaurant manager when the COVID-19 pandemic brought an abrupt end to that line of work. So she moved into a role at the Microsoft datacenter at Ersbo in Gävle as site manager for Securitas. “Then I realized that if all of these people can work here, maybe I can too,” Emma recalls. A datacenter employee encouraged her to apply for a job and she did. Six months later, she feels confident in her career move. “I’ve never done something that feels more right in my life,” Emma reflects. “I love the culture. It’s not going to work but going to a nice place where you make a difference.”
Superpowers
Emma’s superpower is her ability to connect with people, no matter their age, background, or interests. She has a knack for making friends anywhere. This is a true superpower when working as part of a team, where communication and connection help everyone go farther than they could go on their own.
A day in the life
When Emma arrives at the Datacenter to begin work as a Logistics Technician, she checks her mail, reviews incoming and outgoing tasks, and makes a plan for the day. At 9 AM she joins her team members from the other sites and their manager for a morning meeting, where everyone shares information and catches up. Then Emma tackles whatever challenges come her way that day. Inventories, deliveries, and cycle counts are consistently part of her day’s work, but so are unforeseen issues. These challenges keep her on her toes and ensure that no two days are alike.
Future career aspirations
Emma’s goal is to grow and learn as much as possible to be able to develop in her role and expand her impact in the workplace.
Favorite childhood food
Emma loves food—especially her mom’s cooking. “Everything that comes from her hands is the greatest food ever for me,” she says. Her mom chimes in with a childhood favorite: Syrian dolmas. Dolma means “filled up” in Turkish. The Syrian version of this delicious savory treat involves grape leaves filled with rice, vegetables, and meat and then slowly simmered to deepen the flavors.
