Nurbol Zhumadil

Let’s rewind the life reel of the hero of this story. Today, Nurbol Zhumadil is the Chief Technology Officer at Arcana Inc. Six years ago, in 2018, he became one of the first participants of the Yessenov Data Lab (YDL) intensive summer course for data analysts. Back then, the Summer School which is held annually by the Shakhmardan Yessenov Foundation in partnership with AlmaU, lasted for 8 weeks and was conducted entirely offline. The 31-year-old IT professional was born and raised in Karatau, Zhambyl region. How did he make this journey, and what experiences is he willing to share?

Choosing a Speciality
I came to apply to university with my dad. The first higher education institution I submitted documents to was KBTU, for the Oil and Gas Business speciality. But after my father returned home, I withdrew my documents from KBTU and submitted them to IITU, for the Information Systems speciality. Back then, the general perception of IT professionals was quite different: refilling printer cartridge, installing software, setting up internet – and that was it. However, after two years of studying, I gave in to my parents’ persistent requests and enrolled in the Oil and Gas Engineering speciality at KazNRTU (now Satbayev University). As soon as I graduated, the economic crisis hit, and finding a job became impossible, layoffs were happening everywhere. That’s how I found my way back to IT, enrolling in AlmaU’s master’s program in Business Analytics and Big Data.

Participating in the Competition
Since YDL was held at AlmaU, where I was studying at the time, our lecturers told us, as students, about this new program being launched for the first time. And since the topics covered in the YDL Program were directly related to my future speciality, I saw it as a great opportunity to gain a huge amount of missing knowledge and experience in a short time. So I applied to the Yessenov Data Lab School, passed the competition, won a grant, and began my studies.

Advice for the Yessenov Foundation‘s YDL Program Applicants
First of all, I suggest definitely reaching out to the YDL graduates and asking what types of questions came up in previous selection stages, preparing thoroughly, and being ready for any outcome. Everything happens for the best. If it doesn’t work out this year, don’t waste your time: deepen your expertise, take additional courses, and be sure to try again. The skills you gain from the YDL will undoubtedly serve you well. The most important thing is to keep growing and continue self-educating. What the School gives you is a foundation on which you can build your own house, create your own unicorn.

What Are the Main Advantages of YDL?
First, it is the case study learning and analysis method used at the Shakhmardan Yessenov Science and Education Foundation’s Summer School. It is based on an in-depth examination of real-life business cases. It provides essential depth of knowledge and helps understand how theory is applied in practice, and teaches decision-making in similar situations. The second major advantage of the YDL is the quality of the knowledge taught and the caliber of its instructors. They are recognized world-class experts who are also practitioners in their fields. Third, networking, opportunities to establish contacts, and a professional family you became part of. I mean not only access to lecturers, experts, and guest speakers but also the interaction among students and like-minded individuals. All of this will help establish professional relationships in future career development. We still keep in touch with our graduating class. Everyone has grown in their own field, and you can reach out to any of them for support.

And finally, the fourth point. The YDL organizers truly care about their students, providing everything needed – from accommodation, meals, and transportation, to laptops and study spaces. The Foundation continues to offer support even after the Program ends. They regularly check in with us, ask how we’re doing, and request feedback.

How Things Turned Out After YDL
After finishing the Program, I was offered a job at Choco while also interviewing with two other companies. In the end, I chose the JTI international company. Why? I wanted to gain international work experience and start from the ground up – specifically with data processing, identifying patterns, and so on. At the same time, I was also teaching at a university and conducting programming courses at Kaspi Lab. During the pandemic, I was offered the opportunity to work on developing the ABAI information system in Astana. I realized that this was a new chapter and time to move to the next level. I joined the company with a knowledge of Python, became a full-stack developer, and learned several programming languages. My efforts were recognized at work, and I was promoted to Head of the Development Sector. Two years later, I was granted the option to work remotely, which allowed me to return to Almaty.  There, I was offered the position of Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Arcana Inc.

Today and Tomorrow
I’m currently wrapping up work on the ABAI information system for KazMunayGas, which I’ve been developing over the past 5 years. It establishes a unified digital approach to oilfield data management, integrating storage, analytics, and artificial intelligence into a single solution. This is a full-scale Big Data project. Its main goal is to increase operational efficiency by reducing management decision-making time and implementing modern analytical systems into business processes. It also enables instant collection and visualization of any exploration and production data without requiring additional software. For the past three years, I’ve been simultaneously working at Arcana Inc. We’ve been developing products for Halyk Bank, Jusan, Freedom Bank, the Public Service Centers (TsON), and e-Gov. Over this period, we’ve built a portfolio of products that require further development. We also have a new product called ‘Corporoom’ which is just launching and is currently in the investment attraction stage. This has become my new goal – to enter the international market with our team and our products.

When There’s Free Time…
I enjoy active leisure. I usually spend winters in warm countries. This year I travelled to Thailand, China and Vietnam. I also go seasonal hunting and fishing, mostly in the southern regions, though I’d like to explore new locations in northern Kazakhstan too. I’ve heard so many great things about it… For the past three years I’ve also been practicing cold water dousing.