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Nadia Ghoufa, RPA consultant at Talan: “Collective intelligence is the most fertile ground for innovation”

At the age of 26, Nadia Ghoufa is already one of the world's best professionals in RPA (Robotic Process Automation). Originally from Tunisia, this young Talan’s won the title of UiPath MVP and is multiplying activities, such as mentoring and hosting webinars, to strengthen her expertise, but also to share and inspire others. Meet a passionate person who is both humble and ambitious.

On assignment in Lille at Talan in Hauts-de-France, Nadia Goufha excels in her speciality, robotic process automation, more commonly known as RPA. On 21 February, this young Tunisian was recognised as UiPath MVP (The Most Valuable Professional). A very prestigious award presented to less than 100 professionals worldwide by UiPath, strategic partner of the Talan group and specialist in automation. A recognition of her outstanding contribution to technology and the UiPath community and her spirit of sharing and supporting her peers.

 

A desire for innovation

Nadia was both cerebral and an artist at heart, destined for architecture in her younger years. “I like everything artistic, especially drawing, which is a childhood ambition”, she says. Engineering ultimately prevails. “A logical decision” for those who aspired to “work on innovative subjects” and to carry out a job requiring strong intellectual capacity and a lot of thought. A “sometimes tiring” but highly stimulating choice, which she enjoys every day.

Brave and determined, Nadia is committed to studies that are considered difficult and which she does brilliantly. Her Cartesian spirit, combined with great analytical and organisational skills, opens the doors to computer engineering. She then discovered RPA. This technology frees employees from time-consuming, gruelling and error-prone tasks to enable them to focus on activities with higher added value, which are more complex and more intelligent. “I understood how interesting it is, which mattered very well with my values: innovation at the service of others. What I produce while working in RPA has a very positive effect on the lives of others”, says Nadia, who wanted to see the direct impact of her work. As an RPA consultant, she manages everything related to the life cycle of the robot, from its creation to its production launch.

Nourished by an insatiable curiosity and a great open-mindedness, she enjoys working at the heart of innovation and digital transformation, “being always up-to-date with what is happening”. Hired from her school by Talan in Tunisia, she has been working at the Talan service centre in Lille since December 2021 as a Technical assistant – “a new and wonderful adventure”.  “It’s good to have this open-mindedness, this curiosity. This change in environment and culture will allow me to learn very quickly and grow”, she comments.

 

Being a woman in digital: cultural differences

Tunisia has many female engineers. “During my end-of-studies internship at Talan in Tunisia, the teams were mixed. In engineering school, there were even more women than men. In Lille, I am the only RPA developer in the entire team. "Even though she feels perfectly integrated and works in “a very harmonious environment”, Nadia laments the absence of other women in the team.  Why does the digital sector not have more women in France? “First of all, it is a cultural obstacle”, she replies.

To raise awareness of RPA among women around the world, she and other MVPs will participate in a series of webinars organised by UiPath from 8 to 11 March 2022, on the occasion of International Women’s Rights Day. They will share their technical expertise to encourage them to enter this fast-growing market, in the context of career guidance or retraining.

For Nadia, innovation comes primarily from sharing and collective intelligence.“Exchanging is essential. You cannot be innovative or move forward without communicating with others, sharing your ideas and understanding different perspectives. Understanding the thinking of others helps you be innovative every day.”

 

An inspiring role model

By taking part in the MVP UiPath adventure, Nadia seized her “chance to share and give on a larger scale to the Ui community”, which particularly supported her in her early years in RPA, during the time of confinement. “I was part of an international community of professionals willing to give their time to help other members with specific issues. It was this spirit of support and sharing that helped me to continue what I do and encouraged me to take part in it in my turn”, she says.

With over 3 years of experience in RPA, the consultant contributes to the education of her peers by offering mentoring to young UiPath developers. “It is very beneficial to acquire knowledge, ideas and experiences, but it is also important to know how to transmit them”, she stresses. Mentoring allows him to develop her communication skills.

Nadia wanted to promote and share her expertise, but also to inspire others, “to make them understand that anything is possible, no matter who you are and where you live”. She considers herself an “uplifter”, encouraging others to give value to what they do, grow, believe in themselves and have courage. “I saw many people who were hesitant and didn’t know how to get to where I am”, she says. “Sharing my ambitions with them and explaining how I managed to find my place in this sector can help them overcome their limiting beliefs and make them understand that they are not alone in this adventure”.  For the future, the horizon remains open. “So far, I have made good progress towards everything I wanted to do”, she concludes.