Driving Innovation Through Learning: Felix Mugambi’s Path to Google Cloud Certification

In the Innovation story edition of our TRIC Values, we feature Felix Mugambi , who joined IPSL as a Network Engineer and recently achieved the Google Cloud Associate Engineer Certification . Felix shares insights into his career journey, what inspired him to pursue cloud certification, how the process shaped his professional growth, and how IPSL’s culture of learning and innovation continues to drive his success.

Q1. Who is Felix Mugambi?

A tech enthusiast and lifelong learner with a passion for solving network and cloud infrastructure  challenges. My background is in computer networks and systems administration, and I have always enjoyed working on systems that improve reliability, availability and secure connectivity. Away from the screen,  I love outdoor activities to recharge.

Q2. What would you say has been the most exciting part of your job?

Every day brings a new challenge. The most exciting part for me is ensuring that IPSL’s network infrastructure runs smoothly powering payments across the country reliably and securely.  It is rewarding knowing that what we do keeps financial transactions running seamlessly for millions of people. I also enjoy collaborating with other teams-there is always something new to learn from different perspectives.

Q3. What inspired you to pursue the Google Cloud Associate Engineer certification?

I have always been curious about how cloud technology could make our systems more scalable and resilient. The industry is shifting rapidly, and being cloud-native is a plus as much as I think is inevitable, and I wanted to be part of that change. IPSL’s focus on innovation-and the encouragement from my leaders-motivated me to take on the certification and explore how cloud solutions could complement what we already have in place.

Q4. What does this certification mean to you and  has it improved your work as a Network Engineer at IPSL?

This certification has enlightened me beyond traditional networking. I now understand how to bring cloud-based tools and infrastructure together with on-premises systems to make them more flexible and reliable. It has given me the confidence to propose cloud solutions and look for ways to automate and optimize our setup. Overall, it has helped me see the bigger picture of how everything connects.

Q5. What challenges did you face during your preparation, and how did you overcome them?

Balancing work and study time was definitely a challenge. I had to make good use of evenings and weekends to go through coursework and labs. Some topics-especially Serverless, IAM took a while to fully understand. Skill-boost learning platform provided by the Organization, hands-on labs helped me a lot. Consistency and discipline made all the difference.

Q6. How do you see cloud technology supporting IPSL’s goal of driving innovation in payments?

Cloud technology gives us the flexibility and speed that the modern payment ecosystem needs. It allows us to deploy services faster, improve availability, and strengthen our disaster recovery posture. Beyond that, it encourages experimentation-trying out new ideas safely and learning quickly. That is how innovation happens.

Q7. How has your team supported or influenced your growth along the way?

The culture at IPSL is very collaborative. My Managers (Gordon Otieno & Festus Were ) and teammates were incredibly supportive-sharing resources, giving feedback, giving me a chance to implement the learnings. That kind of support really brings our TRIC value of collaboration to life. It’s one of the things I appreciate most about working here.

Q8. What advice would you share with colleagues looking to grow their technical skills?

Find an area that genuinely interests you and give it your focus. Certifications are great milestones, but the real value comes from understanding how technology solves real business problems.

Take advantage of the learning culture we have at IPSL-ask questions, learn from peers, multiple learning platforms, and don't be afraid to make mistakes, that is how you grow.

More Pesalink stories are on the way! Felix’s experience shows us exactly why learning matters: it’s the bridge between personal growth and societal impact. Stay tuned for more—or reach out to share your own.