From Verona to Kuwait, Oneida Innovations Group Offers a World of Opportunities

No two days are the same at Oneida Innovations Group (OIG), the parent company for the Oneida Indian Nation’s technical services enterprises. OIG Employees work in a variety of functions that support the networks, devices, software and other technology used across Oneida Nation Enterprises’ casinos, restaurants, hotels, spas, golf courses, retail stores and more, as well as the Oneida Indian Nation’s government programs and services, such as its police department and health care services. In addition to these responsibilities, Oneida Innovations Group also provides information technology services for a number of high-level Department of Defense contracts in support of the United States Armed Forces.

This diversity is what drew Zeeshan Shera to Oneida Innovations Group as an Information Security Manager. Part of his job involves working with Oneida Technical Solutions, an Oneida Innovations Group subsidiary, to develop security policies that keep it eligible for contract work.

Soon, he wanted to try the work himself and got a chance to do so by volunteering for a two-week trip to Kuwait for a site survey as part of a Foreign Military Sales contract.

Here’s what Zeeshan had to say about his experience.

What was your experience working in Kuwait like?

It was a great opportunity and I really enjoyed it. It was different than anything I’ve done. That was one of the reasons I volunteered for the job – it’s related to a foreign government through our government in a different country, they speak a different language, the culture.

All of these things could be seen as challenges or something exciting. To me, they’re exciting. It’s a completely different outlook. We were also able to go out to the markets and try different kinds of food. It was fun!

Are there a lot of opportunities like this at Oneida Innovations Group?

If you’re willing to take a chance, we have a lot of different opportunities. There’s movement between teams and into new positions all the time. Most of my team came from different departments – that shows you there’s opportunity here.

What would you say to anyone hoping to try government contract work?

Keep an open mind. You could be asked to do a variety of things, and as long as you’re open to the opportunity, you’ll find your way.

What does it mean to be able to support the United States Armed Forces in this way?

It is a privilege. It brings the reality of the world we live in to a sharp focus. I have done a lot of traveling, however this trip was very different from others. I felt motivated and took pride in the fact that our work can be directly contributing to the defense effort. 

Meeting the active personnel and even other contractors in a foreign nation was very fulfilling. The same people that I may not even look at twice all of a sudden shared a common interest and understanding that we are working together to support our country’s mission.