Can Inac, M.Sc.

Personal data

Name: Can Inac

Completed degree programme: Global Foresight and Technology Management, M. Sc.

Alumni cohort: 2024

Company: Zentrale Stelle für Informationstechnik im Sicherheitsbereich

Why did you decide to study GFTM?

I chose to study Global Foresight and Technology Management to connect my lifelong passion for aviation with the ambition to shape technological decisions at a strategic level.

Aviation fascinated me from early childhood. Aircraft represented innovation, precision, and progress – a fascination that grew into genuine expertise: I can identify aircraft cruising at 36,000 feet above me and often recognize the model simply by the sound of its engines. This led me to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering.

However, over time, I realized that engineering alone does not determine how innovation shapes the world. Strategic foresight and strong management are essential to guide technological progress. The GFTM program allowed me to complement my technical background with innovation management and strategic decision-making skills.

What was the most important lesson you learned during your studies?

The future is inherently uncertain; circumstances can shift abruptly at global and personal levels alike. Transformative events such as the COVID-19 pandemic or geopolitical conflicts demonstrate how rapidly established plans can be overturned. 

I experienced this unpredictability on a personal level at the start of my career. Shortly after graduation, I was hired as an aerospace consultant at a multinational firm and assigned to the Airbus facility in Augsburg. This felt like the realization of a long-standing professional ambition. Yet only two weeks later, I quit. My decision to leave was not driven by dissatisfaction, but by the recognition that unexpected opportunities can redefine one’s trajectory. Despite having worked toward a career in aviation for years and years, reaching that goal after a long journey, I chose to pivot and transition into the IT industry.

When you look back on your studies: What do you still benefit from most today?

I benefit most from is a mindset that was shaped by my studies: the discipline of questioning assumptions and recognizing that certainty is often an illusion. Rather than accepting situations at face value, I learned to analyse contexts critically and to consider multiple possible developments before forming conclusions.

Most importantly, my studies instilled a forward-looking perspective that now guides both my professional and personal decisions. Evaluating choices through the lens of long-term consequences and alternative futures has become an integral part of how I think and act. What began as an academic approach has evolved into a lasting personal mindset.

Since graduating, what phases of your profession have you completed?

After graduating, I left my first position during the probation period and transitioned into the public sector, joining the Zentrale Stelle für Informationstechnik im Sicherheitsbereich. Entering an entirely new professional environment required more than adapting to a new role. I had to build expertise in unfamiliar subject areas while simultaneously adjusting from an industry-driven mindset to the structures, responsibilities, and pace of the public sector.

What makes your industry so exciting for you?

What makes the public sector particularly compelling to me is its direct responsibility toward society. At the same time, the public sector operates under fundamentally different conditions than the private industry. Decisions must balance efficiency, transparency, legal frameworks, and public accountability while serving diverse stakeholder. Navigating these unique requirements and helping improve how public institutions function is what makes the industry both challenging and meaningful to me.

What do you particularly like about your job?

Having a role with tangible societal impact is something I had not previously imagined for my professional path.

How has completing your studies contributed to the realization of your career goals?

Beyond technical knowledge, the program strengthened my analytical thinking, structured problem-solving, and ability to assess the long-term implications of strategic choices. It trained me to approach complex situations systematically, to evaluate uncertainties from multiple perspectives, and to make decisions based on both data and broader contextual understanding.

What criteria did you use to decide on a particular career path/step?

Transitioning from the private sector to the public sector was the most significant and arguably most uncertain career decision I have made. Despite the risks associated with leaving a well-defined industry path, it proved to be the most rewarding step in my professional development. The ability to assess choices from a long-term strategic perspective was a competence I developed during my studies, and it ultimately enabled me to make this deliberate and confident transition.

What is your favourite future, professional or personal?

My favourite future, professionally and personally, is a future of harmony and peace.