Cloudera’s culture is rooted in empowerment, continuous learning, and creating spaces where people can thrive both personally and professionally. It’s a mindset and approach that is reflected by every Clouderan across the globe, building an environment where anyone can feel empowered to take on new challenges and grow.
A fantastic example of this culture in action comes from our team in Cork, Ireland. Here, thanks to the enthusiastic efforts of Clouderans like Noel Hayes, Senior Manager Global Order Management, the office has started a Toastmasters club. A vibrant and entirely in-person community that in just the last year has already made a meaningful impact on its members’ confidence, communication skills, and leadership growth.
Here’s how Noel’s own journey led him to get the club off the ground, empower others to join, and continue growing its footprint.
Creating an Environment of Growth and Understanding
Noel, a long-time participant in Toastmasters himself, has always understood how much structured public speaking practice can shape a person’s confidence and professional capability. Early in his career he found presenting challenging, but through regular participation and taking on both speaking roles and leadership roles in meetings, he gained confidence and strengthened his ability to lead with presence.
Noel saw an opportunity to bring that same growth experience to his colleagues. When starting out, Cloudera’s leadership encouraged him to revisit the idea once people began returning to the office. The first meetings began in late 2024, and by 2025, the club was officially chartered. Today, the club has soared to over 40 members.
With meetings every two weeks, members gather in person to practice speaking, take on a number of different roles that strengthen leadership and listening skills, and encourage one another through structured feedback and shared experiences.
The environment is intentionally welcoming. Members range from people who once dreaded speaking in public to those who had never stepped into a role like this before.
Taking the Plunge into Professional Growth
One great example of this group’s impact comes from the experiences of Barry O’Driscoll, Senior Sales Operations Analyst. Barry’s journey to the Toastmasters club started with a conversation with Noel. That conversation snowballed quickly, with Barry joining the group and ultimately competing, and finishing second, in an internal competition and later placing second in an international Toastmasters event.
That’s just one of many who have joined Toastmasters since the group started meeting. And while it may feel overwhelming, it’s possible to start small. “Just join a meeting,” said O’Driscoll. “Once you see the energy in the room, get to know the way it works, it will blow your mind.”
These experiences demonstrate how opportunities like the Cork Toastmasters club align with Cloudera’s broader values. By empowering employees to lead initiatives, provide space for learning, and support each person’s development journey, Cloudera continues to build a culture where people feel supported to grow and contribute in meaningful ways.
Fostering a Stronger Community
Toastmasters is a powerful tool for Clouderans in the Cork office to sharpen their skills, get more comfortable with anxiety-inducing elements of their work, or just step outside their comfort zones. But beyond that, it’s a place where employees can forge a broader sense of community. Oftentimes it’s easy to get siloed into groups based on your role and the kind of work you’re involved in.
A club like this is open to everyone, from HR to engineers. In any given meeting, one might get to interact with someone they would virtually never cross paths with. And because the club is fully in person, members have the chance to build that rapport on an even deeper level and support each other’s professional development.
Looking to the Future
As the Toastmasters club continues to develop, members are setting new goals: advancing through Toastmasters’ structured learning program, achieving distinguished status, and connecting with other clubs in the community. There is also interest in exploring how this model might support employees in other Cloudera locations, helping them build confidence and community through shared learning experiences.
The success of the Cork Toastmasters club is a reminder that development happens in many forms, and that when people are encouraged, supported, and trusted to lead, their potential expands far beyond what they once believed possible.
Find out more about opportunities in our Cork, Ireland, office. And learn more about how Cloudera is helping build a workplace where employees can learn, grow, and thrive.
