A good place to learn at, but for self-driven and dedicated people.The good thingsThe company is an established entity which has employment practices honed over 40 years, so there are experienced colleagues and head of departments who are very skilled at their jobs. Its small size also means that you know just about everyone in the company (there's a "family"-like atmosphere present). Furthermore, employees are generally left to their own devices and independent thinking is valued. It is a good company to learn about the industry since it is a small, dynamic, startup-like company which gives you a chance to understand the business without forcing you to go a certain way. The only constraints, of course, is the company's own resources. Strong middle management and a friendly culture of helping each other are also positive points in the company's favour.
The challengesThe company also happens to be behind at modernization. You will not find lavish benefits or awesome amenities in the office (although they are adequate), while business practices and information technology are still being updated at a slow pace. In general, the successful practices of the past need realignment so that they continue being useful for today's times. In this environment, there are no clear practices which consistently work, thus often causing difficulties achieving success as employees. The top management also needs improvement - despite giving a lot of independence, the business direction is often murky or nonsensical at times. Inefficient meetings, harsh words and unneeded interventions add unpleasantness to the job, which can be demotivating and stressful for many. Career advancement is also notably unclear, although job promotions are present. In a way, the challenge is that employees must define their own paths to forge their careers.