Company has more than doubled in size in last few years due to mergers. That means that there is a constant reassessment of practices and changes in procedures. Almost every system you learn will be replaced with a new one within a couple of years and they aren't always for the better.
Heavy emphasis on billable hours, so conduct yourself accordingly if you see chargeable work drying up. Unless you have a mentor/manager that likes you and has the pull, you are a liability when they aren't making money off of you. That is just a fact of life in the contract business.