Skip to main content

story

Before joining Kubrick, I completed a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bath which included a placement year at an engineering consultancy. I had always enjoyed solving technical problems, however the problems I enjoyed the most were those that couldn’t be solved by technology alone but also required solving organisational and process issues. After university and a brief period spent working abroad, I began searching for a Business Analyst position which is when I discovered the Data Management Consultant role at Kubrick.

The data industry attracted me because the opportunities are so diverse. Data touches every aspect of a business meaning there are opportunities to work on high-impact technical problems across every business function – something few industries or roles offer. Furthermore, the appetite for data is growing exponentially as organisations have begun applying it across a wider variety of purposes. Increased application has also led to an increase in complexity across the data landscape, meaning there is enormous scope for improvement which we can all play a part in.

Despite being attracted to the data industry and feeling confident in my problem-solving skills, I thought I would struggle to secure a position in the field due to my lack of technical experience and the only jobs that might be available would be limited in terms of developmental opportunities. Discovering Kubrick, which enables people without prior data and technology skills or experience to pursue a career in the field, opened my eyes to new possibilities and made me realise this was exactly what I wanted to do with my life.

I also knew that data management was the path for me from the moment I came across Kubrick and its various practices. Data management & governance is often the bottleneck or black box that limits management’s ability to understand more about how their business processes, teams & initiatives are contributing to business outcomes and how to improve. It’s really exciting to be able to play a major role in changing that and I couldn’t wait to get started.

I was particularly attracted to Kubrick’s continual focus on personal development. Their business model is built on connecting clients with talented individuals, so they recognise that there is a mutual benefit to improving consultants’ skills during training and beyond. They heavily invest in the quality of the training programme and this is visible through the experience of the training team, bespoke learning materials that are regularly updated in line with client and market demand, and rapidly evolving tech partner relationships. The trainers also applied context and real-world examples to the lessons which helped build my confidence across all areas. The confidence I built meant I was thoroughly prepared when starting with my client and it wasn’t until I began my placement that I realised the full scale of the demand for and relevance of the skills I had gained in training.

Even after the 15 weeks of salaried training, the company continues to support your development through leading tech partner certifications which are paid for by Kubrick, and allow you to enhance your skills and understanding in a particular area by becoming accredited. In addition, Kubrick have made large commitments to ongoing development in the form of a bespoke learning platform which will soon be available to consultants during their employment with Kubrick and beyond.

Whilst the Kubrick training was a big help in starting on site, I believe even bigger gains will be realised from it in the next phase of my career. As data management is still maturing across most industries, the need for people who understand how all the pieces fit together is high. There are few people who have the required breadth of knowledge and are able to communicate those ideas effectively, but the Kubrick training lays that often-overlooked foundation.

During my first 16 months on client site, I have worked with a global insurance company and a FTSE 100 software company which has allowed me to work on a range of projects. For instance, I have helped establish a single view of customers in a Master Data Management role and facilitated tracking and control over the flow of data throughout an organisation by implementing a Data Governance Tool. Both projects required a combination of understanding the data environment and engaging with stakeholders who aren’t as data literate to solve business problems, such as ‘How can we ensure that this data is suitable for multiple parts of the business to use?’ and ‘How do we make sure that the right people are making decisions about data and people are informed on those decisions?’. Without Kubrick, I wouldn’t have known how to begin solving these challenges but due to the 15 weeks of training I was able to approach them with confidence; something I am extremely grateful to Kubrick for.

Since joining Kubrick, the project I am most proud of has been a charity project for Medical Aid Films; they make healthcare films tailored to local languages & cultures across the world. Our team are providing education on best practice in managing data, helping them to improve their data model & developing a dashboard that allows them to get insights into their social media engagement. Medical Aid Films’ content saves lives, and they get over 5 million views per year, so if we’re able to increase that number by even a few percent it would be an incredible outcome! Working on this project has been a very rewarding experience, not only have I been able to learn a lot but I'm proud of our contributions to a critical social cause. Our work should have a lasting positive impact and help Medical Aid Films and their viewers long into the future.

If you are considering a career in Data & Technology but aren’t sure if you have the right skills to do so, I’d say try not to feel intimidated as your skills are much more transferable than you think! I had never realised how wide the range of roles are - not all of them involve typing large amounts of code meaning there’s something for everyone. Plenty of roles within Data & Technology require people with strong communication skills, or creative mindsets who can visualise the data and communicate abstract concepts with a wide variety of stakeholders.

If you do decide Data & Technology is the route for you, I would definitely recommend Kubrick as the place to launch your career. Not only because the training is so comprehensive, but because it’s such a great opportunity to join a supportive network & community of like-minded individuals who all want each other to succeed, both during Kubrick and beyond. The way Kubrick embodies their values, such as their continued focus on improving diversity not just within the company but across the whole industry, is inspiring and it’s great to work for a company that practices exactly what it preaches.

This, alongside the exposure to best practice and education on how to practically achieve it in real-world scenarios are what make the Kubrick experience unique, un-matched and invaluable.