story
Having studied English at Oxford University, I had not initially considered a career in Data. It was only during my year working at a boarding school after I graduated, that I was reminded of my love for maths. Having studied a broad range of subjects at A-Level, including Further Mathematics and Geography as well as English, I realised that I had a range of transferable skills that would not only allow me to manage and work with data, but analyse it and use it to tell a story. Interviewing for Kubrick convinced me that my slightly unusual background for data and technology was actually a strength.
I was attracted to Kubrick as the organisation portrayed a very welcoming and dynamic feel. It is clear that they see their consultants as an investment and want to help us to make the most of our different skill sets. It was great to start the Data Product training and meet people from different educational backgrounds, and with varying experience with data and technology. It was also amazing to have so many other women coming into this field and training alongside me.
After finishing my 15 weeks training, where I got the chance to work with experts in SQL, Python, Tableau as well as develop my business acumen and soft skills, I was looking forward to implementing what I had learnt with my client. I was lucky enough to be placed with a world-leading automotive company; a company I have been interested in for many years, and who I had specifically said I would like to work with.
Since joining my client, I have primarily worked with Tableau creating a variety of Human Resources dashboards, making it easier for business partners to self-serve their data requests. I am currently the top Tableau contributor in HR and was shortlisted at the Global Pride of HR awards for The Unsung Hero award; an achievement I am extremely proud of.
I love the creativity of data analytics and being able to use data to tell stories. It has been really interesting to explore the best ways to make data consumable to an end user, deciding how much detail to include, or exclude, and what insights are the most impactful. When I joined, there was little available in terms of data analytics in HR. We now have a number of interactive Tableau dashboards looking at Headcount, Attrition, Recruitment, Labour Cost, Diversity and Inclusion and more.
More recently, we have been working on more advanced diagnostic and predictive analytics projects, rather than just descriptive. In doing so, I have learnt the importance of a detailed design specification and thorough user acceptance testing, allowing me to implement the best practices I learnt during my training.
While working with my client, the projects I have found most rewarding have been those concerned with Diversity and Inclusion. It has been really rewarding to build advanced analytics in this space where there was previously very little automated reporting. One of my most notable projects has been a comparative piece, comparing the ethnicity breakdown of my client’s employees to UK Census ethnicity data in the areas which the employees live. This is helping the D&I team inform the ethnicity targets that are being set across the business and is helping to highlight the areas of the business that are not doing enough in this space to promote diversity. Working with such data has also encouraged me to be creative and challenged me to find robust solutions for issues regarding GDPR. It has felt great to make this data more available to those who need it across the business while maintaining and respecting the sensitivity of the data.
I have also really enjoyed being able to showcase my work to wider audiences across my client organisation. I have run several demos and Lunch and Learns for our stakeholders, not only walking them through the different dashboards we have published, but also helping them understand Tableau as a software and how best to unlock its potential. It’s been great to see stakeholders embrace and buy into projects they have previously been hesitant of, as they become more familiar and comfortable with this new way of consuming data. I have received direct positive feedback on my work from senior management and the Head of HR, which I am really grateful to have received this early in my career.
Since joining the team in early 2021, we have grown from 4 to 16, which really highlights the need for investment in this space and the value of the work we’re doing. As the team has grown it has been great to have the opportunity to be a mentor to one of our graduates and share my skills and expertise. I was the fourth Kubrick consultant to be placed with this client, and there are now more than 20 of us, which demonstrates the success and value of the Kubrick consultant model.
To me, Kubrick is a great option for those wanting to jumpstart a career in data. The training, along with the continued support throughout your placement, provides an ideal environment for even those with little to no experience in data or technology to really thrive. It’s been great to see how much my, and also my fellow Kubrick consultants’, confidence and technical abilities have grown over the two-year client placement. Now, nearing the end of my placement, I’m really excited to see where my time with Kubrick will take me next.
Latest insights
