Graduate Consultant Review

I am a consultant completing business and data analysis tasks. This means that I help other companies/organisations through a set of different activities like workshops to understand the requirements of change. To do this I must analyse data to present in a way that can deliver a concise and easy to understand message. Day to day this means I have high customer engagement in meetings with clients where requirements are elicited. Furthermore I also do a lot of analysis and visualisation of data using different tools.

Throughout the business analysis apprenticeship I have learnt many new skills. The first of these is stakeholder management and engagement. By using the efficient management system this enables any project to be effective in its delivery. Further requirements engineering has allowed me to more effectively participate in client events and work to fully understand a problem. In my role I have been able to develop my problem solving skills by being given meaningful and individual problems to solve.

The programme is allowing me to learn new techniques and skills, an enjoyable challenge is always set. The culture at Roke is encouraging and challenging at the same time, aiming to develop problem solving skills and enable innovation. This is enforced at a company wide level but also embodied within teams by the way each person works collaboratively. A company culture of time, trust and freedom allows for flexible working and means that I have been able to continue working effectively and enjoying my work even into the lockdown period.

The programme was clearly set out to me from the start. The different sections and when I would need to complete the different parts of the programme, including exams and classroom sessions were clearly roadmapped. Support is made easily available and a regular catch up is scheduled to check on progress and wellbeing. Time is deliberately set aside so that studying can be completed arund project work without expecting too much of my capacity to work.

My employer is effective in the way that it supports me. This is achieved by flexing the projects I work on around the studying and apprenticeship work I am required to do. This means that my project work is expected only to take a certian number of hours a week to ensure that I have enough time to complete the required studying time demanded by the apprenticeship. This is enabled by the HR team who provide this support.

The programme was clearly set out to me from the start. The different sections and when I would need to complete the different parts of the programme, including exams and classroom sessions were clearly roadmapped. Support is made easily available and a regular catch up is scheduled to check on progress and wellbeing. Time is deliberately set aside so that studying can be completed arund project work without expecting too much of my capacity to work.

The business analysis apprenticeship is directly related to my role. It teaches the best practices and techniques required to effectively deliver work in this capacity. This means that on a day to day basis I am able to put what I learn into practise in my project work. Furthermore the qualification is teaching me more about what my role will develop into and what more I can expect to do in the future in this role.

At Roke there is a sports and social club run for all the employees. This enables employees to get involved in groups of people with similar hobbies. There are therefore clubs for many different sports, with a tennis court on site as well. There are also some events organised by the company, for example a bonfire night display and a summer 'festival' experience for people to get involved in. Further there is the opportunity to be involved in the organisation of these events.

Yes

The culture at Roke creates an excellent environment in which to work and be challenged. The opportunities to work on many different and interesting projects in supportive and encouraging teams means that I am always using my brain. Furthermore the benefits of the out of work activities like the sports and social club are excellent and allow for further opportunities to socialise with colleagues. The people at Roke are always friendly and helpful whenever needed.

If you were to apply for Roke I would encourage enthusiasm and the ability to effectively communicate your interest in technical subjects. The application process involves a covering letter and CV. Here, I would again communicate your interest in the technical. The next stage is an assessment day. Here you will have to work alongside other candidates. This means that you should prepare to be yourself in this scenario and think about how you are being perceived.