Data and Analytics Apprenticeship

Jemma Johnson

Data Analysis, Business Operations

Higher Level Apprenticeship

NatWest Group

1. Why you chose to do an apprenticeship?

After university I fell into a job that I thought would be relevant to my degree. I fully got my qualifications in my field through on the job training but didn’t enjoy the role and didn’t feel challenged. I decided to do an apprenticeship in something I enjoyed helping me to transfer careers. Since I have done education through a degree and on the job training, I knew that my degree hadn’t prepared me for the world of work and that learning on the job is far easier and much more useful. So I looked up who had apprenticeships in the field I wanted to go into. The other added benefit is that you are earning instead of getting more in debt with SASS (Scotland’s student loan provider). This helps your mental health greatly and gives you the freedom to keep enjoying life.

2. Describe your role and what it entails…

I’m in Data and Analytics. This means I look through databases, sort them and take useful information out of them to analyse. I then summarise my findings and put it in a dashboard to help inform decision making within the bank. I use SQL, EXCEL and Data Visualisation tools daily and get to talk to stakeholders.

3. What have been your highlights ?

My biggest highlight was getting nominated for a risk hero award for making processes more efficient. I have also enjoyed getting to bring a new perspective to my team and how my learning and questioning has prompted team discussions on improvement. I felt my voice mattered right from the beginning.

4. What have been your challenges ?

The one thing I have found challenging is how long it takes me to do tasks while I’m learning. It is of course the whole point of an apprenticeship but having come from a career I knew very well this was a mental step I had to overcome and NWG have supported me through this.

5. What have you learnt from your experience in your role ?

The main thing I’ve learnt is that in a professional environment there are no stupid questions. If you were thinking it the chances are someone else is too. It’s never silly to make sure everyone is on the same page and leads to better team work and less mistakes/wasted time.

6. What advice would you give to a student following in your footsteps ?

Go for it. Being paid to get a proper qualification in a safe environment is the best decision you will ever make. Take full advantage of all the learning opportunities and the chance to meet new people. You never know where it could take you.