Career Built Through Education
I am about to celebrate 2 big milestones in my career; 9 years in BPP which becomes my longest employer to date, and 1 year into my most recent role. This article is a reflection on this time.
My time at BPP, a global education provider, has been spread between our Apprenticeship School, Client Services, and now Product & Technology. Classmates from High School would have guessed I went straight into IT, but I’ve had a 20 year detour. Would I change things if I went back? No! The professional experience I built in Retail, Vocational Education, and Customer Service gives me a unique insight into how technology can be leveraged across the business.
During the pandemic, I was lucky enough to embark on one of our own programmes, the Level 7 Digital Technology Specialist Apprenticeship with embedded MSc in Applied Data Analytics. Completing this programme (and gaining a Distinction) was a huge achievement but I would never have guessed how it would finally launch me into a technology role.
A year ago I took up the role of Customer Behaviour Insight Manager which has since been rebranded as Central Analytics Manager. I started just before the company embarked on a digital transformation. Combined with our incredible learner facing tutors, coaches, and support teams, this transformation is set to firmly establish us at the leading edge of educational provision. BPP has never stood still, but now it seems we are sprinting into the future and it is incredibly exciting. The talent we’ve hired across Product & Technology is astounding and I can see how the new products will dramatically enhance our learner experience.
What has the last year been like? Transformative! And this is why…
I joined the Analytics team as they were about to start embracing a new drag-and-drop analytical platform, Alteryx. It’s not just a tool, it’s a catalyst for innovation and transformation within our team and the broader organization. From a novice to now being just 3% away from passing the advanced certificate, it’s been an exhilarating learning experience.
What makes our Alteryx journey even more rewarding is that BPP has been shortlisted for an award by Alteryx, a testament to the way we’ve embraced the platform and harnessed its capabilities. We’ve leveraged workflows, macros, and analytical apps to transform our data processes, making them more efficient and insightful.
My skills in PowerBI have grown. The ability to visualize data effectively is a crucial skill in today’s data-driven world, and I’ve embraced the challenge of becoming proficient in this powerful tool. Combined with Alteryx, it has allowed my team to turn complex datasets into actionable insights that drive decision-making within my team and the wider business.
In addition to these technical achievements, I’ve had the opportunity to bring my professional communication and organisation skills into the team. I’ve had the privilege of training and nurturing the development of my team and our Data Champion Network. I’ve been able to support my team in strengthening stakeholder management, professionalism, and improved our team’s working methods. Collaboration and efficiency are at the heart of any successful team, and I’m proud to have played a part in enhancing these aspects of our team.
I couldn’t write a reflection on the last year without acknowledging how awesome my team are. My wonderful Manager, Mark Boardman, and the whole of his team welcomed me with open “p̶o̶r̶t̶s̶” arms. I am immensely proud of our entire team (I still prefer “Analytical Ninjas”); Akbar Sarwar, Luca Zanotti, Philip Pladgeman, and Thomas Deakin. I’m excited to see what the future holds as we welcome awesome new talent; Bolaji Oyekanmi, Nikita Chistyakov, Pablo Nevado-Busto, and Shane Tanner.
As I look ahead to my 10th BPP birthday, I am incredibly excited to see what the future holds.
