Thomas was interested in a career in technology, but had no expeirence to help him turn a passion into his future career. Becoming a Spartan in July 2021, Thomas was assigned to work at a multinational asset management company - alongside a number of other Spartans. Read to discover his journey...
What and where did you study at university? Or did you not study at university at all?
I studied chemistry at the University of Leicester.
When did you join Sparta and what course did you study?
I joined Sparta Global in May 2021 and completed the Business Analyst course remotely. I graduated in July 2021.
How did you decide Sparta Global was the right career move for you?
As somebody who was interested in getting into technology, but with no previous experience, the training Sparta Global provided was appealing. I was also excited by the number of high-profile clients that Sparta partner with - many being household names.
How did you find your training at the Academy? How do you think the training prepared you for work?
Despite being entirely remote, I found the training to be highly engaging. I use many of the technical skills I learnt in my day-to-day activities. Sparta’s training also places significant emphasis on the development of soft skills, preparing us for the workplace and enabling us to fulfil our roles as effectively as possible.
Can you tell us about the connections you have built through Sparta? How have you found the community?
I am lucky enough to have been placed with a client that features a thriving Spartan community, some members of which were in my training group. I have found this network to be extremely supporting and something I could lean on when I initially joined.
What is your current position?
I am a junior business analyst at a multinational asset management company.
Tell us a little about your day-to-day role.
I spend a lot of time engaging with business stakeholders, understanding how technology can help improve their processes, and ultimately, help the business achieve their ambitious goals. I work closely with the technology teams to translate these requirements and help transform them into reality. I have also had the opportunity to exercise my technical skills with Power BI and data analysis related activities.
How have you found your first tech role?
I have enjoyed it thoroughly. A lot of this can be attributed to being placed with such a great client and being a part of a great team. My team and the general atmosphere are incredibly supportive, which gives me the confidence to push myself out of my comfort zone. Both the client and Sparta are very invested in my personal development which has helped me flourish over the past year or so.
Are you enjoying working in the tech industry?
The tech industry is really fascinating and dynamic in the sense that it is constantly evolving. I enjoy being on the forefront of this and being involved in changing the way businesses fundamentally operate. Technology is key to underpinning and enabling this, which makes it an exciting space to be in. I feel that I have been put on a great trajectory to achieve this and there is a clear roadmap for me to progress in my career.
What are you looking forward to doing in your new role?
The client I am working with has a lot of challenging, but exciting projects that I am currently involved in. I am looking forward to seeing how these projects progress and to also see them bear fruit. More specifically, I am looking forward to getting more involved in data visualisation, which I have found very rewarding so far. I hope to build on the relationships I have formed so far at the client site.
How did it feel to be named Spartan of the Month?
I was pleasantly surprised. It is nice to receive recognition for my work, and to be validated that I am progressing on the right track.
Would you recommend Sparta to other graduates and if so – why?
I would recommend Sparta due to the opportunities that have been presented to me, which may not have otherwise been accessible via conventional means due to my lack of a technical background.
Natasha Fasanotti has always had an interest in technology, pursuing a degree in Computer Science to turn her passion into a career. But when it came to leaving university and picking a path - the options were overwhelming, unclear, and Natasha wanted to find an opportunity that could help her specialise in something that utilised her skills through and through. Joining Sparta Global in February this year, Natasha upskilled in test automation and is now an integral part of a mult-Spartan project team operating in the public sector.
When Ekaterina (Kat) McNeill began her Psychology studies at University, she wouldn’t have predicted a future working in Data and a successful career kickstart working in the public sector – but that’s exactly what Kat has achieved. In fact, her line manager told us how Kat got to grips with complex code with little to no documentation, worked out how to access data that was previously thought inaccessible, and modelled it through a workflow. Her skills have already made an impact on site and we can’t wait to see what Kat does next…
After initially forging a career in Mechanical Engineering, Bradley Woods found himself searching for an opportunity to change careers and pursue an interest in technology. With a firm determination to find training opportunities in DevOps, Bradley joined the Sparta Academy in early 2023 and quickly secured his first role working in the public sector. Nominated for Spartan of the Month for his “dedication and hard work” that have been “instrumental in the smooth execution of high-profile project”, we spoke to Bradley about his time in tech.