Learner Testimonial — Business Analyst Apprenticeship

In our society, attending university is the expected path for high-school graduates. However, it’s important to think about this decision carefully and understand if it truly is for you. One person who did this is our Apprenticeship learner, Ally Hogg, who was recently recognised at the British Computer Society (BCS) IT & Digital Apprenticeship Awards. Here’s her story.

Ally went to school in Scotland. When she reached college – halfway between high-school and university – she realized uni was not for her.

“I originally wanted to do Social Sciences – Sociology. The subject was interesting, but it didn’t set a fire in me to be able to learn more about it. I knew I wouldn’t have the passion to see it through. I was very young, age 17, and I wanted to work, so I applied for a job with Lloyds. I knew it would give me the opportunity to develop, no matter which area I chose to focus on later.

“I worked for two years at a Lloyds Call Center then became Complaints Manager. During my three years as manager, I saw where things went wrong day-in and day-out; I saw first-hand the repercussions of launching new products and systems.

“Because of that, I was given the opportunity to be part of a Senior Management review to improve our complaints process. I gave feedback to Business Analysts, Designers, Product owners… We were buying off-the-shelf software and customising it in-house. I loved being part of that change.

“Before joining this team, I didn’t know what a Business Analyst did – or that there even was such a thing – or a Software Developer, or a Quality Tester…It really opened my eyes to the complexity of IT and the vast opportunities we have to help people. I realized there’s so much more out there that I can learn!”

Her interest didn’t go unnoticed. On the team, a Business Analyst named Rahul saw her potential.

“He was a contractor, working with all sorts of companies. He said, ‘You have all the drive and passion to become a Business Analyst. Have a look at what it involves and what you’d do on a daily basis – perhaps you’d enjoy it?’ So I looked at the job role and spent the next year shadowing him and learning all I could. We’re still in touch and I still ask him questions! If it wasn’t for him, I genuinely would have never gone into this.”

During that time, she got a temporary position for 12 months, which was a great opportunity to dive into the deep end and get as much exposure as she could. Towards the end of her contract, a Business Analyst job opened up at Lloyds and she applied for it. During the interview process, the team told her she could also do an Apprenticeship if she wanted to; there was no pressure, as she would have got the job anyway.

By this time, Ally had discovered her passion for the field, especially the opportunity to engage with stakeholders and translate their asks into development specs. “I love talking to people, deciphering what they need and what the business needs…Figuring out exactly what little thing within a process is causing a problem gives me a buzz!! Being part of a team that builds something to solve a problem for the customer enables me to make a difference in the world of IT, upfront, rather than deal with the repercussions later.”

Ally read the Apprenticeship specs on the Lloyds website; she was a bit taken aback by all that is required but thought, “I can do this! I wanted to understand the fundamental structure of what a Business Analyst is so I can be confident in implementing new things.” Receiving a qualification was also important to her and, as a result, Ally joined the Lloyds Development Team as a Level 4 Business Analyst apprentice. Prior to this, she had never considered Apprenticeships.

“I found it a rollercoaster ride, sooo many ups and downs!! There have been tears but also joy with each portfolio piece, each exam, each course – I gave it my all, it was hard – but I’ve learned so much and I never would have been able to be this confident without it.

“It’s overwhelming when you begin. I was so shocked by the amount of work I would have to do, but every task helped me build the confidence for the next one.

“I’m a ‘tell and do’ rather than just ‘tell’ – had I gone to uni, I would have had to learn everything regardless of what I’m interested in, and I would have had to wait a long time to be able to get practical experience.

“With the Apprenticeship, when I found something I didn’t have strength in or that I really liked, I could spend more time on it – it wasn’t just a case of learning for the sake of learning.”

The opportunity to take additional certifications was also very useful. “I wasn’t pressured; it was all about what I was comfortable doing. I took five BCS exams as part of the Apprenticeship.”

Ally also enjoyed studying at Wyboston. I went there for all courses apart from one, which I only missed because of a train strike! I feel I’ve learned the most from in-class courses; instructors brought the textbook to life with real-world examples.”

“My in-work mentor, Leesa, was very helpful too – we had checkpoints every week to make sure I was on track. My Firebrand Mentor, Steve [Stocks], was always on-hand too. Every time I had a call with Steve, I felt good about myself, it really boosted my confidence – I thought, I’m doing something right!”

Steve was also the one who recommended Ally for the BCS award. “He asked my permission and I was more than happy to give it a go. My entire team gave feedback that fuelled that nomination.”

“When they e-mailed me that I was a finalist, I thought, ‘This is good enough; I’m more than over the moon!’ I took my work colleague with me to the awards – we thought it would just be a fun day out. When my name was announced I had an absolute shock, I was absolutely flabbergasted!”

At work, Ally is now moving into cloud-based solutions. “My team is the first in our business area to deploy GSP!” As an apprentice, Ally’s on-track to complete the coursework this July and enter the End Point Assessment (EPA). Good luck!

So, would Ally recommend Apprenticeships?

“I would recommend Apprenticeships, but – if you don’t have the drive and the passion for self-learning, they’re not for you! It takes a lot of self-motivation, self-direction; if you just sit back, you don’t pass. On the other hand, if you want to take what you’re learning and implement it, this is certainly for you!”

Thank you for your feedback, Ally!