BPO Elite – Blog Post #21 – An Introduction to Analytics

An Introduction to Analytics Training Seminars

In the past couple of weeks I taught a couple of two day training seminars with an audience of fresh graduates. Most of them have IT or Computer Science backgrounds and are looking to embark on careers without much of an idea where to get started.

My team and I screen and interview the trainees to assess their technical background, any relevant work or on-the-job training experience, English proficiency and communication skills. If candidates pass the screening and the interview, than we invite them to attend the training seminar. We have pretty high standards and only invite those who we feel have the potential to have long and successful analyst careers.

During the training, I share a lot of my experience, based on my 15 years with Wells Fargo. During my career with the bank, I learned a lot about what it takes to be a good analyst. I also have a Master’s in Education and spent five years teaching and being an administrator in higher education. This fairly unique combination of corporate experience and educational focus have giving me the opportunity to teach analytics seminars.

The two day classes are designed to provide an introduction to the key concepts of analytics and include several exercises and hands on trainings. The classes are a lot of fun, but also full of information and new perspectives. Most of the trainees know little about analytics or what an analyst career might look like, but after spending two days with me, they all have a new direction and new found confidence in what they can accomplish.

After the training we again meet with each trainee to help them determine what kind of analyst they want to be. We look at the various paths someone with analytics skills can take and we also update their resumes and online profiles to make them more likely to standout.

In my 20+ years of professional experience, teaching analytics to fresh grads has been one of the most satisfying experiences I’ve ever known. For a social yet nerdy person like me, analytics is a whole lot of fun and being an analyst is one of the coolest jobs around. Now I can help younger versions of me find the same satisfaction as they embark on their professional journey.