MSc in Digital and Technology Solutions apprenticeship student Nee Barnor speaks about his experience studying with Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) while working with partner Cambridge Assessment.
After completing a degree in economics in my birthplace of Ghana, I moved to the UK to pursue a career as an analyst, but needed a structured learning environment to become a data scientist which I saw as the natural progression. An apprenticeship opportunity with Cambridge Assessment seemed the perfect solution to advance my career ambitions.
The apprenticeship was an opportunity to learn from experts with experience I could tap into and make my knowledge and skills more holistic while being able to immediately apply what I learn to real world problems at work.
It not only provides an excellent platform to share ideas with fellow practitioners, but also enables me to contribute to other topics that are shaping my discipline. The apprenticeship is also exposing me to the innovations in the field of analytics so that I can structure my continuous learning to take full advantage of future opportunities in the field.
One year into my apprenticeship, my role has given me superb opportunities to learn while I earn, as well as influencing and developing those in the wider business.
The apprenticeship has given me room to engage with the data science community both in work and at other organisations. I have been able to confidently champion data science within my division, acting as the point of contact between the division and the Cambridge Assessment data science and data lab teams, as well as developing accessible tools and concepts of data science to colleagues in the Operations division.
I am thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to learn. The apprenticeship is affording me the time to learn things that I would otherwise have to squeeze into my free time. I am now able to advance alternative solutions to work problems that I would have struggled with without the apprenticeship. It is very satisfying to see colleagues approach me with problems that I can solve because of what I am learning.