As you know, here at Amatis Training, we really enjoy celebrating our graduates’ success stories, so I took some time to speak to one of our impressive recent graduates, George Tasker, who completed the BCS International Diploma in March 2021.
Deciding to become a Business Analyst
George decided to train as a Business Analyst after working in technical recruitment in the financial services and FinTech sectors:
“I have been working as a recruitment specialist since 2017, and my role involved sourcing and placing Business Analysts in the financial sector. I have had fascinating conversations with the Business Analysts I contacted and found myself becoming more and more excited about their roles and opportunities. Although I found fulfilment in placing the right people in the right roles, I wanted to be the Business Analyst!”
George was told many times that he already had the transferrable ‘soft’ skills that he needed to succeed in the Business Analysis sector, so he decided to research what was required to transition successfully. He called several course providers and decided to sign up with Amatis Training after speaking to Martin Maya, the founder.
“I chose Amatis primarily because of Martin. His passion for the sector and his enthusiasm for his training company really came through. It also helped that he had been there and done it all himself – he has been a Business Analyst for many years and is not only able to provide the theory but also apply it to real-life situations. He stood out amongst the other companies that didn’t have this in-depth experience.”
Working through the course
George found the course invaluable, particularly the flexibility of the Amatis Training app, which let him learn while he was out and about. He signed up for the self-taught option, but found that Martin was happy to make himself available to talk through any queries the course raised.
The oral exam preparation was particularly impressive.
“The oral exam brings together everything you’ve learnt and applies it to a real-world situation – you definitely have to know your subject to succeed. I found the one-to-one preparation for the oral superb – it was a thorough walk-through of what to expect and left me feeling prepared, even though I was nervous about the process, having never done something similar before.”
Looking to the future: what’s next for George
George is eager to hit the ground running and use the theoretical skills he has gained from his International Business Analysis course to help affect change in his new role.
“I would like a role where I can learn about best practice and improve my skills from senior and more experienced Business Analysts, with a chance to progress.”
He has also been working in two part-time Business Analyst roles during his training.
“I knew that I would need more than theoretical knowledge to succeed in my chosen career, so for the last seven months, I have been working with two start-ups in the FinTech sector to gain the practical experience needed.”
He initially provided his services for free, but they have been impressed with his skills, and he now has a paid role with each of them. These projects have involved providing live AISP/PISP consents for an Open Banking company, and creating a platform to grade vendor risk in the FinTech sector.
George is passionate about getting started in his new career and has been reaching out to seasoned professionals to increase his profile in the sector.
“My years in the recruitment sector have emphasised the importance of networking, and I have been reaching out to Business Analyst Managers for guidance and connections. I have also signed up with a mentor, and new opportunities are now starting to appear.”
George’s experience in the financial services recruitment sector has helped him develop a wide range of transferrable skills, such as stakeholder management, prioritisation of a varied and challenging workload, and a keen eye for detail. These skills, along with the detailed theoretical knowledge he has gained from Amatis Training, and the practical Business Analyst experience from his recent roles, really make him stand out in the job market.
“I am ideally looking for a role in the financial services and FinTech sector, as I already have experience in this area. But, being a quick learner, I could pick up the domain knowledge needed across other sectors quickly, so I am not limiting my options – I enjoy a challenge! I am also happy to continue to work in a start-up but would equally relish working in a larger, more established company. The way a Business Analyst is defined across different organisations can vary immensely, from product-driven, to data analysis, to requirements and stakeholder management, and it is all fascinating. There is so much variation, which is what makes it so exciting!”
About George
George has worked in financial services for six years, first as a Local Business Manager at a bank, then as a recruitment specialist, providing IT professionals for banking and FinTech clients across the UK and Europe.
He is based in South London and is looking for a position in the London area, or remote opportunities. His LinkedIn profile has additional detail about his recent roles and experience and is available here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgetasker/.
Amatis Training – what we offer
Amatis Training provides BCS accredited Business Analysis training and consultancy courses, mentoring, and support at foundation, practitioner, and professional levels.
For more information about Business Analyst certification and the courses available, take a look at the Amatis Training website at www.amatistraining.com, or fill in the contact form for the chance to discuss the courses further with an expert.