Doing a placement year was always a goal of mine, the struggle of finding a placement proved to be worthwhile. Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) proved to be a company where I really developed as a student. I had some objectives that I wanted to complete before starting my placement at CAF i.e. working with different stakeholders in the company, using industry tools, being able to practise the techniques in requirements gathering etc. I finished the year knowing that I was able to achieve my objectives to the best of my abilities and gained a treasured experience as a Business Analyst.
I had the opportunity to work with experts in my field of study and I have been able to apply the topics I have learnt at university practically. The first month at CAF was quite challenging in terms of adjusting and getting used to my long journey to work whilst adapting to a system completely different from university life. Despite this, I feel well equipped with the tools to succeed in my final year because of the experience I gained from working projects which was vital to the company’s success.
During my placement year, I had the opportunity to do a career talk with students applying for placements. This helped me build on my presentation skills and taught me the importance of paying attention to my lecturers during lectures. I am now more attentive in lectures in my final year of studying.
Looking forward to the future, I want to carry on working in the field of business analysis and consultancy. I enjoy the process of engaging with clients and solving their problems for them and doing a placement has cemented this for me.