Coming from an Accounting and Finance background I have always been interested in data, but never had the opportunity to learn about the role that data plays in the financial services industry. A few months ago, I started my career at Capco as an Associate Data Consultant, and as a woman in the Data Practice my journey has been thoroughly enjoyable so far. The diverse set of interesting projects and training offered by the company has allowed me to gain invaluable exposure to digital transformation in the rapidly changing financial world. My daily work includes dealing with data from a tier one bank, and processing this data – which closely relates to all our everyday lives – makes me feel really connected to and part of today’s new world of digital finance. Data has such a critical role to play in the evolution of the financial industry, adding real value to a broad range of businesses. On joining, I didn’t expect to be part of such a tight-knit group – everyone has welcomed me very warmly and they are always ready to support me. From my experience at Capco, there is no barrier for like-minded young women to pursue a job in data or technology and – like myself – be empowered to pursue their interests. If you would like to find out more about my experience of being a woman in data consultancy, please feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn or email sylvia.wen@capco.com.
I graduated in 2019 with a BSc International Business and Economics. While I did not have an extensive background in data, I have always had a very keen interest in the role and importance of data in our day-to-day lives – and also how easily it is overlooked. Fast forward to 2021 and I came across the opportunity to work with data via the Associate Data Programme (ADP) at Capco. The experience has been – and continues to be – invaluable. I have continuous opportunities to learn about data and its structure. I am currently working on a project with one of the UK’s leading insurance companies as a Visualisation Developer, helping to build a dashboard for the client’s different products using powerful software tools. Learning and utilizing these skills is one of the main reasons why I enjoy this job. I have an amazing network of colleagues around me – being a young woman in Data could have been a daunting experience elsewhere, but here I have been well supported. I would without hesitation encourage and recommend other women to join the ADP. Even with just a pinch of interest, you will quickly discover how invaluable data skills are and how beneficial they will continue to be as technology advances.
Life is a desert of shifting sand dunes. In primary school, my worst subject was maths; in high school I got full marks on my exams and carried on studying for an integrated Masters in Economics and Maths. While at university I found the little coding we did to be my least enjoyable task – but guess what? After graduating top of class in Financial Economics and trying out roles in various industries – from diamond wholesale to portfolio management – here I am, progressing my career in Data Analytics. And I can’t imagine a more interesting and inspiring field in which to work. Data is key to modern business, and is becoming more significant every day. As more fields and roles emerge and work becomes more flexible, data presents an amazing opportunity to improve female workforce participation, career satisfaction and give everyone a chance to make our world a more organized, transparent, and equal place. I am truly grateful for the window to the future that the Capco ADP programme has opened for me.
I have always seen myself as a resourceful problem solver and that led me towards a problem-solving career. I began that journey with a Master’s in Chemicals Engineering, where I found myself navigating vast amounts of data and creating models to answer big questions. That helped me to realize that my strong analytical mindset could be applied to any sector and I began to build an interest in big data, specifically in finance. Entering another male-dominated industry, where the representation of women is low, was daunting, and I was wary of being undervalued and perceived as ‘not technical enough’. To my surprise, I found that joining Capco’s data practice through its Associate Data Programme (ADP) was a joyous experience. I felt that I was constantly encouraged to take my place both on site with clients and within the data community. My day-to-day work of bringing raw unstructured data to life involves data wrangling and visualization to build cutting-edge data capabilities of value to clients or Capco itself. I would really encourage women with a passion for problem solving to create their own journey through data and analytics. It’s an inclusive and open space where challenging the status quo is encouraged, and which needs more women who want to #Breakthebias and create change.
Before Capco, I worked across various industries in digital marketing, where I enjoyed working on search engine optimization (SEO) through website analytics and performance reporting. The challenge of building a robust solution that consistently improved the company’s performance over time drew me to pursue a more data-driven position. I started my journey at Capco by joining its Associate Data Programme (ADP) in late 2021, which has given me the training and tools to widen my knowledge and take my interests further. As a woman, I’ve found the Data practice at Capco to be a very welcoming and accepting place to work. From the start of my training I’ve been encouraged to explore different areas of the business. This led to my first project with a leading insurance company as a data modeler, where I am in a team building data models to automate reporting. The ADP is a fantastic gateway for women who want to start a career in data. You will be learning in an unbiased and supportive environment with peers from varied backgrounds. If you are considering a career in data, find out what aspect of the sector most sparks your interest. That, and a willingness to learn, will take you far.
