Leaving university is daunting; it’s a complete upheaval of your life and there’s an ever-present pressure to find a job. I had no idea where to begin looking for my perfect role. I wanted to get into the Financial Sector and apply the technical skills gained during my Computer Science degree. So I reached out to friends who had left university before me and had gone in this direction. One of them recommended Vantage Point Global. I can look back now and say this was where my career began.
After some research, I could see Vantage Point would help me bridge the gap between university and a career in the financial sector. I applied and after a few interviews, I was accepted onto their Simul8 Academy training programme. As my first day approached, I was nervous that coming from a non-financial background, I would fall behind. But my nerves settled once I realised my Academy colleagues had STEM backgrounds. I also wasn’t the only woman on the course, which provided some further comfort.
The Simul8 Academy was an intensive 6-week crash course covering everything necessary for my first assignment in the City. From learning the structure and operations of a bank to the processes behind a trade. I’ve also received technical and soft skills training. In my current assignment, I have to present clearly and confidently in front of clients, so the presentation skills developed in the academy have been a lifesaver. Tim, the trainer, devotes so much time to you during the academy and is there to help whenever required. He has been a valued ally moving forward into my career and I still check back in with him for advice even now.
After the Academy, I was placed into an IT firm that creates solutions for Tier 1 investment banks. As a junior Cloud Engineer, I’m now learning Google Cloud Infrastructure services and developing Terraform to deploy these services via automated CI/CD processes using best practice DevOps and SRE principles. I’ve also worked in a large team developing cyber security programmes for a trading floor. I have also volunteered for individual projects and certifications.
I have regular catch-ups with my Vantage Point manager, normally over coffee. Together we discuss what I’ve been doing on my assignment. She guides me on how to navigate the trickier issues and encourages me with my ongoing learning and development. Although it may seem small, these meetings help me feel supported and I can see they’ve helped my confidence grow. I appreciate the continued care Vantage Point gives each consultant after the academy finishes. I love the networking events they host – which allow me to connect with other consultants across the City. Vantage Point also hosts female-only training events and encourage me to join women’s networks in the City, so I now have a great support net across different financial firms.
Find out more about Vantage Point’s Simul8 Academy here >>
If you are interested in a career with Vantage Point too, please send your CV to sophia.daniel@vantagepointglobal.com
