When an apprentice completes our apprenticeship courses, we always look forward to catching up and update on their progressions.
Manuela, a senior BIM manager, self-taught himself several coding languages as he was passionate about data. He enjoyed using software such as Power Bi to create dashboards and make information more accessible and digestible. He joined the apprenticeship with a passion for making the most of data and for being able to help the company he will be working for. After completing this higher apprenticeship, Manuela was recently promoted to a digital lead for a significant projects business unit at Mace.
Read Manuela's story here:
Has your role changed since?
As a senior BIM manager, I do different tasks such as coordination, management, data analysis, data visualisation and reporting. After joining the apprenticeship, I gained a broader overview, especially in coding, that I wasn't aware of. I also gained more general knowledge about applying tools to achieve any outcomes. I believe the skills gained through this apprenticeship can be used in my role at Mace, such as smart buildings, sensors, IoT etc.
What key skill did you want to get out of the apprenticeship?
I wanted to develop a more structured understanding of the end-to-end data process, from data collection to data visualisation. In addition, I developed a greater understanding of forecast analysis.
Has the apprenticeship helped you achieve this? And how?
Is this something you'll be able to apply in your role at Mace?
The apprenticeship has helped with the end-to-end data process by encouraging trust-building in the decision-making process, and I've gained a better understanding of what to do in a structured way. It helped with forecast analysis, a core part of the portfolio and assessment. I was able to build the trust of insight and also replication.
What sort of daily tasks have you managed to automate, if any?
Since my role involves coordination, management, data analysis, data visualisation and reporting, daily task automation is a must. Task automation has many benefits, including allowing data extracted to be copied into SharePoint and a list of tasks scheduled that can feed into Power Bi. In addition, it enables dynamic refreshing and sending notifications so the team can focus on their daily tasks.
What would you say could be improved about the apprenticeship?
I started this apprenticeship during Covid-19, so I had to learn everything through Teams. Although I gained a lot of skills and knowledge, I think adding hybrid learning can help to bring more benefits for the apprentices.
What tools would you say you'll now use most?
During the apprenticeship, I was introduced to many valuable tools I could use in the future. One of the tools that I will use most would be PowerBI because it is a common and straightforward tool, so the team can quickly familiarise themselves with it. In addition, Dax language python web scraping and API has been used well in work. These tools help to tackle challenges early in the stages of data processing before passing them to IT.
How do you think your manager will benefit from your newly learnt skills?
My manager can significantly benefit from my newly learnt skills as I can build more trust between my manager and the team. There are more competencies as my new skills can empower my abilities to undertake my role, and I will be able to show that progression through my day-to-day job.
Where will you be progressing in the future?
Depending on the evolution of the role and market requirements, I want to go into education because of my passion for data, but for now, I will focus on youtube, websites etc.
We always love to hear the success stories from our apprentices and how the course has helped them develop the skills to succeed! For more information about our courses, please click here.