My thoughts about The Data School

by Hafeez Sanusi

I’m new to the world of blogging and social media, however, there’s always a first for everything! This post will begin with my initial thoughts prior to starting my first day at The Data School and then will be capped off with my thoughts after my first week within the office.

Initial thoughts

After attending the Meet and Greet in February and conversing with numerous members of The Data School, my initial thoughts were:

  • I will be in a supportive environment
  • The training period will be intense
  • I will be working with very intelligent individuals that are passionate about their job
  • I will have an array of opportunities upon completing my 2.5 years at The Data School
  • I will become a Tableau and Alteryx Whizz!

Thoughts after the first week

My initial thoughts were not only matched, but they were also exceeded! The week flew by and I literally could not wait for the weekend to be over so I could return to The Data School and dive deeper into Alteryx and Tableau with Andy and Carl. The ambience within the company is something I have not witnessed before, as everyone is so welcoming and helpful. My main takeaways from the first week were:

  • I will be working in a hugely supportive environment with coaches (Andy & Carl) that genuinely love what they do and are also great at what they do; meaning with the right attitude and work ethic there can only be a positive outcome after receiving four months training from them.
  • The training period seems like it will become intense in the coming weeks/months, however, it also appears to be very enjoyable, with many thought-provoking tasks and projects being set. This links with my previous bullet-point because, regardless of the workload and difficulty of the task; the support and help are there if required. We are provided pods (groups consisting of other Data Schoolers/ The Information Lab employees) and mentors that we can liaise with for any advice and support.
  • From the first day, it was evident and refreshing to be in an environment filled with intellectual individuals who are all happy to help each other and can also have fun. The beauty of The Data School is; everyone hails from various educational backgrounds, providing the office with a range of individuals with different specialties, interests, and expertise. I will be shocked if you do not learn something new every day (aside from Tableau and Alteryx) just from speaking with members within your cohort or around the office.
  • I went to a five-a-side football session on Wednesday evening with a few Data Schoolers that are currently on their placements. They briefed me on the knowledge and experiences they encountered whilst on their placements and its nothing short of positive, however, the key takeaway for me was from a discussion with a member of DS6 at the welcome party on Friday. He had just completed the whole program and recently gained a permanent position with JP Morgan. He spoke about how the skills gained from training and placements truly put you in good stead for a career within Data Analysis. This fueled my desire to continue this learning process as I would like to follow in his and DS6 footsteps.
  • From the technical wisdom demonstrated by Carl and Andy, I genuinely believe that DS14 and myself can become the next Tableau and Alteryx Whizz’s to successfully graduate from The Data School however, it will truly take commitment, focus, and patience as you need to be prepared to fail fast and work within tight time constraints.

So for prospective Data Schoolers, all the positive things you hear about The Data School are true…no need to check Glassdoor! Go ahead and apply and demonstrate your passion and commitment as it is definitely welcomed here.



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Hafeez Sanusi

Fri 21 Jun 2019

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