Earlier this year Charlie Reynolds, one of our Data Science Graduates, secured a permanent role with Atradius. Working in their innovation Team, he recently took the opportunity to relocate to their Amsterdam office. We caught up with him to find out how he’s been getting on.
What attracted you to Graduate Programme Wales?
I really liked the format of the scheme in which I could get an MSc and continue academic learning whilst simultaneously experience working at multiple different companies and applying what I learnt at University in the workplace.
What was your highlight whilst on the Programme?
Whilst working at Atradius I had multiple opportunities to travel abroad for meetings, conferences etc. and that was always really enjoyable for me.
Can you tell us about your career journey following the Programme?
I secured a permanent position at Atradius in January of 2020 and have since transferred to the Amsterdam offices and so I look to continue working at Atradius for the foreseeable future, hopefully advancing to a Senior Data Scientist.
How did relocating come about and how did you find the process?
I work in the Innovation team which is spread across the Cardiff and Amsterdam offices. A lot of our meetings and communications are done via the internet (even before the pandemic) and so moving offices does not affect the teams’ way of working or cause any issues. For me, a move to the Amsterdam office felt like an inevitable next step in my career path as I was now a permanent employee and wanted to be closer and experience more face to face communication with some of the team leaders.
What does your new job entail?
My role has not changed dramatically from what I was doing on the scheme. My works focus is typically on machine learning and the development of applications that help automate heavy manual workloads. As a Junior Data Scientist (as opposed to graduate) I have taken on more responsibility in mentoring the students and interns that join the team.
What are your goals for the future?
My goals at the moment are very much tied to the projects I am currently working on at Atradius and the success and growth of our initiatives. Obviously, I am hoping to continue up the career ladder in terms of job titles and responsibilities but right now I am happy driving forward our new projects and Ai initiatives and seeing their impact on the business.
Do you have any advice for someone who is thinking of applying for the Programme?
If you are interested in data and AI and have a knack for problem solving then this scheme is definitely worth a shot. Even if you feel you haven’t quite got the correct technical background, if you are prepared to put in all the work required you can pick up all the necessary technical skills along the way.
Thanks Charlie, some great advice for aspiring Data Scientists.