From Stage to Stakeholders: How Did I End Up Here? | by Madi Pollard-Shore

‘We’d like you to map the carbon emissions of our supply chain. Do you think you can do that?’

That was a question posed to me at work this year. If you had asked me this two years ago, I would have laughed in your face. Me, doing data analysis? That’s about as likely as me going into space!

I’ve always been a creative person. I started learning to play the recorder at a very early age, and from there, I picked up clarinet, piano, vocals, guitar and lastly trombone. I performed and competed, both as a soloist and in a small choir throughout my school years. Music was easy for me – everything made sense. That’s not to say I struggled academically. I was lucky, and I knew it. I was average without needing to put in effort, so I stopped caring., Music became my main focus, and so when it came to attending university, there was only one degree for me. Initially on a BA, I ended up graduating with a BMus in Music Performance, and an overwhelming hatred of performing!

Not discouraged from learning, I then pursued a Master's degree at the University of Birmingham, whilst wondering where to go next. I fell into a job working with PhD students and thought about continuing my studies that way. After a few years, I fell into another role that was looking at process improvement. Aha, finally something I’m good at! Not long after that, I got my current job as a Business Analyst, allowing me to translate my love of development and process improvement into my day-to-day work. But still, I had the itch to learn. Several people I worked with were undertaking Data Literacy/ Data & Insights for Business Decisions apprenticeships, and I realised that I wanted to do an apprenticeship. After several conversations with HR, it looked like that wouldn’t be an option.

Then I got an email that said Deloitte was offering to sponsor a number of our staff in completing an apprenticeship. I knew this was what I had been waiting for. I immediately put myself forward for the Digital Business Transformation Fellowship, and was accepted! I would be studying for a Level 4 Business Analyst Apprenticeship.

That was when the doubts began to set in. A Business apprenticeship? But I’m no good at business. I’m a musician, not a business whiz. With encouragement from my employer and my family, I decided to go for it, and I’m so glad I did. Three months in, and the apprenticeship has already allowed me to develop my confidence and made me more open to saying yes to any interesting project that comes my way.

So, when I was asked if I could map the carbon footprint of our supply chain, I said yes! I can learn anything if I set my mind to it, and this apprenticeship, in just three short months, has proven that to me.

Learning is lifelong, whether it's by performing or doing, or through formal education. This apprenticeship has offered me the perfect balance of the two. So when an interesting opportunity comes your way, say yes! Who knows where you will end up!
 

Madison Pollard is a Digital Business Transformation apprentice at Multiverse based in London, UK, and is writing for The Apprentice Lens. Here's more about them:

Hi! I'm Madi, a Business Analyst at Girlguiding, focusing on digital and transformation projects. A keen writer, I've been blogging in one form or another for years, and I'm keen to share the knowledge and skills that I pick up throughout my apprenticeship. A lover of all this data, I enjoy creating graphics to explain my passions, including books and gardening.