Age: The Fine Wine of Data Literacy | by Jayne Chambers
Ah, age – the badge of honour that comes with a collection of life experiences, wrinkles, and the uncanny ability to remember a time when smartphones were just called “phones.” As the saying goes “Age represents the wealth of life experiences that shape who we become.” Well, in my case, it also represents my uncanny talent for finding the TV remote in under 5 minutes and my impressive collection of mismatched socks.
Now, let me take you on a journey through the labyrinth of my experiences, where formal education felt like asking a fish to climb a tree – utterly pointless. After all, who needs to climb trees when you can navigate the jungle of life without a degree?
But, dear reader, fate had a different plan for me. Enter Multiverse, the gateway to a world of data literacy. A place where age is just a number, and climbing trees is optional.
I boldly embraced the opportunity to delve into the realms of data literacy with the enthusiasm of a toddler discovering their reflection for the first time. The onboarding event was like a crash course in decoding hieroglyphics, with the added excitement of realising I might be the oldest person in the room. No worries, though – age is just a state of mind, right?
As I navigated through the commitment required for this apprenticeship, I discovered that we are all swimming in different data lakes. Some were doing backstrokes whilst others were doing the doggy paddle – and then there was me, attempting a synchronised swimming routine with the grace of a startled cat. But here’s the revelation: we all had something to offer.
It turns out, that in the vast sea of data, everyone has their own unique set of skills and knowledge. What I lacked, someone else had in abundance, and vice versa. It was a beautiful dance of collaboration, like a group of penguins waddling together towards the same icy goal.
The age disparity? It was as inconspicuous as a ninja in a snowstorm. What mattered was the shared passion for learning and the willingness to lend a hand. I found myself not only gaining new insights but also passing on the wisdom of my well-seasoned career. It was like being a data guru, sharing nuggets of knowledge like a modern-day Gandalf.
And then there’s Izzy, my coach – a beacon of wisdom in the tumultuous sea of data. Our group coaching sessions were like a symphony of knowledge, with each member playing their unique instrument. Izzy, the conductor, orchestrating a harmonious melody of data harmony…
What’s even better is that Multiverse paired me with fellow comrades from the trenches of the NHS. We speak a language so unique that even Google Translate struggles to keep up. It’s a secret code of acronyms, jargon, and a shared understanding of the chaos that is healthcare. Multiverse in all its glory, recognised the power of familiarity.
As I delved deeper into the world of data, Multiverse unfolded its arsenal of tutorials – each one a treasure chest of information waiting to be plundered. It is like having a personal tour guide through the labyrinth of data literacy, complete with a map and a flashlight.
So, there you have it – a tale of age-defying odds, of a fish discovering the jot of tree-climbing, and of a data literacy/ Data & Insights for Business Decisions apprenticeship that turned into the greatest adventure of all. Age is not just a number; it’s a vintage wine that gets better with time. And with Multiverse as my guide, I’m sipping on the elixir of knowledge, one data byte at a time. Cheers to being a fish that decided to climb a tree!
Jayne Chambers is a Data Literacy/ Data & Insights for Business Decisions apprentice at Multiverse based in Kettering UK. She’s writing for the Apprentice Lens as part of the Blogging Team. Here’s more about her
‘Jayne is a Transformation Programme Manager for the NHS and is currently working on transforming the recruitment process. Jayne hopes to develop her writing skills and talk about her apprenticeship journey whilst keeping her humour.’