Ffion - Business Analyst, Public Sector
I have never worked in a company where fun is prioritised in this way. It ensures that everyone enjoys what they do and though the work we do is taken seriously, we have a good time while doing it. This value means that there is a laid-back atmosphere where I feel comfortable to express who I am and approach my colleagues when I need a chat. This attitude makes me feel human in a company and not just a cog in a machine.
What is your favourite thing about working at Capgemini?
The flexibility to explore the things that you are interested in. I have done so many courses using the Next/ Degreed tool as well as external courses where I can learn what ever interests me. I also have flexibility to work on things that are interesting to me (getting involved with the graduate community in particular.) In my job role, I have flexibility to work outside of my job description to complete tasks that interest me (I am a BA but do some Scrum Master meeting facilitation because it gives variety and I enjoy it.) There is also flexibility in working hours and a mutual respect between colleagues that we get the job done but we can have fun doing it.
What does a day in the life look like for you?
A day in my life can vary from meetings with my team, processing tickets, supporting stakeholders and informing them of any issues. I also check reported issues by users and creating tickets to fix these, before raising a ticket I have to consider workload of the dependencies to ensure that it is feasible.
What did you study at university?
Business and Management, it helped me develop a business mindset. I always say that the degree doesn’t really matter because it is not about knowing what the answer is, it is about knowing how to communicate with others and being thorough and passionate about your work.
Since joining Capgemini I have done a Business Analyst Diploma which has been intertwined with my day-to-day role and has given me techniques such as modelling processes, stakeholder management and requirements reporting.
What made you choose an apprenticeship OR a graduate programme?
The Capgemini graduate programme offered a great opportunity to work in a large company with career progression prospects. The organisation, it’s clients and the people that work here would provide a solid base to start my career and create good connections and a wide network. They presented themselves as a place to learn and grow and develop skills to become a successful consultant while offering additional support as graduates gain experience. I always liked the idea of becoming a consultant as you don’t have to commit to an industry, you can rotate on and off projects and test out different industries.
What advice would you give to students looking to apply to Capgemini?
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to decide you career now. There will always be opportunity to re-train whenever you feel inspired to do something new. Focus on what would allow you to achieve your goals and help you have the most fun at this time. The money and the career development and the experience will come in time if you focus on the short term straight out of sixth form.
It is not about what you know, it is about how much you are willing to learn and how you will apply that learning. Capgemini are a company that pride themselves in the people that work for them. If your values are the same as the company’s values express that in the best way possible. Be yourself and enjoy the process, you will meet so many new people and get exposure to different points of view and it is a very valuable experience.
Had you heard of Capgemini before joining? What did you think it would be like vs what it is really like?
Capgemini was introduced to me when studying management consultancy module in final year at university. I thought that the company would be inaccessible to me as I did not have much technical knowledge. This is not true and is open to those with business and technical knowledge!