Data analyst / business intelligence developer

"My final year of undergraduate internship as a front-end developer didn't excite me, and I was looking to change my field. I realised that I enjoyed programming, databases and also statistics, and wanted a field that would combine all three things that I loved. Data Science was a natural choice. I came to know that the University of Auckland was one of the best in the world for statistics during my search for data science programmes, so that also helped in choosing the course.

"I liked working on the final thesis. It helped me gain a deeper understanding of database systems and gave me experience writing scientific papers, which is a skill very much needed in the data science field. I also learned that writing up the analysis is just as important as the analysis itself!

"The application was quick and easy. I received good guidance and direction while choosing courses and research topics. Taking courses without final exams and only dependent on assignments for credits was different from my experience as a student in India, but the professors were very helpful. They answered the numerous questions I had in their office hours before exams and it took away a lot of stress.

"Since graduation I have been working at EROAD as a Data Analyst/Business Intelligence Developer. One of my favourite parts of the job is dealing with massive amounts of data every day. The MProfStuds in Data Science taught me how to deal with big data and develop meaningful insights. However, being able to put what I have learned to use in everyday work has been the best part.

"A career highlight for me so far was the CEO of EROAD appreciating an analysis that I produced, and also seeing my work published as white papers.

"Career-wise I can see myself moving from a data analyst/business intelligence developer into a data scientist role. In the short term I'm working towards getting the AWS Big Data certification, but long term I want to get a PhD specialising in machine learning and database systems.

"I'm driven by a love for data, programming and solving problems. I hope to help people with the insights and analysis I create. Working for a company like EROAD – who are heavily invested in driver and road safety – means that my insights could help to save someone's life one day.

"The University environment was one of the highlights of my programme. I spent a lot of my time using the labs and resources. I particularly liked the postgrad Science lounge, which had the view of Auckland’s Sky Tower.

"The professors were helpful for everything from choosing the courses to answering questions before the exam. They were there through the duration of the programme to guide and help.

"I didn’t have a lot of experience attending job interviews, so the events run by the University library on resume writing and interviews were very helpful."