Recent graduate Cristina Prieto Angulo says working in data analytics at EY has helped her learn more about coding, public speaking and solving problems.
Cristina Prieto Angulo studied physics and astrophysics in college. During her course, she realised her passion for data analytics and chose EY to kick-start her career in the industry. Here, she describes what a typical day in her role involves.
‘I learned the basics of some coding languages I never used in my degree’
– CRISTINA PRIETO ANGULO
With this programme, are you now working in your desired industry?
At the moment, yes.
What drew you to EY when you were seeking work in data analytics as a graduate?
I wanted a career in data analytics and I thought EY had the best data analytics department, as it was growing exponentially. I was sure there would be plenty of opportunities to learn and develop the skills I was interested in.
What expectations did you have before you began the programme?
I expected I’d be doing some coding but wasn’t sure what I’d be doing at the start or if I was going to be thrown into the deep end or not.
What duties and responsibilities were you given initially?
At the start I was shadowing another employee as she was handing over her work to me. I was running separate pieces of code in parallel to an automated process to ensure this process was running smoothly. It was useful as I learned the basics of some coding languages I never used in my degree.
Did the scope of your work change as the programme progressed?
Yes. I was given more responsibilities and put on different projects which were more challenging.
Can you describe a typical day in your role?
I am currently working on a project where we develop a system to carry out a consolidated reporting process for a client. The aim is to automate this process in order to reduce the amount of manual work required to carry out the reporting.
This process has been automated for one client already and we’re now onboarding different clients by using the same processing protocol and adapting the script to adjust to the new requirements.
On a typical day, I would check my email to see if there are any files that have come in for processing and split the work with my team. Once this is done, I move on to development activities, which means adapting the script to cater for any new client requirements or continue to improve the process in order to decrease the amount of manual work required.
How do your responsibilities compare to more experienced employees’?
I have no direct contact with any clients, and I have some contact with EY local teams from different countries. I must run any decisions through the manager in charge of the project I’m working on, but I am free to make any suggestions and give my opinion on development activities.
Do you feel more prepared for working life after completing this programme?
Yes. This programme has developed my coding and public-speaking skills, as well as my confidence and ability to think more creatively and solve problems more efficiently.
Why should someone apply to the graduate programme at EY?
It’s a great opportunity to develop your skills, learn from others around you and decide if this type of job is what you want to pursue in the future or not.