RGU alumna Lina Pepple graduated with a master’s degree in Business Analytics and has been using the skills learned during her course in her professional life. Now working as a Business Analyst, Lina shares why she chose RGU, her thoughts on the course and some insights on the bright future of the industry.

Why did you choose RGU?

I chose RGU because it has a strong reputation in business and computer science programmes. On top of that, RGU’s culture, which encourages equality, diversity and inclusion piqued my interest during my research. I also realised how well-equipped the laboratories, classrooms and research facilities were.

Furthermore, RGU’s performance in league tables as well as the career team responsible for providing support to students on career planning, securing work placement and advice on finding employment after graduation were other reasons why I chose RGU.

What was your impression of the course?

I found it extremely valuable! The course was highly insightful and beneficial and the lecturers and staff members were incredibly helpful. The lecturers made learning interesting and were always encouraging. I had no prior programming or data experience, but the lectures were so well broken-down that I easily understood them.

By the end of the course, I became proficient in analysing and interpreting data using modern data technologies ranging from programming languages to cloud computing, which has helped me in my current field of work.

Can you tell us more about your current role and how the course has helped you prepare for it?

I collect data from various departments of the company’s project, consolidate it, and develop visualisations that provide insights into the project’s plan, cost and risk to the wider team. Risk analysis and management are key elements in assisting the business. I need to make accurate estimation of future assets, outcomes and impacts required for planning and monitoring business projects.

The course helped me develop my data mining and programming skills, which I now employ in my day-to-day work. I learned how to successfully analyse and dissect raw data to identify patterns and trends to draw insightful conclusions.

How do you see the profession and the wider industry evolving in the next 5 years?

Data has become a crucial part of today’s digital environment. As a result of the digital transformation, business analysts play an essential role as they employ data to drive business decisions, create predictive analysis, forecast future trends and create solutions.

The demand for business analysts has increased in recent years. And it is expected to continue increasing with the number of business analysts expecting to increase by 14.4% by 2024 (International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development). The future of the profession sees a lot of collaboration with the team and stakeholders to discover user requirements.

What advice would you give to someone considering working in the field of Business Analytics?

I would advise obtaining relevant skills and qualifications in the field. It can be beneficial to have a solid understanding of data mining and visualisation technologies such as IBM SPSS Modeler, Tableau, Excel, and BI Tools. Knowledge of programming languages such SQL and Python will also be very useful. Finally, a good fundamental knowledge of cloud security and computing would place an individual ahead of other candidates. RGU’s Business Analytics course will allow you to obtain such skills and kickstart your career.

Lina Pepple

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RGU now has funded places for its MSc Business Analytics course. For more information and details on how to apply, visit the RGU website.

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