Alumni

Manoor Nadim

Career Path: Graduate Data Scientist, Admiral Group Plc.
Location: Cardiff, UK

After completing my placement year within the Data Science team at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, I knew Data Science was a career I wanted to explore further. I managed to secure a Graduate Data Scientist role at Admiral Group Plc. shortly after graduating which will (hopefully) develop my skills as a Data Scientist!

What are you doing now?

I am a Graduate Data Scientist at Admiral Group Plc. Though this is not a graduate scheme, I am still on a two-year training programme which comprises of three months of training and three rotations across the different Analytics teams. Currently, I am still in the initial training phase which involves learning how to code, learning how to model, and getting familiar with all the different functions of the business.

What was it like studying at Northumbria?

It was a challenging but fun experience with a mix of lectures, seminars and group projects.

How connected was your course with industry?

The course, and the University, was well connected with industry. We had placement fairs & guest lectures, and work experience, whether that be an internship or a placement, were encouraged.

If you took on a placement during your course how did you feel this helped you in your career/ with your studies?

I was fortunate enough to undertake a placement between my second and third year of university, and I had the most incredible time. I felt much more prepared upon returning to Northumbria for my final year because I had improved both my soft and technical skills. I was able to gain inspiration for my final year research project and use the knowledge from my placement to contribute to this project. I felt a lot more confident when applying for graduate jobs - also, I was able to apply to more graduate jobs since a few specified they wanted a student who had undertaken a placement year. Being able to almost 'test-drive' a career allowed me to make a much more informed decision about my career, and it expanded my network massively.

What was the best thing about your course?

Hard to pick! The variety of modules, the lecturers, and the opportunity to take a year out to work.

How did studying at Northumbria help you achieve your career goals/ give your career an edge?

Northumbria really focuses on employability post-graduation, hence the emphasis on placement years and study abroad opportunities, etc. A degree is a great addition to your CV, however the extra opportunities Northumbria provides really help your career.

Which skills/knowledge did you learn on your course that you use most now throughout your career?

Maths is all about applying logic to solve complex problems, and this is something I do, or at least I will be doing, a lot of in my career. The statistical knowledge I learnt at university helps me understand a lot of the mathematical concepts behind data science techniques, and the analytical skills I developed are also something I use very often.