DTS - Data Analyst Review

Most of my time is spent programming data handling scripts and developing software to support the engineers. I also analyse some of data and make projections based on current data. I am also involved in meetings in my team and department and am quite free to work on projects I find interesting.

Before starting the course I had a little background knowledge in programming and statistics but have leant a lot since starting. At the university we were given lectures on Python and C++, as well as the mathematical parts with lectures on statistics and discrete maths. While on the job I have been able to develop these skills futher.

In my opinion the more enjoyable parts are the on the job portion of the course as you get to learn directly relevant skills with the people you will be working with. Some of the lectures can be boring if you have already covered the topics at A level / GCSE.

There is a set schedule for the year with mostly on the job learning but also week long university blocks every 6 weeks. The first 3 months however are all at university to get everyone up to a minimum standard. You get access to support through mentors and supervisors. Your work on the job will depend on your manager.

There is access to plently of support from a range of sources. The university has a mentor assigned to you and will visit you at work every few months to check on your progress. There are also teams within the company who can help you, as well as your own team/manager.

I can email any of my lecturers at any time and receive an answer quickly. My tutor from the university will also check on my academic progress in addition to my well-being. You also have a seperate mentor for your engineering registration who can help you academically too. Overall there is plenty of support.

I have a lot of relevant skills to bring to my role. For me this is mostly programming related. On the uni course for python we used the modules Pandas and matplotlib, both of which I use on a day to day basis. Learning to use object oriented programming has also helped with my job role.

On the uni side there are all of the societies including sports and interest groups for pretty much anything you can think of. We are considered just like normal Warwick uni students and get all of the same benefits. At JLR there are also some groups such as a running group to get involved in.

Yes

The course is great. Learning skills on the job and at university ensures you will be a valuable member of your team and will have skills transferable to any programming field. The pay is good and you get your degree paid for you. The company genuinely values its employees and wants you to succeed.

Assessment center is important, be calm, be prepared and be yourself. Make sure to do a bit of research on the company before you go to the interview. You will have to do a presentation but this is one on one with an interviewer so don't panic. Learning some programming will go a long way.