FEATURE | IT | CASE STUDY
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COMPUTER ANALYST Name: Ajay Shukla, 26 Degree/university: BSc in Computer Information Systems Design from Kingston University, 2003 Occupation: Technology Analyst at Bank of America What do you do in your job? I’m on a three-year rotational programme. I’m currently on the European helpdesk. On a dayto-day basis, I have people phoning or emailing me with problems, or they might have a request for new equipment or to help a new joiner at the bank. It’s my job to pass the issue onto the right team or to fix it at the first point of contact.
Motivation in applying? I’ve been interested in IT from a young age as I became familiar with big organisations like IBM and Microsoft, and people of my age grew up around home computing. As I got older, I realised that there would always be good opportunities for work within IT. I chose the banking industry because they are at the forefront of technology. The programme at Bank of America stood out because it was very well thought of and it gives you exposure in different technology groups.
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shift work was tough, but by the end I’d learned so much it was worth it
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What did the application process involve? There was a standard online application form, followed by a series of interviews with different business leaders. Throughout this process, there were several evaluations and assessments.
What do you enjoy about your job? You get good feedback and the training and support are excellent too. The travel opportunities are wonderful – I’ve already been to New York for training. There’s also good work-life balance.
Most challenging part of the job? It can be challenging adjusting to the different secondments, but the support you receive from team members and your manager is outstanding.
Worst part? I started one of my rotations having to do some shift work and I found that quite tough, but by the end, I’d learned so much it was worth it.
Advice to readers considering a career in your field There is a lot going on in banking and banking technology so I’d suggest really reading up the market. Apply early to the programmes and attend careers fairs where possible.
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