Before joining Cass, I studied a BSc in Business Management. After graduating, I was confident in my knowledge of business theory, but I still felt that I lacked a more technical background with a quantitative standing. I knew I wanted to work in business analytics and found my niche interest at Cass Business School.

My Santander scholarship

From the start, Cass recognised my past academic efforts. I was able to throw myself into my studies fully thanks to the financial aid I received. I was happy to be one of four master’s students awarded with a Santander scholarship based on academic performance.

Professional mentoring scheme

I decided to get in touch with the careers team to move in the right direction for my career. I wanted to get familiar with data analytics and find the perfect job. I was lucky enough to be partnered with an experienced advisor who navigated me through the ups and downs of job searching. I accompanied my mentor to many meet-ups and built up my confidence in my networking abilities.

Cass boasts many industry experts and its online alumni community means that students like myself have outstanding networking opportunities, increasing our chances to succeed in today’s competitive job market. The more I learn about the Cass alumni community, the more I become interested in giving back and eventually coaching and mentoring other young professionals. If I can help someone navigate their data science journey, then I have succeeded.

Student clubs: 180-Degrees Consulting (180DC)

As part of the student-run consulting organisation, I have connected with many prominent Cass graduates and have come to see how strong our alumni ties are.

For our consulting society, my team sourced a project from a non-profit City-based client. This client is a leader in the UK for providing social care events. I guided them as they went through the process of going digital. In doing so, I have broadened my master’s scope with hands-on experience.

My team and I helped the company transition away from an arbitrary method of recording data, to a made-for-fit solution of using SQL (structured query language) data tables that made more sense for their product. By renovating their database’s structure, the client has much less redundant data and fewer cells to update. Our team’s deliverables, strategies for implementation and proposition for data analysis were highly appreciated by the client and we were entrusted with a long-haul project.

The Strategy Insight Lab

I joined the Strategy Insight Lab, a research project delivered by Cass in partnership with London Growth Hub and the University of Oxford. For this project, I am working on the creation of a data analytics training programme for UK micro-businesses.

Working closely with experts and academics, I have helped put together a £2 million research study. I carried out a data collection activity by interviewing a group of twenty companies regarding their progress in their main business activities. I am also responsible for organising monthly events targeted at business owners, in which I network, exchange business cards and have a chance to receive exclusive training.

The future looks bright

Studying at Cass is an essential part of my career path and I look forward to what the future holds.

Nikita Polukeev, MSc Business Analytics, 2019