Choosing to study MSc Business Analytics

Business analytics is a combines statistics, coding and business. This combination allows business analysts to narrow the gap between management and technology.

I have strong interests in data and technology and their application in real life to help businesses grow. I am always curious about how important data analytics for business is in modern society, so being able to work on making data-driven business decisions really energises me.

In my MSc Business Analytics studies, I have been learning everything from coding to data visualisation, network analysis to Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing. All these new skills will help me smoothly adapt to the digital business world and are the building blocks for my future career.

My career aspirations

During my undergraduate years, despite majoring in economics, I took four elective courses about energy, learning all about the industrial chain — from exploration to sale — and found great fun in this industry.

Now, during such a time of energy transformation, I believe the trend of energy transition can lead to both cyclical but structural changes in the global energy market. I feel passionate about this and would like to develop my career in the energy industry.

In the short term, I aim to become a business analyst in an international energy company by using the skills and strengths that I am learning on the MSc in Business Analytics. In the long-term, I aspire to become an expert in this area and actively compete for a leading role to make a lasting mark and as many contributions as I can to this industry.

A greater need for women in the field of tech and business analytics

Many companies are encouraging women to get more involved in roles about technology. Some companies have  set up projects and platforms to help women develop their leadership in tech roles.

More and more women are encouraged to step into this field, which is definitely a good trend for women who want to become business analysts and deal with data and technology in the future.

With half of my class being female, it shows there is a desire on the part of women to pierce into male-dominated fields. In order to do so, I applied to the Global Women’s Leadership Programme (GWLP) scholarship and was lucky enough to receive it.

The Global Women’s Leadership Programme

As part of GWLP, I joined the Executive Board. We have regular Executive Board meetings to discuss the progress of events held by subcommittees. In the meetings, we share our experiences and exchange opinions with each other. The board will also offers evaluations and suggestions of past activities, so I learn something new and hear new ideas in each meeting.

The Programme hosts events such as “Influence Techniques for Professional Women” and most recently, “A fireside chat with Sir Philip Hampton and Denise Wilson OBE”. These knowledge exchange events helping women at Cass to find more possibilities in their careers.

How the scholarship and GWLP Board has impacted my experience at Cass

This programme provides me opportunities to work with other ambitious women and exchange ideas. For example, alongside fellow undergraduate and master’s Scholars, we organised a panel event and invited female leaders to share their experiences and take part in a Q&A session on their career paths in November. The event received good feedback. I am very proud to organise these kinds of events because I not only learn a lot from our board members, but I am also able to give back by providing further help and encouragement for other women at Cass.

Mengjia Hang, MSc Business Analytics (2020)