My Route Into Tech - Shahzad Quraishi

How did you get into technology?

I got into Tech after studying BSc Hons Business Information Systems as an undergrad at Leeds Met University, where I undertook a placement at GE as an IT Analyst. After that great year I did an MSc in Information Systems: eBusiness Technology before starting my life as a professional, landing my first job as a Data Analyst at nPower on a short term contract.

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Did you know much about careers in tech when at school?

Not really. Coming from a South Asian background, everyone talked about a career in either Medicine or Law (and still talk about that today).
I wanted to do something a little different from the rest and prove that I could be successful without having to be a doctor or a lawyer.

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Did you have any role models who inspired you into technology?

I did not have anyone that inspired me into Technology as such, but my biggest inspiration was my dad and still is. I wanted to make him proud that I could succeed without having to follow the traditional route and change perceptions about the tech industry. Although to be fair, that proves to be a challenge even to this day, as all anyone thinks I do is fix printers or am tech support!

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What sort of things do you do in your job day-to-day?

On a day to day basis BA’s can be doing anything from:

• Collaborating with the Product Owner to manage the product backlog
• Working with Delivery Lead / PMs to manage stakeholder expectations.
• Elicitating customers Business Requirements (User Story backlog, Process Maps)
• Stakeholder Management
• Requirements and documentation (JIRA, Confluence, Gitlab, Business Requirements Doc

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What sort of skillset do you need to do your role?

The skills required to be a BA include understanding the customer's problem and working collaboratively with teams to understand how we can best deliver a solution that meets the customers and business needs. I would say the key element is being the middle man between understanding the business needs and translating that to technical teams, to ensure things are delivered as required. Communication is a key skill set. We love to be at the forefront of the actions