Company: Alberta Ministry of Service

Position: business analyst

Employed: 10 months

Where did you go to school? What program did you attend?
I graduated from the University of Lethbridge in 2007 with a B.Sc. in computer science. Prior to completing my degree at the U of L, I successfully completed six co-op terms, thus qualifying me to graduate with the co-operative education designation.

What drew you to your current field?
I always wanted to work for Alberta public service, not only because of the quality of the work, but also because there is something rewarding in working for the people of Alberta.

How did you find your current position?
During my last semester at U of L, I got a job offer from Suncor Energy as an IT analyst. So, right after graduation, I started my career journey with one of the Canada's leading companies in the oil industry. But that was not my dream job. So, I seized the opportunity when the Alberta Ministry of Service offered me a position in November 2007 and I started as a systems analyst with the cross-government web server team. In June 2008, I received a job offer from the Ministry of Employment and Immigration as a business analyst. I would like to mention that this is the place where I did my co-op placement. So I did not miss out on the opportunity to work with these wonderful people again.

What are your responsibilities?
In my current role, understanding the ministry's business and business applications, acts, regulations, policies and programs are very important. My responsibilities as a business analyst include writing and executing test scripts for user acceptance testing (black box testing), supporting Mobius users by clarifying business processes, identifying data integrity issues, etc. I also investigate and identify new issues with the Mobius application and recommend appropriate actions. I also have to review the policy manual updates or memoranda written by senior program planners to ensure the systems section is accurate.

What is the most challenging aspect of your position?
One of the main challenges our team is currently dealing with is data integrity issues in the application. We are working with users across the province to clean up invalid dates and duplicate clients that were entered into the Mobius system.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?
The most rewarding part of my job is helping Mobius users across the province by clarifying business processes.

What skills have you learned through your work experience?
My supervisor always encourages me to take advantage of any and all learning opportunities. My analytical skills are sharpened by investigating and identifying new issues with the Mobius application and recommending solutions. I've also developed communication skills while dealing with data integrity issues in the application. As I mentioned earlier, we have been working with users across Alberta province to clean up invalid dates and duplicate clients in our system.

What do you think it takes to be successful in this career?
You need to be thorough and diligent with your work. I believe that to be successful in this position you have to be a fast learner. Your successes will depend upon being able to identify challenges and provide solutions in a timely manner. Finally, I want to add that excellent team work ability is essential for this position. My supervisor always says, If you fail, your team fails and we all fail.

Is there one accomplishment you are particularly proud of?
To date, I am most proud of being an Alberta public service employee.

What are your future career aspirations?
I believe provincial government holds many opportunities for learning and career advancement. So I would like to continue with the Alberta public service and gain more knowledge and experience. I am also planning to complete a Masters degree.

What advice do you have for students looking to land their first job?
My co-op work exposed me to a wide variety of opportunities for advancement and growth within and outside of government. My advice to other co-op students is to look for a position that offers you an opportunity for learning and advancement. Therefore, research the employer you want to work for so that you are able to articulate what you can bring to the table and what you hope to achieve from the experience. jp
Sponsored by Rogers