Apprenticeships aren’t just for school leavers.
Hubert, our Data and Production Administrator, can attest to this after recently gaining a Distinction on his Level 3 Data Technician Apprenticeship.
How did he find juggling this alongside working full time and a newborn baby? And what did he learn along the way?
We sat down with Hubert to find out.
When asked about his ‘love of data’ and what made him embark on an apprenticeship, Hubert said,
“After getting the first taste of Microsoft Power BI on SiteZone’s data platform I knew it was right up my street. I have an inquisitive mind, and everywhere I’ve worked we had different tools and systems designed to ‘help’ us in production, warehousing, etc. But none of them were flexible enough to give me what I wanted. So, I started doing raw data downloads and manipulating to my needs. This sparked my love of data. Then I started to learn more and more, and it escalated to present day (and the future….)
As part of my first appraisal at SiteZone, we discussed upskilling and I wanted to find a broad course that covered several disciplines. The Level 3 Data Technician Apprenticeship included Power BI, SQL, and excel, so it ticked al the boxes.”
When discussing what he learnt, one of the standout areas for Hubert was ‘learning how to learn’, Hubert explains more,
“With this being such a broad subject that’s constantly changing and evolving, there’s no end to it. So, it’s impossible to grasp it all. I learnt the multi-modal way of learning – a bit of everything. I need to experience the subject from different sources - reading, listening, watching, and hands on work – that’s how I really take it in.”
We then explored how he’s using his new skills at SiteZone. Hubert enthused,
“We learnt DAX (data analysis expressions) on the course, which is a coding language to allow manipulation of data in Power BI. This is used extensively in the SiteZone dashboard. We’ve moved the management and development of our data analysis platform inhouse as well as creating new dashboards for our customers to track their assets across all sites and when inspections are due. We recently launched the new RCV Smart Loader data platform with an operational status section so our customers can see at a glance if the system is active and if any bin danger zone detections have occurred. A lot of what I learnt on the course went into creating this.
We’re now working behind the scenes on the next generation of our proximity warning data platform that will give our customers clearer oversight of their plant pedestrian risks, as well as new management tools. We know data can be intimidating and with the rise of camera technology we’re all drowning in data that we don’t have time to analyse. All the work I do behind the scenes is to make it easier and quicker for customers to get what they need to make behavioural safety improvements on site.”
And finally, what does the future look like for Hubert and his love affair with data…..
“It’s all data driven. Everything we do and say can be analysed, categorised, and learnt from. Everything is a data point that can be measured. The hardest bit is getting it into a useful form. But that’s what I love figuring out. Everything I do with data opens new threads that stay in the back of my mind. They might not be needed at that time. But I know it’s possible to do things a different way. And knowing that thread is there to unravel at some point is so exciting.”
Hubert’s passion and tenacity filters through into everything he does. By his own admission he’s like a dog with a bone when a challenge is presented to him to figure out. We’re excited to see what’s coming from Hubert; his role at SiteZone is pivotal to providing our customers with just what they need at their fingertips.
Get to know Hubert and the rest of the SiteZone team here.
