Spotlight on higher education | Robert Glover, abrdn

Robert Glover
Sales and Performance Analyst
abrdn

I left high school as soon as I could. As a teenager I was keen to leave education and start earning a pay check. I spent a few years working on a flexible basis before successfully applying for a role in a large financial company and over the last 16 years I have worked in various roles across Distribution and Finance within that company.

Along my career path I have worked in several roles evolving as the industry and my company changed. While some transitions were a result of internal changes, others were roles that I applied for to pursue further development and growth. I had found that several times I was either unsuccessful in getting an interview or moving to a new role as I did not have a degree in a relevant field.

I had, on occasion, regretted not pursuing further education however I had resigned myself to making the best of my situation as I could. I focussed on developing expertise in financial products and services and mastering essential software tools like Excel, Salesforce, and Power BI which have helped me in my journey.

For the past six years I have been working as a Sales and Performance Analyst. I collaborate with the Distribution Executive, providing them with timely business updates and data analysis. I take pride in presenting complex information in a visually engaging and straightforward manner, along with making actionable recommendations. What I enjoy most about my current role is the opportunity to support data-driven decision making within the organisation.

Just over a year ago on our intranet site I saw an article headed “Interested in a Data Science degree?”. After reading it seemed like an incredible opportunity. A Graduate Apprenticeship scheme where I could study in my existing role and attend university campus to work towards a full Bsc Hon degree as a Data Scientist. The more I investigated the course and the subject the more it seemed like an excellent match for my interests. Data Science is an approach that combines principles and practices from the fields of mathematics, statistics, artificial intelligence along with computer engineering to analyse large amounts of data.

I had some concerns. Will my work support me? Will I be able to keep up with education after such a long gap since I have taken part in formalised learning? Is it the best time to start when I had a one-year-old son at home? What if I failed?

The main thought that motived me is that in four years time I would be 40 and there was nothing I could do about that however I could either be 40 doing something very similar to what I have done for the last six years or I could be 40 and have a degree in an exciting new field. I saw the pursuit of a degree as an investment in my future.

Heriot-Watt is a fantastic place to study. Beyond having an incredible campus ground they offer fantastic support including personal tutors and flexible learning options, which have been crucial, especially as a parent. A major development for me was the leap between standard grade maths almost 20 years ago to university level maths. I spent a lot of my personal time working on this subject however HWU has an incredibly supportive Maths Gym where I can work with maths experts to get me up to speed!

My advice to anyone who is considering further education in Scotland, or anywhere else, is simple: embrace all opportunities that come your way, as they may lead to a world of new possibilities!