Strong links to industry make programme practical

As part of the BAC programme, students undertake a summer project and many take part in an apprenticeship scheme. Here, Ang Min Hui details what was involved for her.

The Business Analysis and Consulting programme at Strathclyde has provided me with the opportunity to work on projects with external organisations. As part of the programme, there is a three-week apprenticeship scheme which helps us develop our professional skills and put into practice the technical and academic knowledge gained in class. We can also tailor the programme to best suit our interests and career goals through a wide selection of electives. 

As well as equipping us with practical skills and analytical knowledge, the programme has strong industry links where we get to enjoy guest lectures to understand what a business analyst does at work, and it supports us outside of the curriculum by informing us of career talks by industry experts, job opportunities, PhD opportunities, and so on. 

I really enjoyed the three week apprenticeship scheme at Diageo. Through this apprenticeship, I have had the opportunity to experience the corporate culture in the UK and to perform some analytical work for Diageo to decide if they should negotiate with retailers on the delivery load. BAC projects have a very pragmatic approach where we are given real-life data to solve existing industry problems. These projects provide room for creativity as there isn’t one perfect answer but rather it’s about how we justify our approach. Also, such projects prepare us for the industry by equipping us with problem-solving skills and the ability to work within multiple tight deadlines. 

The BAC summer project is an integral part of the course. Mine is an external project with NHS-GGC on delivering orthopaedic services across GGC. Basically, NHS-GGC wants to understand how the delivery of orthopaedic services should be restructured to optimise flows across GGC, reduce queuing time and ensuring equality. Also, given the current Covid-19 situation, NHS-GGC wants to know how orthopaedic services can be delivered, taking into consideration social distancing in the waiting room, without compromising on the patient flow and queuing time. The project involves the clients from NHS-GGC, my supervisor – Dr Fahim Ahmed - and myself. We are currently still working to develop a model to optimise the delivery of orthopaedic services, but I do hope to produce something of quality for NHS-GGC to implement. 

I would encourage anyone keen on understanding the quantitative aspect of a business to join this programme. It’s suitable for people who do not have a quantitative background, but I would recommend incoming students to prepare themselves before starting the programme as it would allow them to grasp the concepts better. I’d also give this advice - start the programme with a curious mind, unlearn what you have learned and relearn them in the programme. 

Aside from the academic aspects, the class has a wide range of diversity which has allowed me to develop a global perspective. I have fostered friendships with students from over 10 nationalities and have learned to embrace different cultures and, what’s more, I look forward to visiting these countries one day!

About Ang Min Hui

Ang Min Hui is a student on the MSc Business Analysis and Consulting (BAC) offered by the Department of Management Science at Strathclyde Business School. Prior to joining Strathclyde, she was a market research consultant in Singapore.