Careers

Interview conducted by Charlotte Caswell, former Campus Recruiter - Marketing, Human Resources, Communications and Philanthropy

Charlotte: What is your favourite thing about your job?

Jerome: I love the flexibility that comes with my job! I really get to choose the kind of work that I do each day, which offers me a great variety of learning opportunities. I’ve been in my job for seven months and I’ve already moved to many areas within the Data Office. I first began in Business Operations, then moved to Data Analytics, and I will soon be moving into a Scrum Master position where I will organize the tasks on my team.

I also really love the continuous change that comes with my job. As a young person, I think you should always try to gain as much experience as possible, which I’ve really gotten at Scotiabank!

Charlotte: What does an average day look like as a Data Engineer Specialist?

Jerome:  I usually arrive at the office around 9 a.m. and I immediately start answering emails. Every day at 9:30 a.m. we have our “stand up” meeting, which is where we go over each of our daily tasks. The goal of this daily meeting is to create a clear view of what we hope to accomplish each day. From there, every day is different and that’s what I love about my job!

My team and I do a lot of consulting-type work as we are presented with business-related problems, allowing us to develop a scope to solve the issue. Each task is different and takes about 12 weeks to complete. This brings countless opportunities to develop my skills; I would love to work in consulting in the future!

Charlotte: How did you go from your marketing degree to a job in risk?

Jerome: [Laughs] I always get asked this question! My job involves a lot of tech skills, and even though I never studied technology in school, I’ve always had an interest in it. Computer coding is one of my favourite hobbies and a lot of my friends are into technology as well! You could say that I’ve always been surrounded by tech-gurus… Nowadays you don’t necessarily need a computer science degree to work in tech; you can (thankfully) take a lot of crash-courses, which is what I did!

Charlotte: That’s awesome! What are some items that you cannot live without?

Jerome: There are some items that I never leave my home without! I cannot live without my water bottle; I think it’s super important to drink lots of water to stay energized throughout the day. My earphones are crucial because nothing helps boost my mood like music. My wallet is much needed as I need my daily cup of coffee! And my phone is important to help me keep track of my life.

Charlotte: Nice! What would you say is your favourite memory on the job thus far?

Jerome: My favourite part of the job is definitely the friendships I have made here. My team really feels like a family and some of my closest friends are now the people that sit next to me every day!

If I had to pick one memory that has been my favourite thus far, it would be the Ethics and A.I. Conference that we put on last month. I was part of the planning that went into the event, specifically working on the marketing strategy. The event was a huge success which was so rewarding!

 Charlotte: Congrats! Last but not least, how do you feel this position is preparing you for the future?

Jerome: I think it’s definitely preparing me for the future because I’m exposed to so many different tasks and opportunities, which I know is really helping me. I have had the opportunity to develop not only my tech skills, but my communication and presentation skills as well. I have been fortunate enough to be able to run presentations - often for senior leadership individuals at the Bank - which is really exciting. It’s not just about the tech skills on my team – it’s about teaching me to be a well-rounded individual!

To learn more about our Data Science or Enterprise Functions and Strategy co-op and internship opportunities, click here!