Our Drive: Data & Analytics New Graduate Development Program is one of the newest Talent Incubators for Leaders of Tomorrow (TILT) programs here at Scotiabank! This 24-month rotational program was designed to help you uncover your passions, develop new technical and professional skills, and drive your career forward in the world of Data & Analytics.
Hear from two of our current Drive Associates – Ramzee and Victoria – about their experience in the program thus far and some advice they have for future Associates!
Hey Drive Associates! Can you start by telling us a little bit about yourself?
Ramzee: Hello, my name is Ramzee! I graduated from York University with a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance and from Queen’s University with a Masters in Management Analytics. I joined the Drive program in June 2022, but I actually began my career at Scotiabank back in 2018 as a Financial Advisor. In my current rotation, I am working on a technology team whose focus in on implementing cloud infrastructure for the Bank’s data and analytics work.
Victoria: Hi, my name is Victoria! I graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Bachelor of Computational Mathematics. I also joined the Drive program in June 2022 but started with Scotiabank as an Associate Business Analyst intern in 2018! I am currently working with the Canadian Retail Analytics team in my second rotation of the Drive program.
Looking back to when you were searching for a job post-graduation, what made you consider Scotiabank?
Ramzee: As a child, I recall joining my parents on their weekly visits to our Scotiabank branch. Seeing the relationship my family had with staff and how they treated us really left its mark on me. Naturally, when I wanted to become a Financial Advisor, I was keen on joining Scotiabank because of their corporate culture and their focus on putting customers first. As I pivoted my career into Analytics, I took interest in the technological developments Scotiabank was making to be a leader in digital transformation within the industry. Upon graduation, I was set on continuing my career in this organization that values their employees and strives to gain a competitive edge amongst their peers.
Victoria: During my undergraduate degree, I completed multiple internships within Scotiabank’s Velocity program. I thoroughly enjoyed the inclusive working environment and the people here, and I learned a great deal from those experiences. Being in the program allowed me to identify my passions and develop the skills necessary for my future career, so I believed it would be well worth it to come back and grow together in a new field!
Victoria, why did you join the Drive program specifically and what excites you about the current team you are on?
Victoria: I’ve always known that I wanted to work in a data-related field, but 'data' is such a broad term! Even after meeting multiple professionals in different data-related roles, I still found myself unsure about which area I wanted to pursue. When I first spoke with the campus recruitment team about the new Drive program and how I would get experience in multiple areas, I knew it would be a perfect fit for me! Drive exposes you to the 3 pillars of CID&A - Analytics, Data, and Technology - which allows you to truly explore your passions within the field. For my first rotation, I worked on the data engineering side, and now I'm focused on analytics. Working on the pricing analytics team has been particularly relevant to my personal investment interests, as it has allowed me to understand how the process behind financial products works. For example, I'm learning about the underlying logic for calculating rates in various products. It's exciting to see the moment when data and models start connecting to my own financial experiences!
Ramzee, at this point in time, what are your future career goals?
Ramzee: Upon graduation of the Drive program, my goal is to be working as a Data Scientist or in another role that provides strategy, engagement, and enablement within Analytics to our Data Science teams at Scotiabank. My goal overall is to become a well-rounded analytics professional who is an effective strategist, analytics translator, and leader within Customer, Insights, Data & Analytics. I believe the Drive program is helping me achieve this goal as I am constantly learning about new things such as DevOps and Machine Learning Operations that I would have never had exposure to had I just focused on Analytics!
What has been a highlight of your time at Scotiabank so far?
Ramzee: A highlight of my time here at Scotiabank would be how helpful everyone has been! Even in their busiest time, it’s evident that everyone is willing to give time out of their day to talk to associates about their team, mandate, and role. Whether it is a fellow associate, a Senior Manager, Director or Vice President, networking is embraced as part of the culture here.
Victoria: During my first rotation as a data engineer, I had the chance to contribute to a crucial project which not only required technical support but also a significant amount of data analysis. This allowed me to leverage both my existing data analysis skills and acquire new technical skills, enabling me to make a meaningful contribution to my team and my own development.
Thank you both for sharing your experience! Last question – if you had one piece of advice for future Drive Associates, what would it be?
Ramzee: Remember that you are in charge of your own experience! You will only get as much out of it as you put into it, so be proactive, take on responsibilities, be positive, and take the initiative to give yourself the visibility you deserve!
Victoria: Stay curious and don’t be afraid to explore! Even if you're interested in something you don't think you're good at, it's always worth trying. Drive provides more than just work experience - you will have amazing mentors, colleagues, and multiple resources at your disposal. The best thing to do is to utilize all that is available and say "yes" to whatever comes your way!
Interested in learning more? Read about our DRIVE program and application timelines!
