Alumni Stories: Akash Chatterjee

What was your experience like during training? 

I had joined the Information Technology Service Management (ITSM) stream in the summer of 2016. The organized training schedule was facilitated by knowledgeable and empathetic trainers. The courses addressed a variety of concepts, successfully covering the entire spectrum of competency levels while providing certification opportunities. The programme was successful in providing exposure to skills that proved to be vital in client environments, particularly the courses related to Business Analysis (with certification), Information Technology Infrastructure Library (with certification), PL/SQL, O.S. Administration, Virtualisation and the Agile Framework/Concept.

Tell us about your placement on client site. 

I had the opportunity to work with two different clients over a period of three years. I achieved fulfillment in my roles as they allowed the development of versatile technological knowledge, all applicable to the investment management industry. The projects that I worked on were global, spread across Canada, the USA, Europe and Asia which gave me a diversified worldview and a better understanding of cultural nuances.

What is your current role and what does it involve?

I currently work as a Senior Technical Business Analyst within one of Canada’s top banks. We build, manage and operate the technical foundations hosting front, middle and back office wealth management ecosystems grounded within an agile frame of reference. Additionally, my role includes strategising, developing and implementing resiliency and security protocols aimed at protecting critical business and technical processes, underscored by preventive maintenance and pre-emptive deterrence.

What accomplishments are you most proud of from your time with FDM?

Instead of mentioning any ceremonious accomplishments, I would like to consider the creation of unbreakable relationships with my peers, trainers and academy staff, which have not weakened by the passage of time. I shall cherish these connections as we move into the future and I encourage each member of the FDM family, either current or alumni, to recognise the beauty of the FDM journey. I recommend each member to appreciate the role that FDM plays in one’s career development to sustain these memories in the future. In this manner, I hope that these memories and relationships will become the accomplishments of all FDMers, as they have become mine.

What is something that you have learnt later in your career that you wish someone had told you when you first started?

As a young professional, there is benefit in realising that the responsibility of driving one’s career/ learning towards a desired direction, rests solely with oneself. I would say that you must never wait or hope for the perfect opportunity to be presented to you on a silver platter. If you have a certain goal for your career, you must persevere for it without compromise. Do not allow the general opinion to diminish your goals and do not apologise for your desires.

To find out more about the career opportunities we offer to new graduates entering the workforce, check out the FDM Technical Graduate Program.