Ciara is a Senior Technology Consultant within the Quality Assurance team at BearingPoint Ireland. From historic artefacts to modern technologies, Ciara explains how she went from a degree in Museum Management to changing direction towards technology.
What motivated you to make a career change?
My undergraduate was an Arts degree, and I initially pursued a career in museum management. In order to create a unique skillset, following my undergraduate, I elected to carry out a Masters in Computer Science. While studying, I realised how much I enjoyed implementing technical solutions, although I had enjoyed the customer interactions in my roles in museums. This intersection of technology and client work led me to consulting once I finished my MSc.
Why did you choose consulting?
Following some work experience during my studies, I realised that I enjoyed interacting with clients more than developing products in isolation. As such, I decided to apply to work in a consultancy and found that I love the complex and changing work here.
What advice would you give to someone considering a similar career change?
I would say that there is so much to explore with a career in STEM – before my undergraduate I was worried I would be pigeonholed in a job that involved programming alone most of the time. However, the world of STEM is so broad, there are so many applications for the technology you could be developing and so many ways to be involved in the development process. I would highly recommend pursuing it!
What skills or experiences from your previous career have been most valuable in your new role?
In my previous role, I carried out a lot of client facing work which gave me invaluable experience when entering the world of consulting.
What’s the most surprising skill you’ve discovered in your new role?
One skill I have discovered is how quickly people can adapt to new technologies. While I never studied the tools I am working with today, my initial training has meant I have been able to pick up new tools and use them effectively on each project I work on.
What’s the best part about your new role?
I would say the sense of camaraderie I feel with my colleagues – working so closely with a small team to deliver projects and overcome technical challenges has created a close work community and sense of achievement.
Was there anything daunting about making the switch?
Feeling as though I would be behind because of a lack of technical experience was daunting initially. I quickly overcame that feeling, once I started working and putting things into practice.