From Project Manager to Funds Transfer intern and then to Data Analytics. Meet Abieyuwa, the Accountant who became a tech sis by coincidence. This is her story.
This publication focuses on sharing experiences and narratives on how ‘techies’ have gotten into tech, highlighting their challenges, motivations, and valuable insights on how they have navigated the tech landscape from different starting points. If you would like to share your tech journey please fill this form.
Hi, so I would love to meet you properly. Tell me a bit about yourself and give me two truths and a lie. I will guess the lie after this interview once I know more about you.
Abieyuwa: My name is Abieyuwa Egbe, I am a Data Analyst. My favourite food is rice and beans (don’t tell anybody).
Don’t worry, my lips are sealed.
A: (laughs) Two truths and a lie. I am a foodie, I know how to swim and I love mathematics.
Ok! So have you always been interested in tech or did you transition to tech?
A: The real answer is, I was transitioned into tech (laughs). I didn’t plan for it.
What exactly were you doing before and how did you like it?
A: First of all, I studied accounting and at my first job I worked in a fertilizer producing company. I was a project assistant. I did a bit of admin work as well and next, I moved into Access Bank and worked in funds transfer.
Don’t get me wrong, I loved my first job. I learnt so much and it has shaped me into who I am today. Then Funds Transfer was tasking at first but I loved the fact that I was able to resolve customers issues. It gave me a whole lot of fulfilment. I found both of them really interesting.
What was the moment or thing that pushed you into tech?
A: I wanted to move to another department in the bank; Domestic Operations. I was first in Abuja but I wanted to be in that department so much. At the time, that was what I desired so I moved to Lagos and then gbam, I was moved to IT instead of Dom-Ops. That’s how tech found me. The decision I made that day was to stay. I could have asked to be moved but I decided to stay.
Wow. That’s such a coincidence (laughs). Okay so how was it like settling into the IT department as a Data Analyst?
A: Let me start from my first day. The E.D came and he was addressing us and I just sat there thinking to myself, “Ookay! I am in the wrong room.” I was so confused and thought of so many things as I sat there. I was afraid because it was something I was totally new to. But when we started training and I started to study on my own and watch videos, things changed.
I don’t even know when but Data Analytics just became so interesting for me. Here is the thing, there was something I always desired and I felt that accounting would give me that. I always loved to look at data and draw conclusions based on that data to help companies make decisions that would bring them good money.
It was something I really wanted to be able to do. So when I started to do Data Analytics I realised oh, this is really what I want. And then I remember the E.D said that data is the new currency and it’s true. There’s so much money you can make from having the right data. I realised that there was a need for it and I also saw that everyone wanted to do Data Analytics. It looked like the new oil so I said to myself to better dig into it. It’s still so interesting. It’s amazing how every day there is something new to learn.
At first, it was not easy. I would sit down and watch videos and record trainings. What helped me was that I had the best team and best teachers. I had colleagues that took it upon themselves to teach me. Even now they are still helping me out. They made the learning process very easy. To me, it’s easier to learn from someone that is just sitting right beside you. Moving to something new is tough. Like, I would study on the weekend after work; I just kept practising learning different designs and code. It was tough but interesting.
What platforms did you use to learn?
A: First of all I work in a bank so there are trainings. YouTube was always there for me actually. Besides that, my colleagues used to share videos from other websites.
Okay, so let’s talk about Access Bank. How did you get in?
A: During my service year, I served in Nasarawa but redeployed to abuja. I had a friend, Esosa. God will bless him because he has really helped me. One day, he sent me a link to a job that I already applied to, but then I applied again and saw I was scheduled for an exam. I quickly read and went for the exam; it was two sets of exams. I passed that one.
Oshey, smartest!
A: (laughs) The rate at which my heart raced, eh! Anyway, I got to the next stage which was the interview. It was quite a seamless process for me then. After that I started to work in Funds Transfer then I went to Banking school because I was transitioning from being an intern. I won’t lie, it was draining. I wanted to go to Dom-ops and they put me in IT. Thankfully, I did not have to do another interview because I already did an internship but I did another exam, the real idan of exams. It was hard, oh! Eh, it was tough! It had three stages. I don’t hope to write that exam again! (laughs).
Wow. So, in your experience as a Data Analyst, tell me about a project you worked on that you are most proud of.
A: Ghen ghen! Ghen ghen! Well, there have been a number of them. I worked on something for risk for early detection of fraudulent transactions. This makes me the most proud because it’s a lot of money that has been saved.
Let’s talk expectations vs reality. People normally enter tech with a number of expectations. What expectations did you have and what are you going through right now
A: Funny thing is my expectations were really low because I thought I was going to give up or drop out but it’s been really good so far. I just love that there is constant development and there’s always something new to learn. I love how one keeps growing. I would recommend Data analytics for anybody.
What does the future look like for you in tech?
A: Hmmm, very bright (laughs). I will say there is so much more I want to do. From being someone that just found herself in tech, I actually train people currently. In the future, I want to be able to sponsor people that really want to know tech in training institutes.
Sounds lovely Yuwa. Okay so time for me to guess the lie. You seem like you like food and to do accounting and be so passionate about it you have to like mathematics (laughs). So the lie is you know how to swim. Did I get it?
A: Now that is correct!
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