Introduction:

Hello, I’m Giacomo Allen, and I joined Butterfly Data as a Data Consultant in January 2024.

I’m excited to share the journey and accomplishments I’ve experienced during my first six months here.

Starting My Role:

I began my role as Data Consultant at Butterfly Data on the 15th January 2024.

In this position, I was responsible for the creation and maintenance of data pipelines and infrastructure for use by our data scientists, analysts, and clients.

From day one, I focused on learning the SAS programming language and environment so that I could extend my existing data manipulation experience for use with clients that are already using it. I also prioritiesed getting myself up-to-date with the current standing of projects at Butterfly Data.

Key Achievements:

In my first six months, I’ve been fortunate to be able to help develop new insights for the company and lead the data engineering development as part of a new project with a new client.

Here are some highlights:

• Led on engineering multiple base files for use in creating machine learning models helping with job seeker and job center predictions: As the sole data engineer on the project it was up to me to decipher the provided data and translate it into a digestible format for our data scientists models, as well as making sure that the data was clean and consistent. I also took on the responsibility of making sure that our codebase was presentable for the stakeholders.

• Helped with updating company insights into our competitor analysis: Using some webscraping knowledge that I have, I went through one of our company advertising portals to get a better grasp on what our competitors were offering, and at what costings they were using so that we could better align ourselves in the coming market update.

• Used my previous experience with both data engineering and software development to contribute improvements and pathways to one of our most important projects: This project is very mature in both time and complexity, but after reading through both the codebase and documentation, I found some areas that could be improved for both our developers and product owner. This would keep our code more standardised and modular, allowing for better readability, documentation, and scalability.

Challenges and Solutions:

Transitioning into a new role came with its challenges. I mainly struggled with learning the new systems and responsibilities, due to my previous experience because everything felt similar but different at the same time. I also struggled in learning the SAS programming language as I was already familiar with SQL and python, and a lot of features I was used to using were either very different or non-existent. It didn't take too long for me to get comfortable, however, as all of my colleagues were extremely helpful and approachable. So any issues or snags that I had were quickly and easily dealt with thanks to them.

Learning and Development:

These first six months have been a period of significant learning and growth.

I’ve developed skills in SAS and data system management, as well as enhancing my existing data management, engineering, and assessment skills. I've also refined other skills including my communication and team work, helping to improve myself as a consultant and not just a developer.

Some key points came when I was presenting back to key stakeholders and developers of the project. I didn't have much experience knowing which level of detail I needed to show, and have been able to become a better judge because of this.

Looking Ahead:

As I move forward, I am excited about getting more involved in future projects, as well as the Data Engineering Academy Group so that I can better develop the skills and relationships I have been working on.

My goals include getting certified as a cloud data engineer with multiple cloud providers, and helping the company grow any way that I can.

I am committed to always be learning new technologies, adapting to any upcoming challenges, and improving myself in however possible to keep up with the ever evolving industry that we work within.

Advice for New Joiners:

Reflecting on my experience, I would advise new hires to not be afraid of asking for help from any of our colleagues, as everyone was once in their position and are always willing to help wherever they can. My journey has reinforced my desire to continue learning to be able to help solve problems whenever possible.

Conclusion:

My first six months at Butterfly Data have been incredibly rewarding. I am grateful for the opportunities I’ve had and look forward to continuing to contribute to our team’s success.

Thank you for taking the time to read about my journey.