From the Open Seas to Big Data

The Internet can be a lot of things: intimidating, a rabbit hole, enlightening… the list goes on. But for Patricia Sedó, a 30-year-old junior data analyst, the Internet was a source of hope.

Born and raised in Barcelona, Patricia found herself working in hospitality as a hostess and cruise consultant, a job that moved her from Spain to Germany.

“I was working in hospitality on cruise liners when the data bug bit me,” she tells us. “But it was never the right time—until the pandemic hit.”

At that point, her team was forced to look at reducing roles, which was perfect timing for Patricia.

“I had one foot out the door already. This opportunity meant I could take a year off to study.”

Patricia had her eye on LinkedIn and was reading more and more about big data. Always a fan of learning, she wanted to dive into the topic more deeply to find out if it was the right field for her to be working in, and more importantly, if it would provide her with the passion and tools she needed to grow.

“I love the constant learning, and the curve just keeps going,” says Patricia as she explains her journey. “I kept thinking, what else is possible with data?”

“What else is possible” Starts with Masterschool

Patricia’s question was soon answered when she found Masterschool. Soon, her life revolved around the program.

“This was my focus,” says Patricia. “Things like exercise, shopping, and essentially everything else; it all came second.”

Patricia filled her days with the Masterschool program, its Slack chats with fellow students, and guidance from mentors. She loved the structure she was experiencing, the flexibility it provided, and the fact that students were from a variety of backgrounds and timezones, so questions could always be answered. 

Life as a Masterschool Graduate

After graduating in August and taking a well-deserved break, Patricia started her job hunt in October and signed an employment contract in early December.

As a Junior Data Analyst at onlyfy by XING, her days are spent with different teams, customers, and stakeholders to collaboratively work on tickets.

“You can’t just learn and go,” Patricia explains. “You have to get used to the data structure of a company — they’re all set differently. But once you’re in the ‘bubble’ properly, you have all the support you need.”

Now for the big question: is Patricia happy?

“Yes! The company you work with influences this feeling,” she says. “I have ambitions to become a leader, to grow in my experience and my seniority. That’s a good feeling.”

Her advice for those who might not be as satisfied in their career?

“Happiness comes from a lot of factors, but if you don’t have motivation to grow, that means something. Look at that feeling as a chance to try something new, to wake up and feel passion. The internet gives you a chance to do that.”