Introduction

Hello, I’m Kelsey, and I joined Butterfly as a Consultant as part of the graduate programme in September, 2025. I’m excited to share my journey and accomplishments during my first six months here.

Starting My Role

As a Graduate Consultant, I was responsible for starting my SAS training ready for the SAS Hackathon 2025 and getting onboarded onto a client project. From day one, I focused on my SAS training as I had never used this software before, but there were plenty of resources to help get me started. Additionally, I prioritised settling into the company culture, however this was easy as everyone was so welcoming and ready to answer any of my questions!

Key Achievements

In my first six months, I’ve been fortunate to achieve a lot, from learning new technical skills to growing my confidence in my ability to present externally and represent the company. Here are some highlights:

● Project Work: I was given ownership of project areas such as MI Reporting, testing and planning a Power BI reporting uplift, and requirements gathering.

● Conference Attendance: I attended my first conference (Wales Tech Week, November 2025) and developed my independent networking skills.

● Event Organisation: I independently organised a Regional Day for Region South and was part of the Spring Summit 2026 planning team.

Challenges and Solutions

Transitioning into a new role came with its challenges, including managing a high workload while adapting to a new way of working (Agile methodology). To address these challenges, I familiarised myself with the Agile way of working, sought guidance from my mentor on managing the workload, and requested feedback from my team in order to see my progress along the way. This process led me to develop my time management skills where I learnt to break tasks down into more manageable pieces and to time block my day accordingly.

Learning and Development

These first six months have been a period of significant learning and growth. I’ve significantly developed my technical skills, including SAS programming and data visualisation in Power BI, as well as developing skills in networking and stakeholder engagement. Key lessons learnt include the importance of effective collaboration and asking for help from your team when needed as although independent problem solving is important, it is also important to fully understand what you are doing and people are more than happy to help!

Looking Ahead

As I move forward, I am excited about developing my skillset further, especially in areas such as data governance and data engineering. My goals include obtaining qualifications such as ‘Azure Fundamentals’ as part of my professional development, and contributing to the company’s strategic initiatives by permanently joining a responsibility group. I am committed to continuing to grow and learn as much as I can by continuously expanding my skillset and seeking opportunities to make a meaningful impact to the company.

Advice for New Joiners

Reflecting on my experience, I would advise new hires to embrace the company culture by actively seeking feedback and building strong relationships with colleagues, especially those you work closely with on projects! My journey has reinforced the importance of embracing a learning mindset as there are a multitude of opportunities here at Butterfly for growth and self-development.

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.

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