Data Engineer Review

My experience on the graduate scheme was genuinely amazing. It provided a strong foundation not only in technical skills but also in understanding how data drives decision-making across the business. I had the opportunity to work on diverse projects, collaborate with talented teams, and gain exposure to real-world challenges that accelerated my learning. From building data pipelines and optimizing SQL queries to understanding stakeholder requirements and delivering insights, each rotation added a new layer to my development. The scheme also helped me grow professionally, improving my communication, problem-solving, and adaptability. Overall, it was a transformative journey that prepared me well for my current role as a data engineer.

During my time at NatWest, I completed four impactful rotations that helped shape my career as a data engineer. I began as a Data Analyst in the Financial Crime team, where I focused on analysing Key Data Elements and transitioning data lineage workflows from Solidatus to InfoMap, improving data governance and system accuracy. My second rotation was as a Data Scientist in Retail Analytics Decisioning, where I developed a KMCS propensity model using machine learning techniques and engineered features from customer engagement data to support strategic growth. The third rotation was with the CDD Insights Bank team as a Data Engineer, where I built event-driven pipelines using Streamsets and Airflow to automate Customer Due Diligence processes, enhancing risk detection and compliance. My final rotation was as a Machine Learning Engineer in the OCBA AI Hub, where I redesigned the deposit elasticity modelling pipeline using AWS SageMaker and CometML, enabling scalable model retraining and performance tracking. Across all rotations, I took ownership of technical solutions, collaborated with cross-functional teams, and consistently aligned engineering efforts with business objectives.

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I would highly recommend NatWest for its structured and impactful graduate programme, which gave me the opportunity to rotate across four distinct teams—each offering unique challenges and learning experiences. The culture encourages innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning, and the support from mentors and stakeholders throughout my journey made it an ideal environment to grow both technically and professionally.