I got involved in testing almost 10 years ago working in a business testing unit for a large insurance company in Kent. The company went through extensive change during my first year as a tester and I was exposed to a large scale migration project. I was given a key role in this project due to my knowledge of the legacy systems in play and went on to get my ISEB foundation and raise my profile within the company. By the time I left in 1997, to seek new pastures in the world of consultancy, I was given a Chief Executive Award for my contribution to work in the department.
I have been a consultant since that time and have worked with many high profile clients in the financial and insurance sectors. I started out as a Senior Test Analyst (functional) and quickly rose through the ranks to Team Lead and then Lead Consultant with a high profile postage service.
Since joining Capita I have been exposed to many more opportunities to develop my career both through client based work and training. I feel that Capita is a company that I can continue to grow with and look forward to the future.
I joined Capita to experience a variety of industries that no single company could give me. It’s been challenging but so rewarding. In less than a year I have been applying my skills and expertise as well as acquiring new ones with diverse industries – from railways and aviation to one of the world’s largest investment houses. There are lots of things that make Capita stand head and shoulders above other consultancies. There’s the fact that I have access to amazing skill sets and talent to help my clients. It’s not every organisation that has access to industry leading experts on their internal phonebook – but Capita does.
Capita has a different approach to consultancy. As a Capita consultant I don’t feel like just another contractor with just another client. Capita works with each and every client to place me as a trusted expert, respected for my industry leading knowledge. This approach really empowers me and brings out my best for my clients. Capita do things differently, it always impresses me how businesses respond to working with Capita. As a consultant I like the fact that Capita allows me to focus on helping my clients succeed in business, holistically and cooperatively.
Working for Capita means that there is a high standard to live up to, but with such a great organisation behind me, supporting me and allowing me to focus on bringing all my skills and knowledge to help my clients’ business is fantastic. It’s hard work, for sure, but it’s worth it.
I started my career as a Senior Consultant with Capita in April 2008 having previously spent two years with a global technology services company as a Programme Test Manager in the government sector. Prior to transitioning into IT as a Test Manager I spent 19 years in the telecommunications industry in various test, test management and engineering management roles. Capita was recommended to me as an employer by several former colleagues who emphasised their willingness to develop their team with both formal training and mentoring, and they have met my expectations. In the three years I have spent with the company I feel I have continued to grow as a Test Manager through a combination of this continued development and the roles I have been allocated with clients. I have had the opportunity to work with very diverse clients, including those in the government and financial sectors. Each client has brought new experiences whether that be in the technology used, the mix of the testing team or the approach to testing. Along with new experiences come new challenges but, despite being on remote client sites, I have always felt the support from the company was there if needed.
I began my career with Capita by joining the graduate scheme in 2006. Holding a degree in Information Engineering, I was keen to develop a career that would challenge me technically and provide opportunities for personal advancement – testing, and Capita, seemed a good fit.
Over the past five years at Capita, my career has developed faster than I could have imagined. I have been lucky enough to have worked alongside some of the best Test Consultants in the business who haven’t been afraid to give me challenging and high profile roles. To illustrate this, in my time with Capita I have managed test teams of between four and ten people covering system testing, user acceptance testing and test automation in the financial services and pharmaceuticals industries. My duties include client liaison (responding to client demand, sourcing and placing test resources to satisfy that demand), mentoring test analysts on client site, planning and estimation, test strategy and test plan creation. I am eager to develop these project management skills further.
Capita has also provided the theoretical knowledge to back up and reinforce the practical experience I have gained. I am ISEB certified to Practitioner Level – the industry standard qualification for testers.
I have found the culture at Capita to be forward thinking and supportive. To that end, I am confident that my personal drive for self improvement and career development is well matched to Capita and I look forward to seeing where the next few years will take me.
Having worked in the government operations and IT sector for 16 years, I was looking for a new challenge. I joined Capita in April 2007 and I can say that it was the best move I made and I now work with some of the best people I’ve known. My role in Capita has been varied. I have worked in both the Specialist Testing Practise undertaking non-functional testing as well as in the Testing Services Division as a test manager working with both onshore and offshore teams. These roles have allowed me to work with clients in the financial and government sectors in the north and south of England. They have provided me with fresh challenges and the chance to continue to develop my career. Although my work is spread across the UK, everyone is contactable and remote support is provided to us all. This is vital if you are on a client site on your own and it really does make you feel part of a bigger team. One of the biggest differences I have experienced working for Capita is that your individual contribution is recognised and valued. You really do feel that the work you do makes a difference to the success of Capita and to the clients we are work for.