“Learning to code was the game-changer for my Operations Planning & Data Analysis career in iGaming. Meet Antoine.”

For someone working in workforce planning, learning code might not be the most obvious choice. And yet, Antoine believes he owes his most recent career success precisely to the skills he gained from taking on training in Python and Web Development. Here’s how it all worked out for him.

You took it upon yourself to seek additional training to advance your career. Tell us more about that.

In both my current and previous roles in resource planning, I work a lot with numbers and data analytics. It can get a bit complex, so I need to make sure that we’re optimising our systems and workforce management tools as much as possible. I wanted training in code to learn, first-hand, how certain tools can be implemented so that I could propose a concrete solution or way forward. Otherwise, there would be parallel aspects of my job that remain a mystery to me. Though I may not be directly involved in the back-end side of things, I found that diving into programming is really helpful for my role.

You landed a new job thanks to your new skills. How so?

Yes, the knowledge I gained from these courses helped me in the interview process that led to my current role and allowed me to fill in some of the gaps I had. I’m sure that someone with more experience would have got my job were it not for the training I undertook to build the right foundations. Professionals in workforce management might not realise just how useful coding and web development knowledge is. Taking this extra step and learning these disciplines can be a distinguishing factor in your career trajectory. I didn’t want to be the person that just relied on what others told me. I went out of my way to be able to understand things myself so I can find better solutions, and this gave me an edge. When you hear about how others managed to get a particular job on the merits of a particular qualification, you might be sceptical, but when it happens to you personally, you realise just how valuable learning can be.

What practical skills did you gain from your courses?

Python really helped me in my professional development and I use it a lot in data analysis, especially since it was introduced to Excel. On the other hand, learning Web Design really helps me implement workforce management tools when building and structuring data. Gaining that broader knowledge in code means I can communicate better with the web development team too. I’m able to fast-track certain queries or requests because I now know how to speak their language, so I can cut to the chase rather than having to rely solely on others.

The courses are literally hands-on. We were already coding together in the first lesson, so forget about watching boring slides. You don’t just watch your educator code but get to code along with him, and that’s the best thing ever. Whatever you learn in a lesson, you’ll have a task to help you put what you’ve learned to the test, and your educator will then review it and give you feedback, which was always super prompt. I don’t think you’ll find that kind of dedication anywhere else.

How was your experience at ICE Malta specifically?

First of all, the educators were great, so this meant I often found myself looking forward to my classes. The biweekly evening schedule and the recorded lessons keep things manageable if, like me, you still have a full-time job during the day. Hats off to Keith, in particular. Everything is a fun challenge with him. He gives you the means and the space to identify problems and solutions yourself so you’re putting what you’ve learned to practice. He’s an outstanding educator and his passion is infectious.

I did a lot of research before I chose these particular courses because I wanted to get it right. The Admissions Team at ICE Malta really helped me identify the path that would give me the skills I needed. We discussed my requirements at length and I really appreciated how forthcoming the team was in providing me with their time and guidance. I immediately knew I was in good hands and I will be returning to ICE Malta in the future for sure.

The right skills can make a real difference, especially when coupled with some determination and an enterprising mindset, as Antoine’s story shows. And it certainly helps knowing that there’s a dedicated team at ICE Malta who is always available to help you take that next step – whatever it may be and wherever you want it to lead you.