Fundamentals in Applied Business Analysis

“My name is Yvonne, I was a receptionist before studying Business Analysis at Keybase Consult. I graduated from sixth form 4 years before the course, I knew I wanted to go to University, but I had no clue on what I wanted to study. Being around people older than me who went to university and paid a huge amount of fees at university and listening to them talk about repayment had me exploring other options like degree apprenticeship. The degree apprenticeship is a very good option for someone who knows what they want to do without compromising their course, for example Engineering, however, it’s not a good option for someone who has a passion in computer science or being a doctor. In other words, you would need to broaden your horizon with an apprenticeship scheme.

Although I studied IT at sixth form, an in-depth study of Business Analysis at keybase was a different ball game for me, with a lot of tears and late nights this is because of the uncertainty I had in my mind and also, being the youngest in the class, being around people who had their path figured out and people with almost similar background. Keybase Consult was able to transform the doubts I had in my mind. I was given one to one sessions when I needed them, I was able to complete my exam and become a certified Business Analyst. With the help of the team at Keybase, I was able to complete my CV up to a great standard. I was given tips on where to apply and how to apply for jobs (you really do skills with job search/applications). When I had interviews, I was given great interview preps which helped me to secure a good paying job. I still receive mentoring from the team to help me progress to university whilst working.

“I joined Keybase Consult with an open mind-set and looking to establish myself in a new field (coming from a predominantly engineering background). I found the classes to be highly informative and rich in content. The instructors were knowledgeable and very experienced, which made the whole process a very rewarding one. Sufficient to say, I am now gainfully employed as a business analyst in one of UK’s largest recruitment agency.”
Regards,
Stephen

“Having worked as a Billings Analyst for just under 10years, I felt the need to review my career. After some careful consideration I decided to transition from a Billing Analyst to a Business Analyst. I attended a 3 day Course with a different organisation and enjoyed the training; however I had only learned the basics and did not have the confidence to apply for any Business Analyst roles.

A couple of years later a friend referred me to keybase and pointed out they have a good track record for actually placing people in jobs. I spoke to a few more people about it and then decided to take the course with Keybase. I nearly fainted when I saw the training manual due to the sheer amount of information it contained, surely we could not learn and retain all this information? We did learn it all, and the exercises helped us to retain it too. I felt Keybase were very hands on in their approach and with me every step of the way, from the day I placed an interest in the course to long after I landed my Business Analyst role.

Keybase creates an environment full of energy that encourages team work, sometimes during the training you already feel like a BA because you are given realistic tasks to do. Keybase not only trained me to be a BA, but they gave me advice on organising my digital footprint, prepared me for interviews, explained in detail what jobs to apply for, made sure I passed my Business Analysis exam with BCS and helped rewrite my c.v.”

“Dear Keybase Consult,

I’m delighted to let you know that I accepted my first contract job this Monday working as a Business Analyst/Product manager at a reputable health care organisation. I wouldn’t have been able to achieve such success of it wasn’t for the training provided at Keybase consult, which has been a delightful experience, everyone was involved and very engaging from day one. The training strategy is based on a hands-on, problem-solving approach and live projects done individually and in groups. Course materials were excellent for the training, which provided clear and concise information- (No Jargons) – easy to take notes on. Course exercises – makes sense in real world, too.

Keybase instructors helped to instil their professionalism and experience in making this a true learning experience for me. The Instructors were very good – knowledgeable, they shared that knowledge and experiences with us without making that the central point. Very safe environment to be in, the atmosphere set up from day one encouraged participation and critical thinking which is the hallmark of being a Business Analyst, Bravo guys! Every minute was valuable and utilised effectively.

Additionally, they give you insight into your own personality, your innate motive and problem-solving approach. This helps teams work effectively. The mentorship programme provided at Keybase Consult at the end of the training helped during the interview stages and the CV guide provided enabled me to get a job in my domain field. Thank you for all your help and encouragement! I wouldn’t have done it without the interview preparation and the fact that the mentors were always available and willing to help despite the class finishing.

I highly recommend classes at Keybase Consult to anyone looking for a career change or progression.

Delighted Student, S. James”

“I enrolled with Keybase Consult for the Business Analysis Foundation course in March 2016. I had been working in the project management space for a few years with a goal to move into Business Analysis and in the process of trying to make this transition it became quickly obvious that I had major gaps in my knowledge of the value that a Business Analyst brings to a project.

I was made aware of Keybase Consult by a friend in the previous company I worked with and while I was a bit sceptical after my previous Business Analysis training experience with another “highly” acclaimed training organization, it became quickly obvious that Keybase had undeniable pedigree when it came to training Business Analysts (BA) as I discovered a couple of BAs on that job that had been trained at Keybase.

The first day on the course was pretty exciting; I was very impressed by the professionalism displayed by the tutors and the organization as a whole. The training guide was huge and daunting but turned out to be priceless, an item that is a lifetime referral for any experienced or aspiring BA. The tutors gave us no illusions about the course, it would be tough and if you didn’t expend effort and time on your own, studying the modules and doing the course work after each training session, you would end up on a slippery slope to nowhere. But if you put in the effort, with their guidance, there would be no limitations to where you could go.

Looking back now, just as important to all the technical knowledge and practical BA experience we received, I really value all of the life lessons the tutors gave us, they welcomed us into their lives and shared personal experiences that we, the students, either related to or could learn from. I found the tutors very engaging, funny and warm; they didn’t treat us like we were another number but showed an incredible desire to see us all achieve whatever we came to the course seeking.

The CV workshop and interview prep cannot be missed. Absolutely crucial to one’s success. In June 2016, after my CV was signed off as being up to standard, I was advised on what job boards to post it to by the consultants, and immediately the calls came flooding through. I was called for three interviews by financial services and media companies, all in June, and after being prepped by consultants, attended and was successful in all three interviews. I started work as a Business Analyst in early July.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND KEYBASE CONSULT!!! If you want to become a BA or learn about business strategy there’s only one place to train hence my recommendation in caps.

When I tell people I am a Business Analyst, 90% of them ask me what exactly it is I do. 5 months ago, I would have been one of those people wondering what Business Analysts do, yet today, I am working as a BA- all thanks to Key Base Consult.

The Key Base BA course exposed me to trainers who are seasoned Business Analysts with a wealth of experience who are open with the knowledge and the practical scenarios of their BA journey, I was involved in personal and group projects which adequately prepared me for the actual BA work and has also helped me build a professional network of BAs.

It didn’t end with the training, they also provided guidelines and personally assist trainees in CV writing which meant that by the time my CV was done and I defended it, I had become a BA because I got the opportunity to have a birds eye view of working on projects as a BA as well as the confidence to defend what I had written.

One of the feedbacks I got at an interview was that I must have very good documentation skills as my CV was very well written, simple and could sufficiently showcase what I had done.

I would also add that in addition to the CV writing, my confidence was further boosted by interview preps which helped greatly as I had only two face to face interviews and I nailed both jobs.

What Key Base Consult helped me achieve is no small feat, confidence, knowledge, professionalism and best of all a BA JOB.

Thumbs up”

“After almost eight years in my previous job as an IT support analyst, I knew I needed a change in career and direction. Then, when my best friend spoke to me about Keybase Consult, highlighting the quality of training and mentoring they provided, I instantly knew that they would help me to secure a Business Analyst role on completion of the course.

I promptly registered, and on the first day of the course was amazed at the size of the course folder. The realisation that I was in for a lot of work dawned on me. The staff were very professional and put in a lot of effort into ensuring that delegates received the best real-life professional and practical experience.

The CV session on the final weekend gave me almost as much insight into Business Analysis as the course itself, as it brought to light all that we had been taught in class and more.

Within hours of my CV going live on Jobserve and Jobsite, I was noticed by recruiters and started to receive their calls. Within days, I was shortlisted for two interviews and after one interview prep session with Keybase lasting an hour, I felt more than ready for the challenge before me.

I performed brilliantly on both interviews and accepted the first offer of a permanent role which came three days after the interview and declined the other. The role by the way, came with a 20k salary increase on my previous role. It turned that that the role I accepted happened to be the first business analyst role in the company’s history. The good thing about it was that there was no one to compare me with. However, the learning curve was steep. I was thrown in the deep end and had to swim straight away. A variety of opportunities to learn and master several aspects of business analysis presented themselves to me whilst there, this meant I had to wear several hats. I was all the better for it.

When I left the role after a year, I was solid enough to go contracting where the rates were again … life changing.

Without a doubt, training with Keybase Consult is the best professional decision I ever made. Indeed, it can be the best professional decision you ever make.”

“An excellent balance of Business Analysis training, CV writing and job interview skills training. The Keybase Fundamentals in Applied Business Analysis course fully equipped me with both the skills and the mind-set required to not only land my Business Analyst (BA) job but also to hit the ground running on my BA role. The training venue/environment and the course material provided was excellent. The training was of the highest standard and the post course follow-up and support was comprehensive right up till the point of securing a job as an SAAS Business Analyst. Prior to this training I was unemployed and my previous job was a supervisory role in a call centre. I am eternally grateful to my friend (who is also an alumnus of Keybase) for introducing me the Keybase Business Analysis course. Enrolling on the course was one of the best career decisions of my life. My only regret was not knowing about the course much earlier. – BIYI (SAAS Business Analyst)”

“The course is of a very high standard and suitably paced the exercises kept us focussed and examples related back to the real world. I can’t speak highly enough of my experience with Keybase. The trainers and consultants are extremely knowledgeable and genial and exceeded my expectations. I can say with confidence that the course is good value for money, packing in a lot of useful guidance and going over and beyond to provide context and practical advice. It is extremely helpful hearing their real life scenarios and relating business analysis principles to the examples makes the content very memorable. I would certainly recommend Keybase. There is a lot to learn, so be prepared to work extremely hard however it pays off in the end.”

“I attended the course in June 2014 and instantly liked both facilitators. In the style of bad cop/good cop, Uche kept it real, tough and funny while Ify kept us grounded and confident. I found their teaching and mentoring genuine and effective plus they provided support in other areas in my life that needed encouragement. It had been a difficult time for me, as I had just experienced a personal loss four (4) months prior to starting the course.

They insisted that the class study at home and revisit what had been taught on the day, as soon as possible, preferably in the evening of the same day. Now that was a tall order for most of us, including me. I however found that the concepts and learning stuck if you reviewed the modules on the same day.

As I became more exposed to the different modules in the course, I realized that a lot of what I had done in the past was in the domain of Business Analysis but I had not the correct structure and form and lingo. Requirements elicitation, business process modeling, stakeholder management, root cause analysis, building target operating models, strategic reviews; the correct lingo for a lot of what I had done in the past.

As in all things, experience is only credible if you can and speak the correct language. The course was practical, they shared and reviewed with the class, templates and how to use them, their own experiences and invited us to review the work we had done in the past using the BA lens. Overtime, I acquired the confidence that comes from being teachable and being taught by knowledgeable professionals.

The role plays, the presentations, the case studies and the team break out sessions provided more than enough simulation for the workplace environment, helping to build my confidence to further my career as a Business Analyst. The team created in my mind, excitement about business analysis as a sole career, especially as business analysis creates a real pathway to senior management in any organization.

We had fun as well in the class and built new relationships, which is part of the foundation of my Business Analyst network and now part of my wider network.

The team helped prepare me for the market with interview mock sessions. What a boost to my confidence from these champions of mine. Thank you.

As I look forward to resuming at my first role post the course in January 2015, I would recommend this course to anyone, it is more value than money.”

“After almost eight years in my previous job as an IT support analyst, I knew I needed a change in career and direction. Then, my best friend spoke to me about Keybase Consult, highlighting the quality of training and mentoring they provided, I instantly knew that they would help me to secure a Business Analyst role on completion of the course.

I promptly registered and on the first day of the course, I was amazed at the size of the course folder and instantly realised I was in for a lot of work. The staff are very professional and put a lot of effort into ensuring that delegates receive the best real-life professional and practical based experience.

The CV session on the final weekend gave me almost as much insight into Business Analysis as the course itself, as it brought to light all that we had been taught in class.

Within hours of my CV going live, I was noticed by recruiters and started to receive their calls. Within days, I was shortlisted for two interviews and after one interview prep session with Keybase lasting an hour, I felt more than ready for the challenge before me.

I performed brilliantly on both interviews and accepted the first offer which came three days after the interview and declined the other.

Without a doubt, training with Keybase Consult is the best professional decision I ever made.”

“I am really glad I decided to undertake the training with Keybase Consult. Before then I was a Senior Systems Analyst with a Top Fortune 500 Quick Service Retail company, and I was very dissatisfied with the prospects of salary increases and promotion. I felt I was stuck in a rut. Then I read up on Business Analysis and I had many friends and family members telling me it was easy and all I had to do was read and ‘anyone can do it; it’s real easy’. But they are wrong.

With Keybase training, you quickly get to realise that the Business owners who are paying you so much, expect you to deliver at a professional level, and this is part of the value proposition Keybase offers you. At the end of the training, you are guaranteed a level of confidence in yourself as a BA, even if, like me, you have never been one. They come highly recommended.”

“I just wanted to thank the guys at Keybase for a really great course. The whole experience from enrolment to actually securing a Business Analyst role has been very smooth and highly professional.

The course learning material infused with the course leaders wealth of experience leaves you with the right amount of information you need to secure your first role.

Upon completion of the course, from the many CV workshops to the interview prep the day before my interviews that level of support was outstanding.

A big thank you for helping me get to where I am.”

“I would like to say a BIG THANK YOU TO KEYBASE CONSULT because I thought I knew what Business Analysis was all about having worked as a BA in the past but soon realised I didn’t when I got to take this course. I was at a point that I lacked confidence applying for Business Analyst Jobs as I had been out of BA Market for over 18months. I found it difficult securing interviews, probably secured only one in the last 18months. The Course is Value for Money. The training sessions were excellent and the CV workshop opened my eyes to ways of writing a good CV. I went for an interview today for A Business System Analyst Role and I was offered the Role at the end of the interview which was shocking to me.

I recommend KeyBase Consult to anybody looking to change career and become a Business Analyst because the training is excellent. There are many tutors out there but I can confidently say that The KeyBase Consult structure is top notch and worth every penny.”

“I attended training with Keybase in November and found the training very challenging but very realistic and applicable to a BA role. The exercises in the class gave us clear and practical examples. The mentoring session was extremely good in strengthening one’s inner-self to overcome any doubts and fears in this challenging role. The interview preparation polished me and gave me great insight. I got a job after attending my first interview.

I would definitely encourage anyone to attend and your career will never be the same. To God be the glory.”

“I started filled with doubts and fears, but the trainers were amazing. In their own unique way, they taught us, encouraged us and gave us the confidence that we could be successful BAs.

The course is unparalleled in its completeness, complete with CV workshops and interview prep. The result? Within weeks of completing the course, I had landed my first interview. And I got a BA role, after my first interview. I would definitely recommend this course.”

“I would like to thank Key Base Consult for the support they have given me in this period. I attended my training in November 2013 and through it all, the trainers have been there to help. I can now confirm that I have been offered a role with Barclays Bank as a Business Analyst and I’m looking forward to new beginnings this year.

Trust me, every word the trainers have spoken has helped me to this point. All the presentations and training through the entire training program has enabled me understand the role that a Business Analyst plays in an Organisation and how to create and add value.

I am truly grateful to the entire team at Key Base Consult and I can confirm that this training program works and it will get you into the market and make you a successful Business Analyst.”

“All I would say is, it has been a wonderful blessing to have been introduced to Key Base Consult. I was a System Support Engineer for well over 15 years, frustrated, disillusioned and desperately needed a different challenge. I was introduced to Key Base Consult in November last year and promptly undertook their Business Analysis course.

Apart from the quality of the training which was immensely appreciated, what I cherished the most is the confidence and self believe that was instilled in me. I actually believed for the first time I was capable of pulling it off.

Pleased to say I am now an E-Prescription Business Analyst with the NHS.”

“Prior to going on the training course with Keybase Consult, I had no IT background or even a clue of what it entailed to be a business analyst. I was thoroughly enlightened by the course. The delivery of the course by the trainers as well as the course material was top quality. They took their time to explain and ensured we understood each session.

After the course, I attended the CV workshop session and was paired up with one of the trainers to provide guidance as I wrote my CV and help me with preparing for the interview. I can confirm that I have received two job offers in my preferred sector.

All I can say is, if you are thinking of training to become a business analyst, train with Keybase Consult.”