Two years after completing the LSE Data Analytics Online Career Accelerator, an LSE online programme developed in collaboration with FourthRev, Emma runs her own company, Nimble Data, working with small businesses and manufacturers to modernise their data platforms using analytics, automation and AI.
In a recent Ask Me Anything webinar, she reflected on what the career transition really felt like.
A respectable career and a growing question
On paper, Emma’s career made perfect sense.
With a Master’s in Engineering, she joined BP on a graduate scheme, became a Chartered Chemical Engineer and later moved to ExxonMobil. Over 15 years in oil and gas, she worked across manufacturing and office-based roles. Some were technical. Others were less so.
But gradually, something shifted.
She realised she missed problem-solving and working with data hands-on. As the wider industry changed, she found herself asking a direct question: Did she want to follow this path for the rest of her career?
She started working with a career coach who helped her realise two things: one, she loved working with data, facts and evidence-based decision-making. And two, she cared deeply about helping organisations do better.
Data analytics offered a way to bring those two strands together without discarding her hard-earned experience and expertise.
Choosing structure over self-study
Emma explored internal moves first. When that proved unworkable, she researched her options. A second full degree felt long and expensive. Pure self-study felt unstructured and easy to abandon.
She chose the middle ground: structured, part-time study with clear progression and support.
The LSE Data Analytics Online Career Accelerator runs over six months, part-time and online, building capability across Excel, SQL, Tableau, Python and R, culminating in a live Employer Project.
For Emma, the deciding factor was not just curriculum, it was coaching.
"I was acutely aware I was changing careers mid-way through my working life and wanted support navigating that transition."
That support model, combining subject facilitation, a Success Manager and a dedicated Career Coach, is built into the programme design. For career changers, that structure can be the difference between intention and action.
From nervous to capable
Emma was upfront about her initial doubts.
"University was a long time ago, and my only previous coding experience was a bit of MATLAB during my degree. SQL and Python felt unknown and intimidating."
What shifted quickly was the focus on application. Instead of abstract theory, it was about solving real data problems.
"It’s very focused on the approach to solving a data problem and equips you with a whole bunch of tools that you can then use to go and find out a way of doing a certain thing or solving a problem later."
That came to life in the Employer Project, the programme’s final, intensive team-based challenge. With a broad brief and real stakeholder interaction, Emma had to define the problem, test ideas and deliver outcomes, just as she would in a professional setting.
"It's very real-world based, you have interactions with the employer to work out what it is you want to do."
Instead of simply completing coursework, she was rehearsing the work itself.
Reframing experience into opportunity
Like many mid-career professionals, Emma questioned whether her previous experience still counted. The programme helped her see it differently.
Her engineering background, understanding systems, constraints and stakeholders, became a strength when paired with analytics skills. She could not only build models but also interpret them in context.
Crucially, she learned how to structure analysis, communicate insights clearly, and choose the right tools for each problem. That foundation continues to support her work today.
"Nora, who was our lead facilitator, her weekly lecture material was just perfect, it's still my Bible, I go back to it most weeks."
Breaking into the field was not immediate. Emma stayed consistent, refining her positioning, keeping her LinkedIn current, and clearly communicating her hybrid skill set.
"I wouldn’t be where I am now if I hadn’t."
Her first opportunity came through a client looking for exactly that combination. One project led to another, and ultimately to founding her own consultancy.
From learning to lasting impact
Today, Emma runs Nimble Data, helping businesses modernise their data platforms through analytics, automation and AI.
"It’s been incredible…life-changing for me."
She applies the same structured approach developed during the programme: define the problem, interrogate the data, test assumptions, and communicate clearly.
"I love it… I’ve now got a really flexible career."
Support played a key role in sustaining momentum.
"Success managers are your personal cheerleaders… they give you little pep talks and make sure you don't miss deadlines and reminders."
Alongside structured milestones and coaching, this support helped her move through moments of doubt and stay on track while studying part-time.
Looking back
Two years on, Emma’s career reflection is grounded.
"Is every day perfect? No, it’s still work. But it’s meaningful, mentally stimulating, and aligned with what I care about."
Here’s her advice to others considering a similar pivot:
- Be honest about what you want to change and how you work.
- Do not underestimate your transferable skills.
- Expect moments of doubt. They are normal, especially when you’re doing new and demanding things.
The LSE Data Analytics Career Accelerator did not replace her previous career; it helped her reinterpret it and apply it in a new context.
Interested in exploring the curriculum, structure and support model? Download the programme brochure to learn more.
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