Coles Myer was the first employer for Nic where he started out as an IT Graduate, experiencing a wide range of roles:
- Systems Administrator (6 months)
- Support Analyst (5 months — included Myer)
- Project Office — Reporting Analyst (3 months)
- Project (Business) Analyst (1 month)
- Business Systems Coordinator (4 months — for Coles Express)
Each role was highly educational, challenging and he was fortunate to be constantly surrounded by dedicated professionals who shaped my learning experience. The first two roles were BAU-oriented although Nic did get hands-on experience with the Managed Desktop Environment (MDE) project and the after-hours deployment of Windows XP.
All subsequent roles were heavily project-focused, particularly the project office rotation, where Nic first learnt the project management methodology, 4 Quadrant Delivery (4QD), and had the opportunity to observe and report on the holistic nature of pipeline management and risk management. The evolution and natural progression through the roles gave the graduate program a greater sense of strategic direction, where earlier learnings could be built upon and enhanced.
This culminated with Nicholas’ final rotation assigned to the Coles Express business, which was undergoing integration and transitioning from a green-fields operations; the partnership between Shell and Coles was a recent event at the time. As a Business Systems Coordinator, the role was a blend of both Project Manager and Business Analyst. For small projects, the role assumed a higher degree of ownership whereas the larger projects ensured appropriate resourcing was made available. This Business Systems Coordinator role was a highly unique opportunity and mirrors the Business Analyst/Solution Analyst role which Nic has since gone on to excel at across other industries.