Hi guys,

I have received quite a number of emails in the last two days since I responded to @TheCongo2 about being a BA. I have tried to respond to some but since I can only share my own personal experience and I seem to be repeating myself in every email, I am posting my response (modified) to the OP here for anyone interested and also so that anyone who still has questions can ask it here and other BAs can respond and contribute more to the pool of knowledge.

Let’s start with companies that can work for you best. That will definitely depend on where you are planning to land and the opportunities in that city. I think a first start may be for you to go to sites like Indeed and Workopolis to get an idea of how prevalent BA jobs are on your side of town.

So for me, that’s where you should start from. Then when you see these job postings, review a good number of them to determine the skill requirement ask that is consistent across the different job postings and compare these skill requirements to what you currently have now. In doing that, I would advise you dig deep and think well about your experience because you may have a number of the skills but the way they are presented, you may think ‘oh no, I haven’t done that before’ simply because the work was not presented in the same format in Nigeria.

Now for the BA world, the most important skill I believe is your ability to communicate and analyze. And the way you present yourself starting from your resume is a skill in itself. As a BA, you will see them asking for experience and skills in the areas of requirements elicitation, requirements documentation, requirements analysis including the knowledge of BPMN and UML (which covers the development of Use Cases), as well as requirements specification and tracing. Also, knowledge of SDLC is very important – especially Agile/Waterfall and then skills in using Microsoft office tools and in a number of cases, SQL and/or Tableau for data analytics. Oh yes, also knowledge of developing test cases as well.

If you are not familiar with these terms, I would advise you go online to do some research. In my case, I bought some BA courses online from Udemy and learnt everything I needed to learn and familiarized myself with the BA terminology here as these terms may appear strange to you at first but after going through BA courses, you will realize they are experiences you have one way or the other but we didn’t use these terms in Nigeria. BA trainings are really expensive (but required if you want to become certified as a CBAP – Certified Business Analyst Professional). So I started with Udemy but still attended a BA training as I needed the units to register for CBAP. I also got myself certified in Agile software development process – so I got certified as a Scrum Master and a Scrum Product Owner. You will see some BA job postings also asking for some Agile or specifically Scrum knowledge. Now, the agile certifications are good to have as they may place you above another candidate if it comes down to a selection but is not a necessity straight away and I say this because honestly, they are not cheap. Each one will set you back at least about $1,200- $1,500 depending on the trainer (You can also research this). I also learnt SQL online and found that from the job postings I reviewed, there were a number of them asking for knowledge of JIRA (this is an issue tracking tool used by most companies now) so I learnt how to use JIRA too and also dabbled into a bit of Tableau.

Lastly, once you are familiar enough with BA terminology and all and you are confident, then go ahead and build your resume, tailoring it to each job posting. So first of all, build a master BA resume which will have your experience presented in light of all the BA terminology so e.g. “elicited requirements from customers and documented them for the development team to execute......”, “analyzed requirements, ensuring prioritization of needs according to business goals.......”… something like that (by the time you review and understand what a BA does, you would understand what I mean). Also, present your system skills – so for example “proficient in the use of Microsoft office (advanced Excel is a required skill)” etc. In my case, I added stuff like “working knowledge of SQL and JIRA (as I couldn’t claim to be an expert since I just learnt how to use it).

So, I guess that’s the summary of it for me. Your resume is the first contact they will have with you so that’s by far the most critical document you need to develop. And ensure you tailor the resume you submit to the job posting and its requirements. No embellishments though and of course no lies as you will need to defend what you write in an interview. Just try and present your experience in a relevant manner. I really hope I have covered everything from my experience but if you have any more questions or clarifications, let me know.

@Bsbabe *insert thumbs up* i have a kweshun. What kind of background (academic or career) would you say is required before exploring a BA role?

Please I'll like to find out about Prince Edwards Island: Standard of living, cost of living, access to healthcare, availability of jobs for HR professionals and Accountants, etc. I'll be grateful if I get useful links as well. I've been searching but all seems cumbersome. Thank you.

vcole:
@Bsbabe *insert thumbs up* i have a kweshun. What kind of background (academic or career) would you say is required before exploring a BA role?

I think the interesting thing about being a BA is anyone can be one as long as you have a passion for developing solutions to problems and you're analytical. Data Analysts, Management Consultants, Systems Analysts, Bankers, anyone at all who's interested and has a passion and the skills required for it it can be one. You do not necessarily need to have a business degree but you must be solution oriented and have relevant experience in identifying and defining business needs in any industry.

rainazoe:

Mama Vcole. I didnt confirm that it's the same one but I intend to call back today because I got another notification for only my child's passport rejection yesterday.
Congratulations on the new CPA to your person!

thanks dear. Na wa for passport photo issues.

Bsbabe:

I think the interesting thing about being a BA is anyone can be one as long as you have a passion for developing solutions to problems and you're analytical. Data Analysts, Management Consultants, Systems Analysts, Bankers, anyone at all who's interested and has a passion and the skills required for it it can be one. You do not necessarily need to have a business degree but you must be solution oriented and have relevant experience in identifying and defining business needs in any industry.

okay. Thanks!

AZeD1:

1) I never said people who went to school are not needed.
2) You do not need to go to school to learn compiler theory, you can learn that from YouTube.

My post talked about getting a job in Software Development /Web development and there are folks who are thinking of going back to school just to break into the software/web development industry.

My post was just to address that and like I said earlier, some folks learn better in formal settings and I encourage those people to go to school.

The thing about not being explicit in written communication is that a whole lot of people will interpret what you typed in ways that will surprise you. While you never said that people who went to school are not needed, the first impression people who don't know the ins and outs of the tech industry will have about a statement as broad as "Google, Facebook, Apple etc no longer require candidates to have college degrees" is almost the same as, "I can decide not to earn a college degree and still be hired to any job by these companies."

Nowhere in your posts about this topic did you state that you are only talking about software developers/development. And by reading the follow-up comments that initial post triggered, I think a lot of people were absolutely gobsmacked by that post because they couldn't fathom it. Your reply might have been to shokolo who wants to learn web development by enrolling in a school but you thought a whole lot of the people in this thread would automagically translate that context into your post; they did not.

I am not blaming you in any way for the misunderstanding, but please next time try to make things clear for people from the get-go so that these kinds of exchanges do not occur.

So guys, you can be a software developer without having a college degree or studying Computer Science in school. But there are still some jobs in tech that will be way off your reach without that college degree.

About the bolded, we both know that watching videos about compiler theory on Youtube is miles different from writing a compiler.

sylokobi:


Ok. Thank you.

I was considering going for a Nursing or HCA certificate in either Norquest or Keyano. Which would you advise?

For Nursing or HCA, It won't matter if you go to Norquest or Keyano. Both her good. If i was close to Edmonton, i would attend Norquest. If i live up north, then Keyano.

Very nice Bsbabe.
Just 2 questions.
Are business analysts well paid in canada?
Are BA jobs readily available in canada?
Thanks.

sect:
Very nice Bsbabe.
Just 2 questions.
Are business analysts well paid in canada?
Are BA jobs readily available in canada?
Thanks.

I am not a BA but my employer was on overdrive in their search for BA's like 6 months ago. Depending on experience and qualifications, some of the positions were willing to pay hired candidates over 100k per year. I also know of one senior bros that works as a contractor BA. He registered his own company and charges $80 an hour. He travels a lot and some of his contracts are months long.

I would imagine that there would be lots of demands for them especially in big cities. Like a lot of professional jobs, wage would also vary depending on type of employer and location.

salford1:

I am not a BA but my employer was on overdrive in their search for BA's like 6 months ago. Depending on experience and qualifications, some of the positions were willing to pay hired candidates over 100k per year. I also know of one senior bros that works as a contractor BA. He registered his own company and charges $80 an hour. He travels a lot and some of his contracts are months long.

I would imagine that there would be lots of demands for them especially in big cities. Like a lot of professional jobs, wage would also vary depending on type of employer and location.

Thanks a lot.

salford1:

Much depends on you. As an Engineer, you have a variety of career paths options available. You could follow your PEng route or take short employment ready courses like tge Power/Process you mentioned.

Sait/nait/lakeland/Keyano: These schools have better power programs, more industry links, excellent alumni networks, and they get you on a higher class after grad. 5 Nigerian trained engineers I know that went through SAIT had high success in the job market. 4 ended up working for oil companies up north of Edmonton while one took a job at a manufacturing firm in the city. Overall Keyano has the best program as the college is in the heart of the oil sands region, and is currently sponsored by ConocoPhilips and partnered with a consortium of Nexen Inc, Suncor Energy Inc, Syncrude Canada Ltd, and Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. Sait and Nait have partnership with Cenovous and spartan controls, Lakeland is partnered with Husky Oil.
.

Thanks so much @Salford1, @Nozzle and others for your responses and supports. You've all been so helpful.

I got my PPR some weeks ago and will plan to move to Canada as soon as I get my passport back, but I have series of questions which I'm sure seniors here will help resolve. My questions are close to Sentra05's, but pls permit me to ask in a different way.

1: I studied Mechanical Engineering. I have option of choosing between Alberta and Ontario. I have my cousin in Alberta who can accommodate me for a while, may b weeks, but no one in Ontario. Some said Ontario is more accommodating to newcomers but I'm more concerned wt where there is better chance of securing a good job. Which is better seniors?

2: I have over 3 years experience in the Building Services industry and I hope to continue in that line. What's the job prospect for HVAC Engr... in comoaring both Alberta and Ontario? Back to the bolded comment above. Should I pursue a P.Eng license considering my previous experience + M.Sc or I should go to college to study Power Engineering? I need your advice here?

3: Considering ur comments above, Alberta is good for Power Engrg cos of the networking aspect... since I have someone to stay wt, changing career line to Power Engineering won't be a bad idea I think?

I'm at cross roads deciding between Alberta and Ontario, Building Services and Power Engineering, Going for Licensing and going back to college to make myself marketable.

Pls forgive my too much questions. Kindly help. Tanx seniors

simiolu1:


The thing about not being explicit in written communication is that a whole lot of people will interpret what you typed in ways that will surprise you. While you never said that people who went to school are not needed, the first impression people who don't know the ins and outs of the tech industry will have about a statement as broad as "Google, Facebook, Apple etc no longer require candidates to have college degrees" is almost the same as, "I can decide not to earn a college degree and still be hired to any job by these companies."

Nowhere in your posts about this topic did you state that you are only talking about software developers/development. And by reading the follow-up comments that initial post triggered, I think a lot of people were absolutely gobsmacked by that post because they couldn't fathom it. Your reply might have been to shokolo who wants to learn web development by enrolling in a school but you thought a whole lot of the people in this thread would automagically translate that context into your post; they did not.

I am not blaming you in any way for the misunderstanding, but please next time try to make things clear for people from the get-go so that these kinds of exchanges do not occur.

So guys, you can be a software developer without having a college degree or studying Computer Science in school. But there are still some jobs in tech that will be way off your reach without that college degree.

About the bolded, we both know that watching videos about compiler theory on Youtube is miles different from writing a compiler.

This was my post that sparked the debate

I see where you are coming from. I guess recruitment procedures in the IT field differs from non- IT. Since IT openings often relies on your knowledge (software engineering / Web development) which do not carry grades.

I stated it was about software/Web development.


Software / Web Development is a practical field. You can read all the books and attend all the classes you want, but if you don't practice especially on your own time, you wouldn't learn anything.

The whole MIT computer science program (With assignments) is available online so it's possible for anyone to get the same complier classes as those who went to MIT.

Also the LLVM project has people and programs who help those interested in complier development.

It would be naive to think that everyone who works in programming language development has a computer science degree.

I seem to be in the same situation as you. Please, can you share the number you called? Thanks.

rainazoe:
That ia how I called CIC about my PR card that gas been pending and the agent said there is a note on my file for passport request.

What is annoying now is that I had resent passports since July which tracking showed it was received by the Card processing office.

Please can anyone advice in the way forward as I have to travel ASAP. How long does a PRTD take to process?

mepconsultant:



Thanks so much @Salford1, @Nozzle and others for your responses and supports. You've all been so helpful.

I got my PPR some weeks ago and will plan to move to Canada as soon as I get my passport back, but I have series of questions which I'm sure seniors here will help resolve. My questions are close to Sentra05's, but pls permit me to ask in a different way.

1: I studied Mechanical Engineering. I have option of choosing between Alberta and Ontario. I have my cousin in Alberta who can accommodate me for a while, may b weeks, but no one in Ontario. Some said Ontario is more accommodating to newcomers but I'm more concerned wt where there is better chance of securing a good job. Which is better seniors?

2: I have over 3 years experience in the Building Services industry and I hope to continue in that line. What's the job prospect for HVAC Engr... in comoaring both Alberta and Ontario? Back to the bolded comment above. Should I pursue a P.Eng license considering my previous experience + M.Sc or I should go to college to study Power Engineering? I need your advice here?

3: Considering ur comments above, Alberta is good for Power Engrg cos of the networking aspect... since I have someone to stay wt, changing career line to Power Engineering won't be a bad idea I think?

I'm at cross roads deciding between Alberta and Ontario, Building Services and Power Engineering, Going for Licensing and going back to college to make myself marketable.

Pls forgive my too much questions. Kindly help. Tanx seniors

1. I guess those "some" actually meant that Ontario is more culturally diverse and not necessarily more accommodating to newcomers than other provinces. There are good people and bad people in all provinces.

2. Job prospects for HVAC is good either at the trades level or the Engineering level; however, there would be more job openings for techs than Engineers in the HVAC industry.

If I were in your shoes, I would continue in the HVAC career because you already have 3 years of work experience in that field, and the prospects for HVAC is equally good in Canada due to our very cold winters and hot summers. NAIT in Edmonton has a one year HVAC technician program and a 2 years building HVAC Systems program. Enrol on the one year program for a start, while pursuing your PEng (EIT) at the same time. By the time you are done with the one year program, you would have built a strong network of professionals in that industry, and coupled with your 3 years work experience - you might just be employed straight out of school by an HVAC company. The foot in the door would open you up to many hidden Engineering and Technologists opportunities that do not make it to job vacancy websites.

http://www.nait.ca/program_home_78351.htm

http://www.nait.ca/program_home_78295.htm

You may also decide not to attend a school and instead work your way up via applying for junior roles/entry positions tech roles or EIT openings based solely on your non-canadian qualifications/experience, but this might be a difficult path to take.

3. Power Engineering is good in Alberta because a lot of oil companies use the steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) technology to recover heavy crude oil and bitumen from the ground. Steam is injected into the oil well to heat and reduce the viscosity of bitumen. The school helps with industry links and alumni network to help their grads get their first jobs in these companies.

Hi everyone,

Seniors thanks so much for the selfless service you guys do here. I've learnt so much from all the contributions, you all deserve some accolades..

@Salford I always look forward to reading your posts and I enjoyed the Engineer vs technologist/technician informative series from you @einsteino and others, which made me recalculate my initial plans.

I just got my COPR and intend to land in Ontario very soon, Please I wanted to ask, which province (Ontario or Alberta) would have the best job prospects for environmental engineering?

Most of my work experience has been in construction, drilling waste and environmental firms though my degrees are in Agricultural and environmental engineering, I'm thinking of doing a 1 year college diploma or 1 year college graduate certificate program to have a Canadian education, network or have work experience by co-op placements. I've seen some colleges like Durham College, Conestoga College and Niagara college with programs in environmental technology/engineering, are there some colleges that carry 'more weight' than others in the job market? what would you advice please?

Thanks immensely as I await your feedback

Hello all, please what province would you advice /recommend for someone into procurement in terms of jobs. Thank you

Dizzy007:
Hi everyone,

Seniors thanks so much for the selfless service you guys do here. I've learnt so much from all the contributions, you all deserve some accolades..

@Salford I always look forward to reading your posts and I enjoyed the Engineer vs technologist/technician informative series from you @einsteino and others, which made me recalculate my initial plans.

I just got my COPR and intend to land in Ontario very soon, Please I wanted to ask, which province (Ontario or Alberta) would have the best job prospects for environmental engineering?

Most of my work experience has been in construction, drilling waste and environmental firms though my degrees are in Agricultural and environmental engineering, I'm thinking of doing a 1 year college diploma or 1 year college graduate certificate program to have a Canadian education, network or have work experience by co-op placements. I've seen some colleges like Durham College, Conestoga College and Niagara college with programs in environmental technology/engineering, are there some colleges that carry 'more weight' than others in the job market? what would you advice please?

Thanks immensely as I await your feedback

Congrats on your COPR. As for colleges, what I hear is that NAIT and SAIT are pretty good.

Landed yesterday. Thanks to you all for all the assistance. Abeg make una no vex, i go post landing gist much later. What I can say for now is, the cold can not be exaggerated. I don't know how people even manage to call this weather for two, maybe they mean two polar bears not humans. landed in 8 degrees Celsius o, Canada has one spiritual breeze that could make you feel you used liquid Nitrogen for body lotion. Well sha, we don come be say we don come, Okada gear no get reverse.

The country make brain sha, its my first time being outside the shores of Nigeria though. If we can get a guarantee of no slavery, no apartheid, I go just say make them come Naija colonise us, as we no gree get sense.

einsteino:
Landed yesterday. Thanks to you all for all the assistance. Abeg make una no vex, i go post landing gist much later. What I can say for now is, the cold can not be exaggerated. I don't know how people even manage to call this weather for two, maybe they mean two polar bears not humans. landed in 8 degrees Celsius o, Canada has one spiritual breeze that could make you feel you used liquid Nitrogen for body lotion. Well sha, we don come be say we don come, Okada gear no get reverse.

The country make brain sha, its my first time being outside the shores of Nigeria though. If we can get a guarantee of no slavery, no apartheid, I go just say make them come Naija colonise us, as we no gree get sense.

If you're complaining about 8 degree weather, you better go back now. Which city did you land in.

maternal:


If you're complaining about 8 degree weather, you better go back now. Which city did you land in.

LOL 8 degree weather na better winter for some countries o. I landed in Toronto... then took a flight to Montreal. would be here for some days at the least, sort of on an adventure for now, would decide on where to settle in the days to come.

einsteino:
Landed yesterday. Thanks to you all for all the assistance. Abeg make una no vex, i go post landing gist much later. What I can say for now is, the cold can not be exaggerated. I don't know how people even manage to call this weather for two, maybe they mean two polar bears not humans. landed in 8 degrees Celsius o, Canada has one spiritual breeze that could make you feel you used liquid Nitrogen for body lotion. Well sha, we don come be say we don come, Okada gear no get reverse.

The country make brain sha, its my first time being outside the shores of Nigeria though. If we can get a guarantee of no slavery, no apartheid, I go just say make them come Naija colonise us, as we no gree get sense.

Lol. 8°C is not too bad na. Welcome to Canada.

GlitteringStar:



Lol. 8°C is not too bad na. Welcome to Canada.

lol with that una ogbanje breeze abi wind chill, it didnt feel funny at all. Crazy thing is I saw people wearing shorts in it, while I was dressed like Iron Monkey.

lol @ 8°C is not too bad na. meaning its bad abi?

GlitteringStar:



Lol. 8°C is not too bad na. Welcome to Canada.

Thanks immensely bro. May Mapleland be in your favor!!!!

einsteino:


Congrats on your COPR. As for colleges, what I hear is that NAIT and SAIT are pretty good.

einsteino:
lol with that una ogbanje breeze abi wind chill, it didnt feel funny at all. Crazy thing is I saw people wearing shorts in it, while I was dressed like Iron Monkey.

You will soon get used to it.

ottawasenators:
lol @ 8°C is not too bad na. meaning its bad abi?

Lol. It is not bad at all.

Hello, please how much was your flight to Montreal and how hours is it? I heard Toronto to Montreal is 5 hours.

Was it a Montreal address you used for your PR card.

einsteino:


LOL 8 degree weather na better winter for some countries o. I landed in Toronto... then took a flight to Montreal. would be here for some days at the least, sort of on an adventure for now, would decide on where to settle in the days to come.

einsteino:
Landed yesterday. Thanks to you all for all the assistance. Abeg make una no vex, i go post landing gist much later. What I can say for now is, the cold can not be exaggerated. I don't know how people even manage to call this weather for two, maybe they mean two polar bears not humans. landed in 8 degrees Celsius o, Canada has one spiritual breeze that could make you feel you used liquid Nitrogen for body lotion. Well sha, we don come be say we don come, Okada gear no get reverse.

The country make brain sha, its my first time being outside the shores of Nigeria though. If we can get a guarantee of no slavery, no apartheid, I go just say make them come Naija colonise us, as we no gree get sense.

@einsteino. So you go leave me for here!
May the land yield milk and honey for you and everyone.

aworldcitizen:
Hello, please how much was your flight to Montreal and how hours is it? I heard Toronto to Montreal is 5 hours.

Was it a Montreal address you used for your PR card.

I wasnt bold enough to experiment that. Firstly, I actually don't know where I would settle in, so can't say where I would be by the time the card is ready. Hence, I asked them if I could use a friend's address and they said that's fine. So, I used a friend's.

Toronto to Montreal is 5hrs by road and cost about $55 if you are taking a bus. By air it was roughly an hour, for AirCanada it's usually $200 and above. You can just pick Nigeria to Montreal, with a layover of at least 3hrs at Toronto, that's a lot cheaper and allows you enough time to sort out landing formalities and see Pearson Airport.

einsteino:


Toronto to Moronto is 5hrs by road. By air it was roughly an hour.

Please guys, does anyone here have or know a contact for transcript for EBONYI STATE UNIVERSITY(EBSU)? Thanks