“One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again.” – Abraham Maslow

I was in search of a new experience – something challenging, meaningful and intentional about Africa. I wanted something that wasn’t going to limit me to one business function. I wanted the opportunity to do different things every day so when I read about the AFG NextGen Business Analyst Program, I knew it was the right fit for me. Cross-functional training? Working on multiple projects with different teams? Building African businesses into global champions? – sign me up! This was exactly what I was looking for and that is how my AFG journey began.

The application process was more rigorous than I was used to, involving multiple stages: providing information & responding to situational questions, a timed case assessment, a live video case interview and two interviews with members of the management team. As you can imagine, each stage got tougher. The entire process was a learning experience for me, as I discovered more about management consulting and what it takes to solve business problems.

The two months of training was holistic, building on skills like problem solving, communication, research, being an effective team player, networking and leadership, among others. I had the opportunity to work in different teams with members of my cohort (5 amazing people!) and also support the core team on a couple of engagements. The training was intensive, but the opportunity to put into practice what we were learning made the content easy to absorb. One of the things I enjoyed most was Friday trainings, where we engaged with top African business leaders and also had fun after work – We worked hard and played hard!

Three things I love about AFG so far: the people I work with, the projects I work on and the progress I am making in my professional life. At AFG, I have the opportunity to work alongside talented and brilliant people who inspire and challenge me to give off my best. All the projects I have worked on have been exciting and full of learning opportunities. There has been immense progress in my professional development ever since I joined, from an increase in responsibilities to building new skills.

Overall, the NextGen experience has been fruitful and worthwhile. If you are looking for a challenge, are passionate about Africa’s development and are conscious about creating positive impact, AFG is the place for you.