Shane Downes, Associate Consultant at Sia Partners

Why did you apply for Sia Partners?

I chose to work at Sia Partners as I knew I would be given responsibility and the opportunity to grow as a consultant on live projects from the start.

The company appealed to me because of its aim to get stronger in the industry and I feel it is an organisation in which I can make a valuable contribution towards. There is such scope to grow and develop on the grad programme here.

What are you favourite parts of the programme?

The opportunity to build relationships with clients straight away and gain their trust. I feel in such a short space of time you get exposed to so much project work and get to learn at a fast pace.

I feel supported through my support manager, project team and HR. I am never felt isolated and can always reach out to someone for help.

Alongside all this the social aspect within the company is fantastic, we often have events at the end of each month such as quizzes, sporting events, corporate events and drinks, this is a great way to get to know colleagues and feel more attached to the company.

What do other graduates/new starters enjoy when they start working here and what do they find most challenging?

I think the graduates and new starters enjoy how welcoming and friendly the other employees are. It can be daunting starting a new job and joining teams that are already very well bonded, but they make you feel part of the team straight away which made it very enjoyable from the beginning.

I think the most challenging thing is learning your new role, adjusting to the business, and completing tasks that you may never have dealt with before. You learn a lot very quickly about your strengths and weaknesses and how to manage your role which stands to you both professionally and personally.