Ryan, Associate Consultant

What was your background prior to joining OC&C?
I’m originally from North Wales, where I attended my local comprehensive school in Bangor before going on to study Engineering at the University of Bristol. Mine was the first generation in my family to go to university, which was an eye-opener for what careers exist outside of more well-known paths, like medicine or engineering. Consulting was something I discovered towards the end of my time at university and the type of work I heard about and the people I met during the recruitment process really appealed to me. Otherwise, I’ve had a few different experiences prior to OC&C – I’ve sold vacuum cleaners, prototyped 3d printers and worked in the House of Commons. I joined OC&C full-time in March 2019, after an internship in 2017 and the 2016 International Strategy Workshop in Frankfurt.

What’s your favourite OC&C experience?
My favourite OC&C experiences have been working with a small team on an interesting problem where you really feel like you’re becoming an expert in something. I was recently part of a team that flew out to Amsterdam a couple of times to present to the client; getting to present my own work in those meetings after only a year of working for OC&C was a great experience. Getting to go to Siam Park, Europe’s most famous water park during Away Weekend in Tenerife is also up there.

What do you like to get up to in your free time outside the office?
Travelling is something I find fun and thinking about trips is a great release. Before starting at OC&C I backpacked across India and before that spent a month in Israel. Last year I went on a last-minute trip to the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan with no accommodation booked and a tent. I think watching Wales get knocked out was much worse than the tent. Other than travelling, I like to keep up with politics and have recently taken up wood carving.

What advice would you give to your younger self?
I’d say don’t let yourself think that some opportunities aren’t for you – if you plan, work smart and work hard, you can go for what you want.