Application Support Analyst Profile
Anastasios Anastasiou's career as an Application Support Analyst
"I joined FDM in an exciting opportunity to pursue a career in the IT sector. Coming from a foreign country with no previous working experience in the UK, FDM appeared as a portal to some of the leading names in IT and finance, as well as, an opportunity to expand on my skills and develop the necessary qualities to pursue a successful career. I decided to join the application support stream because it would allow me to combine my technical skills with my organisational skills while actively assisting people. I believe that the role of a Support Analyst provides an excellent opportunity for a long term career in the IT sector as it is always at the edge of technology and innovation, thus, keeping myself abreast of the new and startling developments in the IT community to ensure my full exposure to the potential of the medium.
Shortly after joining the FDM Academy, I was privileged to be placed with HSBC in Sheffield as an Analyst Developer. My role involved supporting one of their global applications within the Intelligence and Compliance team, relating to financial crime such as fraud and money laundering, and relating to terrorist financing and breaches of sanctions. During my one year contract I had the opportunity to work with extraordinary individuals and gain invaluable experience in the development of new functions and components, managing day-to-day technical problems and the on-going systems support of live systems within a team.
The knowledge I gained in my first year with FDM allowed me to pursue a much more vigorous and influential role. I was offered an interview and managed to join Barclays Capital in London providing production support for the highly demanding Fixed Income trading desk. I am currently working in the heart of the financial sector in the UK along side one of the most successful rates trading desks in the world, providing on site support of their production systems. The long hours and the sometimes stressful and hectic environment are well compensated by the invaluable experience, constant exposure to new technologies, as well as, the prospect of a successful career.
FDM has been an enlightening experience, helping me focus on my goals and providing me with the opportunity to develop the required skills in a demanding and ever-growing field. I would indubitably recommend FDM to anyone seeking their way into the IT sector."
