Will Tong - project volunteer

“A good question is worth a day of work.”

Pronouns He/Him
Roles Data analyst at Adaptavist | Data project lead volunteer at DataKind UK
Links https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamtong14/

 

How did you first get into data?

I studied economics but ended up as a data intern, because I moved from Manchester to London and was desperate for a job (London rent is expensive)!

What do you wish you’d known when you started to get into data?

I naively thought it was a role where you learned the skills and you were set! But, it is an exciting industry and my best advice is to be good at learning how to learn and follow your passions. 

What are the most important things you learned as a volunteer?

My first event was years ago at the Bloomberg HQ, and it was really fun and eye-opening. I was looking for ways to do pro bono work and give back to society, and it was great that the third sector staff team explained what the potential impact is. 

I learned that a good question is worth a day of work, and in order to ask good questions, it’s important to: 

  • Be humble and assume nothing.

  • Take your stakeholders on a journey. By explaining technical terms to subject matter experts, you can achieve a lot more through idea exchange. 

What is a data project that inspires you?

The Global Witness project led to a change of UK company law. It is inspiring that data can change the law, close money laundering loopholes, and make the world a wee bit better one step at a time.

I was homeless and got lucky with life, so I always want to give back. DataKind UK is the perfect match for me because it marries the desire to give back with the opportunity to apply it to something I am good at - and I have learnt a lot from others in the process as well!

Is there a resource you’d recommend to the community?

YouTube is your best friend - for someone starting out, Tina Huang is a great resource.

Tell us something completely non-data-related about yourself!

I recently had a baby girl, it's amazing to be a dad (and tiring!) 

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Using your data skills to give back