Harry Paradice

Good people are essential to the success of any consulting engagement

Bachelor of Business Management with a major in Business Economics

Tell us about yourself – passions, interests…

I enjoy playing guitar, jamming with people, writing songs, and playing shows. I grew up in regional NSW with lots of animals, and now own a pet carpet python. I enjoy getting to know people and understanding what makes them tick.

Why did you choose Escient?

Escient stood out to me for its focus and commitment to people. Good people are essential to the success of any consulting engagement and Escient fosters an environment for talented people to grow, solve problems, and shine. Commitment to people

What did you like about the Graduate recruitment process?

The best part was being able to talk to someone early in the recruitment process. It made the whole process feel more personal and set the scene for the culture within Escient. The Escient team and community was also very inclusive and welcoming from the beginning.

What industries/companies and projects you have worked on to date?

Federal Government – review and uplift of staff utilisation and forecasting tool with the internal project management office.

What has been the biggest learning curve for you so far?

The shift away from rigid success criteria towards open ended discovery. Throughout school and university, success meant how well a criterium was met in an assignment or exam, however this is far from the reality outside of these institutions. I have found that when working on a problem I had to change my thinking from searching for the ‘correct’ solution to a much more experimental, hypothesis testing method. Often, what a solution looks like is unknown and it is up to the consultant to ideate, test and discover what may be the best solution. Ways of thinking- university to corporate job

How has the graduate program supported your transition into consulting?

The graduate program has given me access to a vast array of talented and experienced people to learn from and test ideas on. It has also created a safe place to make mistakes and develop whilst working with real clients on real opportunities.

How have Escient consultants enabled your learning on engagements?

Escient consultants have enabled my learning through balancing self-guided discovery and direct teachings. The team members I have worked with have offered guidance while also giving the ability to work independently. It was clear from the start that as a graduate, I can provide value to engagements.

What has been your biggest achievement so far in the Graduate Program?

I would say my biggest achievement so far has been being able to quickly assimilate within the Escient community and already create a strong network. Everyone is very welcoming which made this easy however it surprised me how quickly someone can create a strong network of professionals.

What are you looking forward to developing over the coming months/years?

One of the examples I like to give is learning consulting skills has been like learning to drive a car, to begin with you must focus intently on each of the skills and tools and when to use them, but after a while it becomes instinctive with your focus switching completely to skilfully navigating environment, you are in. Harnessing Consulting skills – making things simple.

What’s the culture like in the Brisbane office?

At the Queensland Escient branch everyone is always open and willing to help. The team have a genuine care for the company beyond just getting the work done. I believe this can be seen through the effort Escienters put into internal initiatives while still managing active clients.

What do you think makes a good Escient Graduate?

Simply being genuine and willing to learn. Escient invests a lot into its graduates so it important to be open and eager to get the most out of the program. – what an Escient graduate looks like.