Thomas Butt

Maths and Stats improved Thomas’s problem-solving, logical reasoning, and creative-thinking abilities, skills he now employs in survey design and analysis.

Head and shoulders portrait of Thomas Butt smiling at the camera. Thomas wears glasses and a blue shirt and stands in front of greenery.

During my first year of study in 2011 I unexpectedly became a father so getting a reliable job became a necessity. Mathematics was always part of my degree, but it wasn’t until towards the end of my study I added in Statistics as a second major to improve my job prospects. I believe it did and it continues to be a core part of my job today.

I found my studies increasingly fascinating as my understanding of mathematics grew, helped by a few spectacular lecturers who showed me entirely new perspectives on the ideas around mathematics and, consequently, the world. I also found the independence and flexibility allowed by university studies were hugely beneficial to both my young family and my learning; while help was there when required, it was never imposed, as was often the case in earlier education.

Mathematics improved my problem-solving abilities through logical reasoning and taught me clear, creative thinking to find the simplest possible solution. Statistics gave me the skills to confidently understand and explain statistical ideas, which are vital for undertaking and interpreting just about all quantitative research.

Two months before my final exams I applied for two jobs. One gave me an interview and a job offer straight away, which I accepted. The week after my last exam I started my first proper job as a research analyst/statistician at a market research firm, UMR Research. Ten years later technology has changed the industry dramatically and a strong foundation in statistics has allowed me to keep up and lead that change within the organisations I have worked for. Specifically, I have played a part in the shift from telephone to online polling and have consistently provided accurate results by relying increasingly on statistical techniques to account for the changing methodology. I am now the data science director at Talbot Mills Research where I manage, design, analyse, and report on surveys for political parties, corporations, charities, and government departments across New Zealand and Australia. I also work part time as head of data at Stickybeak, a chat-based survey platform start-up that has clients all over the world.

The thing that helped me most was unlearning the idea that mathematics was about rote learning formulas and instruction. Mathematics is more a skill than a body of knowledge. Once you know the basics everything else can be constructed from them. The more you practise, the better you get and the further you can go. And don’t be put off by people who think mathematics is not a practical skill. Employers know Mathematics majors are intelligent people and recognise that other skills and knowledge can be learned on the job. This means you and your skills will be in high demand.