Lewis Gough
Consultant, Deloitte
My journey into consulting was straight from sixth form in 2019 through joining the Deloitte BrightStart scheme. The apprenticeship presented an alternative pathway into consulting, gaining experience of complex business challenges whilst working towards a university degree.
Through my degree apprenticeship, I was able to develop a blend of academic knowledge and practical expertise. By incorporating skills learned on-the-job and using Deloitte’s support network, I was able to achieve first-class honours in Management Practice.
What do you enjoy?
For me, the sector that has captivated my interest is Healthcare. Creating positive impacts for our clients has been the most fulfilling aspect of my consulting career. It’s a privilege to be part of projects that leverage the best of Deloitte’s technology, experience, and network to make a tangible difference for our clients and their patients.
What do you work on?
Within my operating unit of Supply Chain & Network Optimisation (SC&NO), my primary focus is on developing Target Operating Models (TOMs) within the healthcare and regulatory sector. Put simply, a TOM defines an organisation’s vision and how its various components – processes, people and technology – need to adapt to meet business objectives. Our work can encompass designing the future ‘to-be’ operating model state for the organisation, as well implementing the solution within the client. Our ultimate goal is to make our client organisations more effective and efficient, helping them meet future demands.
What does a standard week on a project look like for you?
As a consultant, no two weeks are the same. Our tasks and schedules pivot dependent on the needs and challenges faced by our clients. The location of our work can differ as to whether our clients prefer in-person meetings/workshops, or fully remote working arrangements. For in-person client-site visits, we travel to the client early Monday and potentially stay for several days. While for remotely run projects, we would look to commute to the Deloitte office between two to three times a week to meet with our colleagues to tackle the project collaboratively.
Having progressed from business analyst roles to a consultant position over my apprenticeship, I have been able to lead workstreams which encompass owning both the client relationships and delivery of our key outputs. Our current healthcare client project focuses on identifying areas for cost improvement to optimise our operational efficiencies and overall financial balance sheet position. Day-to-day tasks include facilitating client workshops, analysing financial analysis reports and designing cost improvement plans. It’s a complex challenge, balancing both the requirement for cost saving with the investment required for high-quality patient care. Overall, my week is a blend of varied tasks – strategy, analysis, client relations and Deloitte team management – all contributing to our goal of enhancing public healthcare service delivery through financial improvement.
What would you say to someone who is thinking about consulting as a career?
Consulting is a truly fulfilling career pathway where you can solve real-world problems, make a tangible impact and constantly challenge yourself. The consulting industry offers fantastic opportunities and a chance to develop a suite of in-demand skills. In my journey, the contributing to a larger purpose – be it improving public services or supporting our current BrightStarts – has been what has made it so fulfilling.