Data science is one of the fastest-growing jobs around the country but there is a real shortage of skilled workers to meet the demand. As a result, choosing to start a data science course career can open up a whole world of well-paid and interesting opportunities. Before you start job-hunting though, it is necessary to think about what skills you must have first.
You should look over your current qualifications and take them into account before you start considering what further course to take. Kettering University runs a highly respected masters data science program which delivers quality learning in an online, flexible way. Courses like this are the best way to gain the required skills for data science careers and they also provide the qualifications that will be asked for by a potential employer.
To begin with though, looking at the top skills data science calls for is sensible. But what might these be?
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Probability and stats
As you would expect, numbers are a big part of data science, and you must have high-level math skills to break into the sector. Being familiar with concepts in stats such as mode, variance and average means you turn your analysis of data into easy-to-understand insights and easy to compare findings. Probability concepts such as skewness are vital for looking at how likely trends in data are to carry on in the future.
Machine Learning
If we are talking about core skills you must have for a career in data science, machine learning is vital. This is because you need to understand machine learning when building predictive models. For example, being able to design and use complex machine learning algorithms comes in handy when trying to predict what might happen next month, from looking at last month’s figures. From basic linear models to advanced ensemble models (like XGBost), knowing how to use machine learning is essential.
Communication skills
Although it is tempting to focus on the core tech skills needed to move into a data science role, you should also build up the required soft skills. One of the most essential is communication. As a data scientist, you will be working as part of a team to interpret information and also responsible for feeding back findings to senior people. This requires you to be able to explain your thoughts in a clear, concise and jargon-free way. You may well also end up managing staff as a data scientist and you must be able to communicate what you need to them in a clear manner.
Data science is a growing career
While you must know the very basics (such as useful computer tools) there are also specific skills which you must learn for a data science write for us role. If you are thinking of moving into this fascinating sector, to be considered for a job you must get the necessary educational qualifications.