Career change to Data Analytics

onrail · 24-09-2019 1:52pm #1

I'm currently in a career (Chartered Civil Engineering consultant, 9 years experience) which requires a certain amount of working with data, albeit through excel only. It's something I'm good at, and actually have an interest in, but (outside VBA) I've no experience in a useful programming language. I was well educated in mathematics and statistics back in University, so they should be picked up fairly quickly again.

I've been exploring possible directions for a career change, and data science/analytics does seem to be a viable and interesting direction. In an ideal world, I'd quit my job and enroll in an MSc course, but circumstances (baby on the way, uncertain future location) preclude that.

Are there any part-time, online courses which would be in any way respected among those in the industry? How are employment prospects looking a couple of years down the road?

kelator · 01-10-2019 7:47pm

Check out https://springboardcourses.ie/results?keywords=Data. Full time and part time available, classroom and online options available. 90% government funded for those in employment. I completed the HDip in data analytics in 2017 and found a job as a data analyst pretty soon after graduating

onrail · 02-10-2019 8:09am

kelator wrote: »

Check out https://springboardcourses.ie/results?keywords=Data. Full time and part time available, classroom and online options available. 90% government funded for those in employment. I completed the HDip in data analytics in 2017 and found a job as a data analyst pretty soon after graduating

Exactly what I was looking for, and I was really excited for a second, but I'm based in Belfast unfortunately. There doesn't seem to be a similar offering here, but I'll keep digging!

Thanks a million for the help.

[Deleted User] · 02-10-2019 10:11am

seconding springboard course, if a second opinion is any use to you

the one at mayor square has a very good reputation from ppl i know who did it (some comp science classmates of mine did it as an add-on and were employed in good jobs pretty much straight away on the back of it)

edit, crap just saw yr location..... is there an option to pay course fees and get long distance at all, i wonder?

ELM327 · 02-10-2019 10:15am

Currently working as a risk data analyst

Would suggest you need to "upskill" in SQL and RDBs, as a must have, then learn something like Python and/or R and/or hadoop

Additionally you need advanced skills in visualization (Tableau, Quickview are most common)
Finally you need to be an analytical person. This sounds like mumbo jumbo but even the interviews generally are not experience based, they are based on theoretical questions to see how you logically approach random problems. And then proficiency interviews for the skills above.

I really enjoy it but I'm a nerd who would for example enjoy watching a 2 hour documentary on the GDP changes within Japan from 1970-1985 and the data behind it. Not for everyone, but if you're the type of person that I am it's great.

Feel free to PM if you have any questions

onrail · 03-10-2019 3:26pm

Deleted User wrote: »

seconding springboard course, if a second opinion is any use to you

the one at mayor square has a very good reputation from ppl i know who did it (some comp science classmates of mine did it as an add-on and were employed in good jobs pretty much straight away on the back of it)

edit, crap just saw yr location..... is there an option to pay course fees and get long distance at all, i wonder?

Just found a distance learning option, but registration closed on the start of September :mad:

It's probably for the best - will give me the guts of a year to develop some basic SQL and Python skills from online resources and give me a bit of a foundation before taking the plunge.

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Career change to Data Analytics

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