What is the role of a data scientist?
A data scientist is someone who mines, analyses, processes, and combs large amount of data and cleans and presents it in manner relevant to the task. They remove irrelevant information and make it easier for companies to source the information that is necessary and applicable for a project.
Is data science a lucrative career prospect for the present and future?
In 2009, Google Chief Economist Hal Varian told the McKinsey Quarterly that “the sexy job in the next 10 years will be statisticians.” This turned out to be close to the truth.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of mathematical science occupations is projected to grow 27.9% from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations, resulting in about 50,400 new jobs. It is a much sought-after job, and the scope is endless.
For example, if the Marketing department in a company wants to cater to a target audience online, they need to see demographics related to browsing habits and the time that the selected audience spends most on their phone/tablet or laptop. Accordingly, they relate this to their past habits and eventually streamline their marketing approach.
All this is possible by combing of data and it is meticulously done by a data scientist/analyst. The Big Data market is predicted to reach $103 billion by 2027. The average Data scientist salary in the UK is £52,052.
Interested in upskilling in data science? Southampton Data Science Academy offers tutor-led courses that will help you apply what you learn to your work:
How can I prepare for a career in Data Science?
The technical skills required to become a data scientist include statistical analysing and computing, data visualization, mathematics and statistics, and programming, among others. However, if you’re looking for a quick entry into the field, you can consider doing a course from Southampton Data Science Academy (SDSA).
The courses at SDSA equip you with a skill set that is comprehensive as well as deeply informative. The different courses offered by the SDSA include:
- Fundamentals of Data science Course (Technical)
- Fundamentals of Data science Course (Non-Technical)
- AI (Artificial Intelligence) and Machine Learning for Business
With the Fundamentals of Data science Course (Technical) you will be able to produce Python code, collect, store, and manage data, implement them using MongoDB programme, and plan and generate visualisation of data by using tools like Python and Bokeh.
With the Fundamentals Course of Data Science (Non-technical), you will unlock the value of open data, building a business with live data and many more applications. After this course you will be able to effectively clean and manage data and prepare it for analysis. You will be able to evaluate the challenges and opportunities arising from utilising data science within your organisation.
The AI and Machine Learning for Business course will help you to understand the core capabilities of the same and the role of Data in AI. You will be able to understand what AI technology is, its capabilities and limitations, and the potential benefits it can bring to your business, identify different types and applications of data in delivering effective AI solutions, and apply it to your organisation.
The courses are for anyone who wants the knowledge and skills required to understand and apply data science and AI technologies in their workplace.
These tutor-led courses last six weeks and are conducted by data science experts from the University of Southampton. The classes are held online, and thus, can be done from the comfort of your home. The course includes a hands-on approach to learning the data science skills that are tremendously in-demand in today’s tech-advanced world.
If you are interested in creating a lucrative career in Data Science, you can learn more about the Southampton Data Science Academy (SDSA)’s courses here.
Have questions about our courses? Get in touch with a course adviser to find out more:
