What Is Data Science? A Guide to a Complex Career.

"Data science is the process of using algorithms, methods and systems to extract knowledge and insights from structured and unstructured data. It applies advanced analytics and?machine learning?to help users predict and optimize business outcomes. - IBM"

Data scientists are versatile and sought-after professionals. They collect, analyse, organise, and visualise data to create business insights. But what exactly is data science? Data science is the study of extracting meaning from large amounts of data through analytics. These professionals are highly sought after in today's world because they can turn raw data into valuable information that companies across many industries can use.

Are you interested in this fascinating career? Keep reading to learn all about data science!

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What is data science?

Data science is one of the fastest-growing professions in the world. These professionals use raw data to extract meaning and valuable information for companies. Data scientists can work in many different industries, like finance, healthcare, retail, and technology.

One of the most critical tasks that data scientists perform is collecting data. They contain different types of data like transactional or telemetry data from sensors. Data scientists then store this information on a database they maintain for their organisation.

In addition to collecting data, some data scientists also have experience as researchers and statisticians. After studying an issue extensively, they use statistical analysis to find any patterns or relationships amongst the collected data. Once those patterns have been found, they create a report providing their conclusions and recommendations on how a business should proceed. They also develop algorithms to help predict future trends based on past trends in the collected data.

The skills you need for data science.

Data scientists need a wide range of skills to do their jobs because there's so much involved in analysing and understanding data. Data scientists are often required to know statistics, machine learning, programming languages, databases, visualisation tools, and more.

The amount of skills they need varies depending on the industry they're working in or the specific job within the industry. Data science is a broad term that covers many different fields. So it can be challenging to pinpoint what skills you might need for your particular career path.

Data scientists' role

Data scientists have a massive impact on a company's success by finding insights, patterns, and opportunities in immense amounts of data. It is a growing field with much potential for professionals interested in this fascinating career.

Data scientists use their knowledge of computer programming and statistics to analyse large pieces of data. They use software to break down large amounts of information into more manageable chunks and organise the data into charts and graphs. They use techniques from machine learning, artificial intelligence, math, and statistics to derive actionable insights from the data they collect.

In the past few years, data scientists have become crucial for many industries: marketing, healthcare analytics, finance and trading, sales and customer service operations, research and development (R&D).

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How to become a data scientist?

Although data science is often said to be the sexiest job of the 21st century, where do you start? Data scientists require three core skills: analytical expertise, business expertise, and computer programming knowledge. You will also need to know how to analyse data sets and present them in visually-engaging ways. Finally, you will require coding skills, including Python and R.

To get these skills, there are several paths that you can take. One is getting a bachelor's degree in statistics, mathematics, or computer science from an accredited institution. Another approach is pursuing an online certification in data science from institutions like DataCamp, Coursera or edX.

These certifications typically cost less than $200 and take only a few months to complete!

How I became a Data Scientist

Below is a summary of my journey to becoming a Data Scientist. In a future column, I will go into further details.

• Developed proficiency in Python and MatLab
• Became active on Kaggle, Github and stack-overflow
• Got certifications in python and data science at The Python Institute , Data Camp , and IBM Data Science
• Successfully joined a Machine Learning Research group
• Learn everyday

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Conclusion

Data science is a fast-growing field that will only increase in importance in the coming years. That means that more and more businesses will need data scientists, which means that data science careers will see an increase in demand. And if you're someone who has what it takes to become a data scientist, then now might be the perfect time to start your journey.

If you have feedback, comments or clarifications, please contact me here .

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Thank you for reading.

Bibliography

1.?????Do More With Data!. Here's how you can target, win and ....

2.?????Want to Become a Data Scientist? Take these 7 Steps ASAP!!.

3.?????How do you become a Data Scientist? Scope of duties ....

4.?????Data Science v Data Analytics — What's the Difference?

5. Data Science vs. Data Engineering: What's the Difference?

6. IBM