Data science is that one branch of engineering that has galvanized an entire generation. There are more people who dream of a career in the field of data science than engineers who want to reach the moon, discounting the crypto-engineers of course.

 

 

 

Even though the data science domain in India has increased by 650% since 2012, more than 137,870 job roles still remain available, according to AIMresearch. This report from analyticsIndiaMag states that companies around the country are hiring data science experts who have between 0-5 years of experience with the median paycheck being Rs. 9.7 lakhs. For students who want to start their career in the data science industry, there is no time better than the present when the supply just does not meet the demand for competent engineers. 

To become a data science specialist, however, you should have some experience in some prerequisite skills. 

 

Mathematics 

 

 

Math is the fundamental basis of fields like data science, data engineering, data analysis, business analysis, and any other domain that is related to understanding and extracting data.  If you want to start a career as a data science expert you should understand basic math like sets, Venn diagrams, and functions. Aside from this, you should also understand permutations and combinations and understand how to derive outcomes from a fixed set of inputs. Data will enable you to draw interference to predict the future and to help you design competent models you will require a working understanding of probability and statistics, which are two of the fundamental building blocks of data science. 

 

Visualization 

Unstructured data cannot be understood without training. Data science experts should be proficient in being able to present the data they have collected to an audience who does not have a similar degree of training as them. To be a data science expert who is always in high demand, you should have experience in using data visualization tools like Power BI or Tableau. 

 

Excel 

There is no escaping this spreadsheet application that changed the world. Decades after Excel was first launched, data science experts around the world still use this application. With the integration of Python scripts and visualization tools like Power, BI Excel is still being used for creating easy edit spreadsheets. Excel is useful not for large data sets but for creating smaller ones whose origin you can trace should you require to and since every data science expert understands and knows how to work on Excel it will help in collaborative projects. 

 

SQL

One of the top three skills that every data science professional should have experience in, SQL is a database query language. Data science and databases go hand in hand, one cannot have a career in the former without understanding how the latter works. You should know how to select databases and understand the logic of database exploration. You should also know how to integrate SQL with both python and Excel. 

 

Python

 

 

Data science involves large data sets, but typically these data sets are unstructured and require a tool to convert into easily digestible spreadsheets. Python is simple to use and can be easily picked up relatively easily even if you have no prior experience in coding. The various machine learning and data science libraries can be used without the need for coding them from scratch. Understanding how to interact with databases, set up GUIs, and use PANDAS for data analysis is an essential data science skill-sets that are highly sought after in the industry. 

 

Experience

At last count, there are more than 8000 job openings in Data Science on LinkedIn alone, and with digitalization having taken a huge step forward during the pandemic, the need for competent engineers with data science skills is skyrocketing. The most important skill required from a data analyst is that experience. It is estimated that by 2026 there will be 11.5 million data science jobs around the world and the lion’s share of these jobs will be for students who have between 0 and 5 years of experience. To stand out amongst your peers, you will need to have experience in all the different skills of a data scientist. Skill-Lync’s programs have been designed to ensure that you gain industry experience while working on the various projects which simulate problems being undertaken by data science firms around the world.