Read about the growth in the importance of data and why you should enter the field now!
Do you have a burning desire to work with data in the future? Do you suffer from a constant spark for data? Have you ever wondered how business challenges can be solved using data?
Future data professional – here is your chance! Academic Work Academy is now organizing a free 12-week Data Engineer intensive training program, and those who complete it will be particularly hot property in the future labor market. Why is this the case and for what reasons is a new career in data worthwhile – read more below!
Why does the future lie in data?
Data is everywhere – it is also being collected more than ever before. Companies have also woken up to the increased role of data in business life and decision-making at many levels, because without relevant and carefully processed data, assumptions can only be made based on hunches, and this is far from sufficient in today's business world.
Companies are currently investing with unprecedented intensity in understanding and managing data. Despite the current opportunities brought by machine learning and artificial intelligence, data still needs analytical human eyes to help it be utilized as agilely as possible. Therefore, professionals who master searching, combining, organizing, and visualizing raw data are now particularly valuable in the labor market.
“Data analytics is the future more than we even understand at this moment,” describes Heta Strömberg, who graduated from the Academic Work Academy Data Analytics training in spring 2021 and switched from a job in emergency care to data management.
The same is emphasized by our alumna Viia Hatara-Pulliainen, who jumped from marketing into data analysis. “I see the role of data and its processing only growing in the future, so I believe there will certainly be demand for my new data skills.”
That is how it is, and the pace will presumably only accelerate in the future. Or how would career opportunities sound where you get to specialize in machine learning, dive into the world of artificial intelligence, or master the use of algorithms in addition to data management? There is a high demand for data expertise in the labor market, and best of all – in addition to the shortage of experts, career changes are also supported by the endless development opportunities and stable career prospects far into the future.
What is the job description of a data professional?
There are countless different roles in the field of data, from data analysts to machine learning experts and data architects. Whatever the future job description of a data professional may be, it is certain that a graduate will work in a key position as organizations' operations are made smarter.
The most important task of a Data Engineer is to process data into the most usable form possible. This can mean, for example, designing and building technical solutions that allow data to be collected from different sources, combined, modeled, and refined. A Data Engineer is above all a technical expert who masters different technologies such as SQL and Python, which means working with data in a way similar to coding. A Data Engineer's tasks ultimately aim to support decision-making in companies, but projects related to integrations, data warehouses, and cloud technologies often land on their desk as well.
Data Engineers are needed in the business development of all kinds of companies, for example, when there is a desire to optimize warehouse space, facilitate customer experience, reduce waste, or even prevent traffic accidents. Interesting – isn't it?
What about a data analyst? How do the job descriptions of these data professionals actually differ? The task of a Data Engineer is to craft data to be as usable and understandable as possible. After this, a data analyst enters the picture, modeling analyses from the processed data to support organizational decision-making. However, a Data Engineer's job is not just building data; analytical thinking is required in both roles.
Heta has also become accustomed to taking charge of the entire lifecycle of data in her own work. This is important so that functional reports can be created.
“All the different stages of utilizing data require a lot of reflection and testing. These are exactly the factors that made me excited about this field. In data processing, every day is different and problem-solving is part of the daily work – it keeps interest high day after day,” Heta describes her work.
Why is a career in data worth it?
When working with data, you are in a field that does not stand still. If you crave meaningful challenges and get special kicks from problem-solving, a jump into the data field inevitably brings a greater sense of purpose to your workdays.
Let our alumnae Heta and Viia summarize the best parts of the field.
In Heta's opinion, the best things about data are the meaningful challenges. Significance increases when days are not routine but have enough variety.
“I don't know a better feeling than when I solve a problem that may have been hanging on my desk for a long time waiting for a solution,” Heta continues.
According to Viia, the field is constantly developing and growing, so there are plenty of new career opportunities. “I see my opportunities as a data analyst as almost limitless – you get to learn more and develop all the time. Personally, I am motivated most by this opportunity in my career,” Viia adds.
Did you get a spark for data too?
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