So, what is Data Science? Heavyweights IBM has defined it as a multidisciplinary approach to extracting actionable insights from the large and ever-increasing volumes of data collected and created by today’s organisations. After all, data is everywhere. It is essentially the most powerful set of commodities on Earth.
Take a tech giant like Netflix for instance. Data is their best friend, and data helps them make informed decisions. It helps to navigate their way around their consumers and profile them as well. With this information, they can recommend TV Series and Movies according to their consumers preferences. As mentioned by Michael Dixon in his article titled ‘How Netflix used big data and analytics to generate billions’, there is no secret to their success, with over 93% retention rate, they have mastered and embraced data as being the main driver in their business strategy.
Learning the fundamentals of data science is a great investment you will never regret. After all, as we continuously progress into the ever-evolving digital era, there is no reason to delay learning and acquiring data science skillsets and knowledge. Challenge yourself this year! Join the revolution. If you are still on the fence, I am certain these 3 reasons will convince you!
1. Everything is Data-Driven
No matter what sector you come from, or wish to pursue, everything involves data. There is no running away from it. Naturally, being able to study data and structure it would come in handy. So, the ability to make sense of all this data and use it to change the way we live and interact with one another is set to inevitably become a vital part of business.
Benjamin Obi Tayo explained in his blog titled ‘5 reasons why you should begin your data science journey in 2020’ that Data Science allows organisations to tell their story powerfully and engagingly, which is one of the reasons which makes it popular. He added that when companies use this data inclusively, they can share their story with their viewers and thus creating better product connections.
On an individual basis, having the ability to work with data is an essential skill. Combining your data science knowledge with existing skill sets that you already have will add more value to your resume and CV, which thus brings us to point 2!
2. Pursue the Sexiest Job & Skillsets of the Decade
According to Harvard Business Review, “sexy” means having rare qualities that are much in demand, and our dear data scientists are already there. They are not only difficult to find, but awfully expensive to hire due to the ever-competitive market for their services. There is simply not enough supply of people with their combination of scientific background and computational and analytical skills (Davenport & Patil, 2012)
In Singapore, it is considered the leading and strongest Data-hub in South-East Asia. This is further proven by studies which indicates data contributes a whopping value of S$1 billion a year to the economy. Additionally, the value of regions’ s big data and business analytics services is projected to reach S$37 billion by the year 2022! (Academy Xi, 2018)
So the question is, why not pursue a career in high demand, and be one of those rare gems that can coax treasure out of messy, unstructured data? Trust me, you are going to revolutionise the world!
3. Data Science can make the World a Better Place
In this section, a company called DataKind Singapore will be used to demonstrate how they use data science for a good cause. Since 2014, this voluntary group of data scientists, developers and designers have been using data to help the social services sector in Singapore get better at doing good.
According to MCI Singapore, DataKind SG’s network of volunteers use data science techniques to help welfare organisations better understand their beneficiaries or measure the effectiveness of their programmes. DataKind SG collaborated last year with the National Council of Social Services to harness the power of leveraging on data to make business better!
With such efforts and purpose to use these skillsets for good, it shows how learning Data Science is not solely just for monetary reasons, or just for gains of organisations, but rather individuals or volunteers may form an entity to help the community and empower them to develop as well. As the world progresses ahead, nobody should be left behind, even if it seems impossible. After all, as proudly declared by DataKind SG,
“For people without disabilities, technology makes things easier. For people with disabilities, technology makes things possible.”
Conclusion
Data science is one of the fastest growing fields and yet there is a gap in the market for talented individuals having such skillsets and knowledge. It has become an important part of almost every sector, be it Financial, Healthcare, Education services etc. Data Science provides the best solutions that help to fulfil the challenges of the ever-increasing demand and sustainable future. As the importance of data science increases with each day, the need for a data scientist is also growing. Data scientist are the future of the world, and if you want to stay ahead of the game, why not start now?
Learn more about Data Science and how to get started on the journey.
At Aventis, we recognise the importance of Data Science which is why we’ve kick-started our 1 Day course on Introduction to Data Science especially catered for beginners. The aim of this module is to essentially equip you with the foundational understanding and knowledge of Data Science, and how it can be applied to the real life. Topics covered will include introduction to data science, consisting of data management, data visualization, data preparation, data analysis, data science modelling, and techniques to decision making with data. This will also take you a step closer towards more advanced Data Science topics in the future!
For more information, you can get in touch with us at (65) 6720 3333 or training.aventis@gmail.com
References:
How Netflix used big data and analytics to generate billions
5 reasons why you should begin your data science journey in 2020
Data Scientist: The Sexiest Job of the 21st Century
Why Studying Data Analytics Is The Smartest Move You Could Make In 2018
