I’m a people person, I’ve worked in retail, customer service, mental health and now veteran employment and career advice. I’ve studied psychology and human resources. I’m not at all a “techie”, however, I have always loved a good spreadsheet, which is what originally drew my attention to our Data Analyst course; I wanted to increase my Excel Nerd status. Throughout the Data Analyst course, I’ve learned a lot more than just great Excel tips and wanted to share with you my thoughts on one of our tech courses, from a non-tech person!
What is Data Analytics?
Let’s start with the basics, what is it? Data Analytics is transforming raw data into insights which enable decision making or increase understanding. Simply put, it is converting numbers into insights that a business can benefit from. This data can come from a range of sources: customer behaviour data, sales figures, fixed business costs, marketing, demographic data and so on. A data analyst collects all this data from various sources, organises the data and identifies the data that holds value, looks for patterns, correlations and trends, presents detailed data reports, and provides ideas for process improvement to help make data-driven decisions.
It’s solving problems with data.
Why Study Data Analytics?
Career Options
The main reason a lot of people take WithYouWithMe courses is to find a new career path. If this is your leading drive and you want to know if there are careers in Data Analytics, the answer is yes, a big yes. There is a high demand for Data Analysts and a skill shortage - these two combined make for a great new career option. Data professionals are in demand worldwide, and with big data exploding across all industries, one of the most in-demand skills right now is Data Analytics.
Data analytics has been adopted across all industries, ranging from health, retail, aviation, manufacturing, the list goes on. This flood of data and information requires the ability to understand the data in a meaningful way, hence the need for better data analytics. When you think about it, Data Analysts help you every day - with your youtube and netflix recommendations, spotify playlist, uber eats recommendations…. Data Analytics is everywhere!
Meaningful Employment
Not only is the demand and growth opportunities in Data huge, but the role of a Data Analyst is an important one that makes a large difference to the company you are working for. Through your data analysis, you are able to help the business achieve its goals and mission. You will be able to see the impact of your data analytics and take pride in being the key to success.
“Okay, I’m not looking for a career in Data Analytics right now, what else can I get from the Data Analyst course?” You may be like me, not necessarily wanting a new career in Data Analytics, but want to learn something new and gain some new skills. Here’s what I’m learning at the moment, that I’ll be able to apply everyday!
Problem Solving Skills
Data Analytics is solving problems. The ability to think analytically and approach problems in the right way is a skill that is always useful, not just in the professional world, but in everyday life as well. You will gain the valuable skills of being able to look at various pieces of information and draw meaningful conclusions - a skill which improves your performance in any area of your life.
Increase productivity
There is a lot of noise in our lives, a lot of competing tasks that need to be done, a lot of conflicting information. It can be difficult to hone in on the right information, at the right time, to get the best results. The Data Analyst course will improve your exploratory analysis skills, which is asking questions and looking for patterns, trends, relationships and outliers. The skills learnt in the Data Analysts course which help you analyse, find patterns, make predictions and set plans, can be used in your everyday lives as much as your professional needs.
Communication Skills
Along with exploratory analysis, the Data Analyst course also covers explanatory analysis, which is being able to present your findings to the general public. Data Analysts need to know how to communicate complex information to those who do not have the same data analytics skills or knowledge. These communications skills are a vital part of any career.
The course specifically does this through teaching visualization skills - presenting your data in the right way. Who is your target audience? What is their ability to process information? How much time do they have? What do you need them to know? What do you want them to take away from the data visualizations? What’s the best way to get your message across? These questions can be used to help you present any piece of information, whether it’s through a visual presentation, a written report, or even an informal email.
I’m not a “technical person”, can I study Data Analytics?
You do not need to be a technical expert to be good at Data Analytics, you do however have to adopt a “technical mindset”. What do I mean by that? You need to solve problems like a technical person - break it down in pieces, research and study each piece, test your theories, and when it doesn’t work, try again. Problems are like puzzles, and the solution is not always obvious. Ask questions, be comfortable with not knowing the answer straight away and exploring the data to find out! The most important trait of being a great data analyst isn’t having a technical degree, but being curiosus! It's the curiosity that drives Data Analysts to solve the hard problems, by pulling out solutions from data to form new insights.
What skills are required for Data Analytics?
Having the analytical skills is the most basic skill that you need - the ability to see patterns, relationships and connections. Critical thinking is another important trait, as you will be conducting analysis of facts to form a judgment. Data Analytics involves presenting your findings in a clear and concise manner, therefore communication skills are a great asset. It is also helpful to have great attention to detail, and a firm understanding of basic mathematics. If you want to pursue Data Analytics as a career you should also love working in a team!
Not sure if Data Analytics is right for you?
I recommend you complete our Discover Yourself course, which will identify your problem-solving skills, personality traits, and learning style. At the end of the assessments, you will be able to see your test report, which will have a few suggested career matches based on your results. If you don’t see Data Analyst as a suggested career match give me a call and we can have a chat about whether it’s right for you - the most important attribute is the curiosity to solve problems, so if you are keen and want to learn more that’s a great start!
Want to chat? Book a call with me here!