Jane - My Journey Through the Curious Academy Bootcamp
I have worked in data related /analysis roles for a few years but I felt my skills had stagnated and it was getting quite boring and limited. I love learning and like to try new tools and technology. I always wanted to challenge myself by making data more interesting, useful and valuable to the places I worked. I knew I needed to use other tools and applications, which I learned on my own, such as PowerBI and the newer features of Excel such as power Query and Automate.
A friend told me about the Curious Academy.It sounded a bit too good to be true as the content of the bootcamp was exactly what I wanted to allow me to take my existing skills to the next level and to include visualization, Tableau, SQL and Python. I was very happy to be able to do the course.
My main objective in joining the course was to learn more about data analysis and to make great visualisations. I wanted to build on my existing core data skills such as data extraction, manipulation, cleaning and analysis using Excel.
I have pushed myself out of my comfort zone in many ways and feel I have learned so much from the way the bootcamp emphasizes the practical application of skills.
In a typical week, I will spend time at home completing various courses and modules such as Power BI, Tableau, SQL, Python plus learning about other areas such as AI. At Bootcamp the group builds on what they get from the learning aspect both inside and outside class. We follow along with practical demos of applications, writing code, executing queries on datasets, creating visuals etc. We do spend a lot of time doing practical exercises and the environment is very supportive in helping everyone get up to speed. We have done lots of mini projects in class time and presented them to the rest of the group, which we then discuss and feed back on. This is a great way of learning, not only having your own take on the data but hearing the approach used by others. The aspect of presenting your findings has built our confidence , improved knowledge and given excellent feedback.
Things I've learned in Boot Camp:
Principles of Data Analysis, the process, what works, how to tell data stories and create an effective visualisation
Learning Tableau from scratch
Loading data into a SQL tool, writing SQL queries up to an intermediate level
Use of Python for web scraping and data manipulation
Google sheets which has now become my go to spreadsheet tool rather than Excel
My final project will be my portfolio piece of work. I selected the area of World Cities [Where in the World - Cities in Data], as the data was freely available and is universally interesting. One big learning point from previous mini projects was that you need to use the available data and concentrate on good analysis and storytelling, as it can often be difficult to source data related to your favorite hot topic.
I spent a lot of time on my final project piece. It was a learning exercise to use new skills while preparing my data and doing data analysis and visualization. There were challenges in tweaking the structure of the data, solving problems and making it work well. Creating a write-up as I went along was invaluable in allowing me to examine my ideas and finalise the process plus set out the “how to” for certain technical sections for future reference.
What did I discover on the course?
Once given the basic information, improving your skills in that area relates directly to the amount of time using the skills practically.
There’s nothing to lose from having the confidence to try and achieve something, to experiment with SQL, Tableau, PowerBi, Python. You can very rarely mess things up in this environment , but you will gain a lot from having a go, asking questions, discussing and presenting.
The Curious Academy is a great place to do the bootcamp. It's very welcoming and relaxed. There's a really cool “work” environment, everyone is nice and friendly with great front-of-house people who make the atmosphere welcoming and friendly . There’s also a lot of assistance with CVs, headshots and interviews etc. It really makes you feel part of a bigger team as everyone is so friendly and supportive. Matt and Louize really go out of their way on a daily/hourly basis to facilitate effective learning, support people and to create a great environment.
I'm hoping to secure a role related to data visualisation and data quality, perhaps in the public sector, a charity or maybe higher education. I'm also considering freelance work as a data analyst.
Over the years I've gained data skills, managed a small team, worked on unique projects like Homes for Ukraine, worked with young people and done voluntary fundraising. I completed training in business analysis and scrum master courses in the past which gave me valuable skills in requirements gathering, root cause analysis etc. Most of my jobs have involved liaising with a wide range of people. I have created communications and trained and supported other users. My previous jobs often required working to deadlines.
I think my all round experience and the body of knowledge and experience I gained at CA will allow me to succeed in a future data related role. I hope to continuously improve my skills and include more areas of expertise ongoing.
For anyone thinking of attending a bootcamp I'd say you should definitely commit yourself to seeing the course through because there is so much available to assist you in improving your skills and helping to develop yourself into a highly skilled employee.You'll probably enjoy the course along the way too and meet some great people!