What is Data Science? and Know How to Build a Career in Data Science

Data science is like solving a puzzle, where you collect, analyze, and use data to make decisions or predictions. For a career in data science, you define the problem, collect and clean data, explore and visualize data, model and analyze it, and communicate results.

Demand for data scientists is rising in finance, healthcare, tech, and retail. If you're wondering what to know for a career in data science, it involves understanding these activities and applying them in various industries. 

Data science jobs are booming in India, with a growing demand for data scientists. In 2021, data science roles increased by 45%, with over 93,500 job openings across the country, according to Analytics India Magazine.

Glassdoor reports that the average salary for a data scientist in India is now INR 12 lakh per year. 

Read more: Career in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence

What will we cover in the article:

• Data Analyst vs Data Scientist: Understanding the difference helps clarify what to know for a career in data science. 
• Top Programs and Institutions for Data Science in India 
• What Skills Do Data Scientists Need?
• Educational Paths to Become a Data Scientist 

Data Analyst vs Data Scientist: Understanding the difference helps clarify what to know for a career in data science. 

When thinking about what to know for a career in data science, it's important to understand the roles of data analysts and data scientists. Data analysts make sense of existing data through routine analysis and reports, answering business-related questions using database software and statistical tools. 

Data scientists, on the other hand, create new ways to capture, store, and analyze data, using Python, Java, and machine learning. 

Both roles typically require a bachelor’s degree in a quantitative field. If you love numbers and programming, knowing what to know for a career in data science can help you develop valuable insights for your organization. Whereas, a data analyst makes sense of existing data through routine analysis and reports, answering business-related questions using database software and statistical tools. 

Data scientists have the skills of a data analyst plus extra abilities. Jenna Bellassai, a lead data reporter and former senior data scientist, explains: “Many data scientists start as data analysts, but not all. A data analyst focuses on creating reports and dashboards from data. A data scientist combines data analysis with software engineering and machine learning to make statistical models.” 

Also important to know for a career in data science is that data analyst roles are everywhere. Their skills are needed in many industries, domains, and companies of all sizes, says Aswini Thota, a lead data scientist with over 12 years of experience in data analytics. 

Now let’s talk about career in data science for freshers

Top Programs and Institutions for Data Science in India

Programs: 

• BE Data Science Engineering 
• B.Tech Computer Science and Data Science 
• B.Tech and M.Tech Data Science Integrated 
• B.Tech and M.Tech Data Science Integrated 

Institutes:

• IIT Madras
• IIT Delhi
• VIT Vellore
• NIT Surathkal (NITK)
• BITS Pilani
• SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai 

What Skills Do Data Scientists Need? 

Programming 

Programming languages like Python or R are essential for sorting, analyzing, and managing large data sets. As a beginner, you should learn basic data science concepts and how to use Python. Popular languages include: 

• Python 
• R 
• SAS 
• SQL 

Data Wrangling and Database Management 

Data wrangling involves cleaning and organizing complex data sets for easier access and analysis. It also includes database management—extracting data, transforming it for analysis, and loading it into a data warehouse. Useful tools include: 

• Altair, Talend, Alteryx, Trifacta, Tamr 
• MySQL, MongoDB, Oracle 

Machine Learning and Deep Learning 

Immersing yourself in machine learning and deep learning is crucial. These techniques help you gather and synthesize data efficiently and predict future outcomes. Essential algorithms to know: 

• Linear Regression, Logistic Regression, Naive Bayes, Decision Tree, Random Forest, KNN, K Means 

Data Visualization 

Strong data visualization skills are important for presenting your work to stakeholders. You need to create charts and graphs that tell a compelling story. Familiar tools include: 

• Tableau, Microsoft Excel, PowerBI 

Statistics and Probability 

Learning statistics and probability is key for writing high-quality machine learning models. You need to understand concepts like mean, median, mode, variance, and standard deviation. Important techniques include: 

• Probability distributions, Over and under sampling, Bayesian and frequentist statistics, Dimension reduction 

Cloud Computing 

Cloud computing tools help analyze and visualize data stored in cloud platforms. Certifications often focus on: 

• Amazon Web Service (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud 

Interpersonal Skills 

Developing communication and teamwork skills is essential for collaborating with teams and presenting findings to stakeholders. Important interpersonal skills include: 

• Active listening, Effective communication, Sharing feedback, Attention to detail, Leadership, Empathy, Public speaking 

Understanding these areas is part of what to know for a career in data science. By mastering these skills, you can develop valuable insights and advance in your data science career. Familiarizing yourself with what to know for a career in data science will help you become proficient and effective in your role. 

Educational Paths to Become a Data Scientist 

To start a career in data science, you typically need a bachelor's degree in computer science, statistics, mathematics, engineering, or similar fields. This foundation provides the basic math and technical skills required. 

After this, pursuing a master's degree or a diploma in Data Science or Analytics can help you learn advanced skills. Knowing what to know for a career in data science, like these advanced qualifications, is crucial. 

A Ph.D. is optional for most jobs but can be beneficial for research or highly specialized roles, further improving your data science career prospects in India. 

You can also pursue certification courses in Data Science to learn essential skills like programming languages, SQL, statistical analysis, machine learning, and data visualization tools like Tableau and Power BI.

Conclusion: 

A profession in data science requires a bachelor's degree in computer science, mathematics, or engineering. 

Master's degree, diploma, or Ph.D. can further enhance skills and career prospects. Knowing what to know for a career in data science helps in choosing the right path. 

Data wrangling, machine learning, statistical analysis, data visualization, and programming languages (Python, R, and SQL) are critical competencies.

While data scientists develop novel techniques for gathering, storing, and analyzing data, data analysts concentrate on analyzing already-existing data. 

Data scientists are in high demand in the tech, retail, healthcare, and finance industries. 

The data science job market in India is growing, with many openings and attractive salaries. Knowing what to know for a career in data science can help you seize these opportunities.