The necessary skills for data scientists vary widely, depending on field and how up to date any given company’s set-up is. But in this era of increased demand for IT excellence, there are certain certifications that will help you stand out from the crowd and differentiate yourself.
The Modern Data Scientist
The modern data scientist wears many hats. This includes a strong understanding of math and statistics. Things like statistic modeling and experiment design are incredibly important. They must also have domain knowledge and the right soft skills. This includes passion for the business, curiosity, and a problem solving nature.
A successful modern data scientist will also be skilled at communicating and visualizing ideas so that those in senior level management – likely without a strong understanding of data science – can understand what’s happening on the ground level.
Finally, a successful data scientist needs to possess knowledge of the latest IT and programming trends. Things change so rapidly in this industry that it’s important to invest in ongoing training and education.
3 Important Certifications Worth Considering
The great thing is that IT training isn’t as difficult as most make it out to be. With the right strategy, you can set yourself up for success. With that being said, you must begin by identifying which certifications are right for you and your team. You can easily waste your time if you don’t set the right training goals and pursue the correct courses.
While you’ll have to determine your own goals and certification needs, let’s look at a handful of important and valuable certifications all IT professionals should consider earning.
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Certified Analytics Professional
CAP certification enables you to understand the entire analytics process. From framing business and analytic problems to deployment and model lifecycle management, you’ll have full knowledge of everything that goes into general analytics by the time you finish this certification process.
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Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
The Cisco Certified Network Associate certification – commonly known as CCNA – is a program for network engineers that want to further their understanding of networking knowledge. Because it’s backed by Cisco, this certification carries a lot of weight and looks good on a professional resume.
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Microsoft SQL Certification
The MCSA SQL Server 2012 certification serves as a solid foundation for those who are looking to create database mastery. Depending on the specifics of the certification course you take, this certification generally helps equip learners with the skills needed to maintain SQL Server – including both SQL Server 2012 and SQL Server 2012 databases.
Leveraging Online Training
There are obviously many different certifications and training vendors to choose from, so take your time and find the ones that work for you. However, whatever you do, don’t ignore the need for earning new certifications.
Highly trained data scientists are hot commodities. “Businesses don’t have the five years or more it takes for a fresh crop of data scientists to earn their PhDs,” writes William Terdoslavich of InformationWeek. “That means hiring people with some training may be the best option for companies that want to hire data scientists.”
As an IT professional, the good news is that obtaining the right certifications is no longer impossible to fit into your already busy schedule. Thanks to a plethora of online training opportunities, it’s never been easier to further your career.
Train Like You Mean It
In the end, the moral of the story is that data scientists and IT professionals need to invest in training. Thanks to new online training opportunities, there are fewer hurdles to jump through and more opportunities to expand your resume through certification. Review the certifications listed in this article, speak with employers or future employers, and invest your time and energy in training.
