Over the past few years, I had realized that I did not have the skills that most employers in my area were desperate for (coding coding coding!), and decided it was time to branch out from the chemical engineering knowledge I had gained in college. I have a smattering of experience with both coding and manual data analysis, and greatly enjoyed the experiences I did have, so Data Science seems like an ideal opportunity for me. (Also that it’s the kind of coding that uses the most math!) Data science is a great opportunity to gain new knowledge and skills while working in ways I already know I am passionate about. And, importantly, knowledge and skills that will be valuable to more than just myself!
I started researching bootcamps, and even with the newer field of data science, there were so many choices! Flatiron provided resources so I can start learning even before I applied, which was just the first sign they showed of how much they value providing resources to interested students. I really connected with the way they make learning new information easy to anyone who is willing to seek it out and work to teach themselves.
Given this, I decided to attend Flatiron’s Data Science program to open a new folder for my career. Originally intending to attend the in-person course in San Francisco, I was able to switch into the online course when everything everywhere went off the rails because of COVID-19 in March 2020. I definitely appreciate the ability to learn while stuck in social distancing mode, as well as having the ability to communicate with course leads and other students; having access to support like that makes such a difference.
I started my course on April 13th 2020, so I’m only a couple days in at this point, but I am definitely looking forward to where it takes me!