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Is a Data Science Bootcamp worth it to get a Data Science Job

Steve Safarowic
January 7, 2020

There is a flood in Data science bootcamps everywhere. IBM statistics state that there will be as many as 2.7 million data scientist jobs in 2020 in U.S. alone. On the other hand,  Glassdoor sees the Data Scientist job as being the best job in high demand in America based on job openings, salary and job satisfaction. In reality, Data science graduates enjoy a massive employment rate with more starting salary than often offered by many other technical jobs.


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This goes to infer how appreciated a background in data science is. Still, due to many ways leading to data science jobs and career-related doubts, the question is: Is a data science bootcamp worth it to land a job in data science? As data science is a complex field crammed with many roles at times, it is important to understand the risks involved and whether it is enough to get a job.


Know the nature and content of a bootcamp course



 

Before opting for any bootcamp program, you should research deeply to know the core concept: learn, practice and adopt. Embrace the idea of joining a well-structured, hearty and goal-oriented data science program that is built to immerse learners and engage them with industry-focused training. A good data science bootcamp involves at a few hours of informational sessions per day coupled with lots of hands-on practical training exercises. This can also be scheduled for weekdays or over a weekend with a good mixture of learning hours and practice hours. Great bootcamp exercises should cover the entire course material in a brief timeframe with the latest standards to stay relevant and updated with progressive content.


How bootcamps potentially drive your career



 

Your experience at data science bootcamps vary from institute to institute, from individual to individual since there are many different types of bootcamps available nowadays. What happens after the course ends is what matters to your data science career. If you dislike coding, no bootcamp will be worth it to get a job. For people with a strong background in coding, math, a willingness to gain hands-on experience and a tendency towards short-term affordable programs, bootcamps are truly worth it.

However, no bootcamp makes you an absolute pro in the data science craft in merely months. They prepare you, get you what you need to learn, upskill and engage you in practice, but you also promise yourself continuous learning. Your real work begins when you launch yourself in the industry after finishing a bootcamp program.


Read Also: How to switch to career in Data Science


Comparative cost factor



 

In the case of data science bootcamps, you will be happy to know that the cost factor seems to work in favor of passionate, highly motivated data science bootcamp learners. Based on what we have observed, the cost of data science bootcamps is significantly lower than parallel master's programs, making bootcamps much more practical, especially in terms of ROI. Masters, on the other hand, typically expects prolonged commitment of usually 2 years and levies a significantly high cost. Also, the quick completion of a bootcamp course enables grads to have an early headstart as an employed data scientist.



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Networking cum job opportunities for bootcamp grads



 

Certain bootcamp programs allow learners to collaborate and engage with a private community of alumni, which arrives both during the program and via the post-grad phase after finishing bootcamp training. You'll often see job openings on and off posted by senior alumni members or someone from career staff. They also share some great insights and resources -- which eventually turns into an effective way to network and meet with people and attend significant conferences and events. Thus, you will connect with a network of hundreds of experienced data science developers offering access to some great career opportunities


Get exclusive access to hiring platforms



 

It all comes down to what institute you choose to join to learn and practice data science. There are some programming courses that also offer additional services of private hiring solutions. They will often organize such value-added services to walk an extra mile for you and help you find suitable job opportunities via private job finding and hiring/networking platforms like LinkedIn or indeed. Many such platforms support a combination of hiring partners, data scientists and bootcamp graduates. Your profile and projects are viewed and reviewed by recruiters who you can directly reach out to with hope for engagement.


Getting inspired in a dynamic learning space



 

When you urgently seek assistance to resolve confusion or need moral support, there is nothing as motivating as data science bootcamps. These bootcamp programs are effortlessly delivered in a fast-paced environment where hands-on industry knowledge and supportive peers are easily available. They are designed to gain data science skills working closely with other aspiring peers, encouraging a hands-on education setting where learning is intuitive and inspiring. Even if you are not too good with mathematics and coding, these bootcamps are a great way to start your data science journey with special entry-level Python courses before embarking on next-level programming skills.


Recognize your role within data science ambience



 

There is no true short and quick data science bootcamp that can help you master everything in brief period. Data science is a vast field that involves many complex applied maths and statistics. To master them all, you need a length of practice with all its tools in various business cases, its implementations and applications and a good live data science project.

Data science offers you the opportunity to perform many roles including data model designer, data analyst, business analyst, data pipeline developer, data science program manager, data project engineer, machine learning developer and beyond. If your role is, for example, machine learning developer, you have to be thorough with programming and algorithms. Use data science ambience to pick the role that suits your interest and take you far in your long-term career.


Read Also: How to become a Data Scientist in Hong Kong


So, is a Data Science Bootcamp worth it? Well, consistency is key to achieving your dreams, be it any field, especially in technical jobs. Don't cease your learning once your data science bootcamp program culminates and you become a certified grad. Your real journey of learning and development begins only as soon as the course ends. Moreover, don't take somebody's unique case as a universal benchmark when it comes to joining bootcamp program or applying to data science jobs.


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Remember to:

  • Practice coding at volunteer services or other community sites
  • Read, share and gain knowledge visiting Data science tutorials
  • Connect with YouTubers and explore insightful content 
  • Join a bootcamp programs that also focus on job hunting skills
  • Never feel dejected by someone's unpleasant bootcamp experience


While attending bootcamp does help you master industry-aligned data science skills, it is important to do your homework, learn continuously and choose carefully. The great results demand great efforts. Xccelerate not only guaranteeing jobs, but also provide you hands-on, practical knowledge and preparing you for real-world industry challenges.


Need more advice?

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