Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate or GDAPC- Update No. 1- I found a tribe & a mentor
Yes, I call Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate GDAPC for short because why not. So what happened since I last posted? What have I been doing aside from the GDAPC?
Honestly, since I got caught-up with my full-time role, not much. Our department entered our peak season earlier than expected. My role is heavy on reading legal documents, writing, and analysis. Since my workload was a bit much, all I wanted to do was rest or get some fresh air after work. I was mentally exhausted at the end of the day. Good thing is we are sort of in the clear already from the peak season’s madness, so I’m slowly going back to the course. I am still hopeful that I will complete this by December 2021. I have planned out some days off from work in the coming months to focus on my studies. I will be using those days to focus on the course and get back on track.
Even though I have not progressed much, Data Analytics was still on my mind. I recalled what my good friend with 15+ years of HR experience mentioned to me before, maximize connections or create new ones. That got me thinking about my situation. I pondered on how I can get exposure in the field of Data Analytics and meet people in the industry.
I looked into data analytics groups and organizations, anything really, that I could join. The same good friend of mine shared with me She Loves Data in Singapore. I attended a virtual event called Intro to Data Part 1: Data Foundation Workshop and I was amazed. The virtual event was not just informative but also inspiring. Truth be told, I focused more on the women who were there rather than the content. It was just exciting to see women who are in Data that are successful and thriving, and then women that are like me, wanting to break into the field. I was (virtually) in a room full of smart and capable women in the industry and hopefuls. It was a nice feeling seeing the women I want to be, along with the women who are in the same position as I am. It was such a positive experience. Although I was unable to attend the rest of the Intro to Data events, I look forward to their upcoming events.
I also found TechLadies just in time to join their Mentorship 2021- Ask Me Anything (AMA) Session. I was lucky to come across their website when they were preparing to open their mentorship program. Seeing that the GDAPC is an online and self-paced course, I thought it may be helpful to have someone I can reach-out to in case I have a question or just someone to discuss my thoughts with.
I signed-up for the mentorship program and I got a spot to be a mentee. The mentor they paired me up with resides in Indonesia and she also shifted into Data. I was excited to hear that she came from a non-STEM background like me and now she’s a Data Engineer. We have only met once and I found her lovely. I haven’t been able to catch-up with her more often than I expected because of my schedule. Our first meeting was fruitful though since she has given me ideas of what to look into and helpful resources. I’ll write more about my mentorship experience further in a separate article.
Finding these organizations is what I needed to boost my motivation and confidence. It helped me visualize where I want to be and the person I’d like to become. So although I haven’t made much progress with my online course, I have made progress with my connections, how ever small it may be.
