How I Learned Data Science While Broke and Unemployed: My Journey into the World of AI
Introduction
In a world of rapidly evolving technology, transitioning into a data science career seemed like a golden ticket to me. Armed with a background in research in biophysics and a love for data, I embarked on a path to learn data science, even though my bank account was far from flourishing. This is my journey — one that was both challenging and rewarding, filled with online courses, financial aid, and the invaluable guidance of renowned AI educator Andrew Ng. last march I decided to resign and plunge into self learning AI and ML. Well! I thought how hard it could be, disclaimer it was harder than I thought.
Chapter 1: The Foundation — Mathematics for Machine Learning and Data Science I knew that the first step was to build a solid mathematical foundation. So, I dived into courses like Linear Algebra, Calculus, and Probability & Statistics for Machine Learning. Yes, it sounds complex, but think of it as the “secret sauce” behind AI and ML. These were my building blocks, and they were no piece of cake, but they set the stage for my AI adventure. You can also venture into the classes of 3b1b. That will give you solid foundation into the topics of AI ML.
Chapter 2: The Spark — Machine Learning My next stop was an introductory Machine Learning course, taught by the legendary Andrew Ng. It felt like a thrilling journey into the world of regression, classification, and learning algorithms. It was like Andrew was the Gandalf to my Frodo, guiding me through the ML landscape. This is an important course to understand the ML landscape before plunging to the sea of deep learning.
Chapter 3: The Abyss — Deep Learning Deep Learning was the Everest on my data science map. With courses on neural networks, hyperparameter tuning, and convolutional neural networks, it was a beast of a challenge. But, oh, the feeling of understanding the current state of AI was worth every late-night struggle. I can’t make you understand how awsome its. It was mind blowing every chapter. Imagining how humans reached at this point itself is a proud moment.
Chapter 4: The Toolbox — DeepLearning.AI TensorFlow Developer After conquering the fundamentals, I decided to add some tools to my toolbox. The DeepLearning.AI TensorFlow Developer course allowed me to grasp the ease of using libraries to deploy AI models. This was where I realized that understanding the fundamentals was more important than coding skills. Plus, this course dived into exciting topics like Natural Language Processing.
Chapter 5: Beyond the Basics — Practical Data Science on the AWS Cloud As a data scientist, I needed to step beyond the comfort of Jupyter notebooks. “Practical Data Science on the AWS Cloud” was my answer. Analyzing datasets, training models, and discussing topics beyond the usual was enlightening. It was like going from learning to riding a bike to participating in the Tour de France.
Chapter 6: The Future — MLOps and Interview Prep As the icing on the cake, I delved into MLOps (Machine Learning Operations). It was a course that took me through designing ML production systems, addressing concept drift, and maintaining a continuously operating production system. Now, I was ready to take on the world of AI.
Chapter 7: The Ultimate Challenge — Data Structures and LeetCode No AI journey is complete without the dreaded interviews. Data structures, algorithms, and a multitude of LeetCode problems became my daily companions. It was tough, but these challenges sharpened my skills and prepared me for the grand finale.
Conclusion: The Rewarding Journey Throughout this journey, I was fortunate to have access to Coursera’s financial aid program. It was my lifeline when my budget was tight. And the reward? A deep understanding of data science and AI, and the potential to transform my life. There were other platforms that were doing AI ML. This was most acessible for me with my current financial systems. Nonetheless you get to train by world class teachers.
In the end, my path to data science while broke and unemployed was a rollercoaster ride filled with challenges, enlightenment, and a touch of humor. It’s a testament to the fact that with determination and the right resources, anyone can embark on a journey into the enchanting world of AI. So, if you’re sitting on the edge, wondering if it’s possible, remember this story — it might just be the push you need to get started.
This is my linkedin. You can connect me there. I’m looking for new opportunities in this field as an intern. Hit me up with any opportunities.
