MY EXPERIENCE

“The Road to Data Mastery: How 200 Scholars Are Shaping Their Future”

In January 2024, our community embarked on a transformative learning journey in partnership with DataCamp to equip aspiring tech professionals with the skills they need to excel in an increasingly data-driven world.

The Data-camp scholarship programme first began with cohort 1 in January, 80 scholarships were given to 80 community members, then later in March, we launched the cohort 2, where we onboarded 120 community members to join the first cohort.

A channel was created for the DataCamp Donate learners in the DevCareer Slack community in order to provide support and monitor their learning progress.

Now, months into the journey, we reflect on the experiences, challenges, and triumphs of our scholars as they evolve in their learning.

DataCamp is Redefining Tech Education for our Community Members

The partnership between DevCareer and DataCamp has provided our scholars with access to world-class learning resources. Community members who are beneficiaries of this scholarship have been able to explore courses on topics like Data Science Fundamentals, Data Analysis, Machine Learning Data Engineering, Data Engineering Statistics and Probability, Business Analytics, Programming Skills, and more

This partnership has aimed to ensure that every learner is equipped with the knowledge and skills to thrive in the tech space. Since the programme’s launch, the journey has been diverse for each learner.

Some came with little to no experience in tech, while others sought to sharpen their skills in data science. Below are some of the recurring themes in their learning experiences:

• Initial Excitement and Overwhelm: Many of our scholars began their journey filled with excitement, eager to dive in and get certified. However, the vast amount of information and assignments sometimes left them feeling overwhelmed.

For many, this was their first time delving deeply into data science, or getting a virtual training. So, there was a whole lot to digest for them. But the community was there to help through the private channel created for the data-camp scholarship recipient on slack, other fellow learners helped by fostering a spirit of collaboration and support.

• Steady Progress and Milestones: By mid-year, many scholars had found their rhythm. They’ve been able to figure out what learning structure works for them, they could track their progress through course completions and projects.

This steady progress was marked by key milestones, such as mastering specific topics like data visualisation or completing their assignments.

Our Data Camp students frequently mentioned how satisfying it was to see their cumulative progress as they moved from beginner to more advanced courses.

• Challenges Along the Way: Of course, the journey has not been without challenges. Some scholars struggled with time management, balancing their learning commitments with work and personal responsibilities. And also mastering complex concepts such as machine learning algorithms proved to be a challenge for some.

However, the programme’s flexibility allowed scholars to learn at their own pace, providing opportunities to revisit challenging topics when needed.

Community Support and Collaboration: One of the strongest aspects of this learning experience has been the support from the DevCareer community on Slack.

With the check-ins emails and constant messages which served as reminders. Scholars have benefitted from peer-to-peer mentoring, group study sessions, and regular check-ins from community leads.

This collaborative atmosphere has turned individual learning into a shared experience, where everyone could celebrate successes and work through difficulties together.

Impact of the Learning Journey:

Now, as we approach the final months of this learning journey, the impact on our scholars is clear. Many have shared how this programme has boosted their confidence, giving them the skills needed to transition into or advance in data-related roles.

Several scholars have already landed internships or job offers in tech, attributing their success to the knowledge they gained on DataCamp and the support from the DevCareer community.

My DataCamp Experience

In getting to know our scholars better, we got acquainted with two of our students and learned a few things about their journeys and how’ve they’ve grown so far in a quick interview.

Suliat Dauda

• What has been your most rewarding experience with DataCamp?

My experience with DataCamp has been enjoyable, challenging, enlightening, and knowledge-driven. I appreciate the thorough and detailed classes, along with the clear-cut and easy-to-understand videos.

The exercises that follow each chapter are beneficial for providing hands-on practice, making the learning process easier. While I had some prior knowledge of SQL before using DataCamp, the platform has significantly improved my understanding and confidence in running queries.

• Have you earned any certifications or completed any courses?

Yes, I earned about three(3) certifications. I enrolled in SQL Fundamentals and ChatGPT Fundamentals in the skills track. The certifications and courses I have completed are:

1. Introduction to SQL
2. Intermediate SQL
3. Joining data in SQL
4. Introduction to ChatGPT

• How has your learning data science influenced your career or personal goals?

Studying data science has significantly influenced my career and personal growth. It has improved my critical thinking and problem-solving skills, allowing me to clean raw data and generate valuable insights.

With expertise in SQL, R, and data visualization, I feel confident to tackle real-world projects and contribute to data-driven decision-making. Personally, I want to build a portfolio and showcase my work on platforms like Medium and Kaggle, proving the value I can offer.

For me, data science isn’t just about numbers or tools. it’s about growth, confidence, and the ability to create change, both for myself and others.

• Is there anything specific you’d like to highlight about your learning journey?

One thing I’d definitely highlight about my learning journey is the sense of empowerment that comes with gaining new skills. When I first started learning data science, I was focused on mastering the technical aspects — like R, SQL, and data visualization but along the way, I realized it’s more than just tools. It’s about how these skills also allow me to solve real problems and make a tangible impact.

Maimuna Abubakar

• What has been your most rewarding experience with DataCamp?

My most rewarding experience is the fact that I was able to complete a Python project in one of the courses I completed. It has always been a herculean task not knowing where to a project from, datacamp guides you through the steps and gives glues on how to complete a project.

• Have you earned any certifications or completed any courses?

Though I have not earned any certificate yet but I have completed nine (9) courses and am looking forward to completing a track. Some of the courses completed are introduction to Data, Python, Data literacy, Data engineering, communicating data insights, Understanding AI etc.

• How has your learning data science influenced your career or personal goals?

Learning Data Science has influenced my career in a productive way. I now know how to organize my tasks in a way that can generate structured data so I can work with it to get insights, it has made me work more efficiently with little effort.

• Is there anything specific you’d like to highlight about your learning journey?

My learning journey in datacamp is exciting, the concepts of data science, AI and data have been explained easily for me to understand with exercise to try out at the end of each lesson. As I do the exercises, I understand the topics better. Thank you DevCareer and Datacamp for this opportunity.

Conclusion:

The DevCareer community is grateful to the DataCamp Donates programme, initiated by DataCamp, aimed at providing free data science and analytics education to underserved communities, non-profit organisations, and individuals who may not have access to high-quality learning resources.

As we look forward to the final stretch of the programme, we are excited to see how the remaining months will further shape the future of our scholars. At the moment, we celebrate the progress made and the possibilities ahead.