While upskilling in cybersecurity, John Kennedy got interested in the use of AI in it. So, after finishing his course on Cybersecurity and Networking from Amity Education Group, he immediately enrolled for the Certificate in Data Science Foundation (CDF) program at Accredian to upskill in data science and AI.
In this interview, let’s see what interests him the most about data science and how his learning experience has been at Accredian.
Question 1: Which program & batch are you part of at Accredian & tell us more about your current work profile?
John: I am part of the Certificate in Data Science Foundation (CDF) program, August 2020 batch. Presently, I am working as a Security Expert at Insight Alpha.
Question 2: Walk us through your career journey & what got you interested in Data Science & Machine Learning?
John: I am working as a General Manager. I initially started learning Cybersecurity and have gained quite good knowledge in this subject and wanted to get into Artificial Intelligence which is the future. So, I wanted to upskill in Python, Machine Learning and Data Science.
I joined Accredian to upskill myself, and the course content, the live interaction sessions with Sai was quite enriching. The intro to Python by Mr. Suchit was very helpful in understanding the basics of Python which was very new to me.
Machine learning and Data Science subjects are very interesting to learn and though it was quite difficult for me because I am from a non programming background, I have now understood the basics and are more eager to master these subjects.
Question 3: What all tools and packages in Data Science & Machine Learning have you mastered in your Data Science & AI program at Accredian so far?
John: I have learned Data Visualization, Data Modelling and Machine Learning.
Question 4: What were some of the initial challenges when you got started on your Data Science journey and how did you overcome it?
John: Since I am from a non-programming background, I did have trouble in the initial stage. Sai made things very easy to understand. The intro class by Suchit on learning Python step by step was very useful in understanding the basics of installing & building codes, cheat sheets and study materials for beginners would be greatly appreciated.
Question 5: Who is your favorite faculty at Accredian and what did you learn from him the Most?
John: It is definitely Sai. I love the way he teaches and simplifies complex concepts so that we get a quick and at the same time in-depth idea of what they are and how they function.
Question 6: What is the goal of Data Science?
John: I think the goal of data science is to construct the means of extracting business-focused insights from data.
Question 7: In your view, how has Data Science evolved in the last few years?
John: Data Science started with statistics, and has evolved to include concepts/practices such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and the Internet of Things, to name a few.
As more and more data has become available, first by way of recorded shopping behaviors and trends, businesses have been collecting and storing it in ever greater amounts.
With growth of the Internet, the Internet of Things, and the exponential growth of data volumes available to enterprises, there has been a flood of new information or Big Data.
Once the doors were opened by businesses seeking to increase profits and drive better decision making, the use of Big Data started being applied to other fields, such as medicine, engineering, and social sciences.
A functional Data Scientist, as opposed to a general statistician, has a good understanding of software architecture and understands multiple programming languages. A Data Scientist defines the problem, identifies the key sources of information, and designs the framework for collecting and screening the needed data.
Question 8: What are the current trends in Data Science that you are most excited about?
John: Within the current pandemic context, AI techniques such as machine learning (ML) optimization, and natural language processing (NLP) are providing vital insights and predictions about the spread of the Coronavirus and the effectiveness and impact of the counter measures.
The notion of explainable/interpretable AI, i.e. platforms transparent enough so that a human expert can identify how decisions are made, will gain relevance and the level of AI transparency empowers humans to take the necessary corrective actions based on the explanations provided.
Question 9: Which are some of the blogs that you follow?
John: I follow several blogs to keep myself updated about the data science world. Some of them include Google Data Science, Data Camp, IBM Big Data Camp, insideBigData, Datarobot, KDnuggets, Towards Data Science, and Data Science Central.
Question 10: What is your advice to anyone wanting to start a career in Data Science?
John: AI, ML, and DS are the future and are best for career progression with a stable job and good salary. So do not delay and upskill in them. Start learning AI, ML and DS as early as possible.
This was a conversation with one of our CDF students – John Kennedy.
For more interesting student interviews, check out Accredian Spotlight.
