Four years into his career, Shashank Shukla has explored several opportunities and proved himself to be the master of almost all trades. But, he doesn’t want to stop just there. With the fervor to learn, know, and grow more, he turned towards data science enrolling not only for the Global Certificate in Data Science (GCD) program at Accredian, but later also the Global Certificate in Data Science & AI (GCDAI) to get full-fledged artificial intelligence tutorial.
In this interview, let’s take a look at why he took such a sharp turn towards data science and what he enjoys about data science the most.
Question 1: Which program & batch are you part of at Accredian & tell us more about your current work profile?
Shashank: I initially enrolled for the Global Certificate in Data Science (GCD) program. To get better and detailed artificial intelligence tutorial, currently, I have also enrolled for the Global Certificate in Data Science & AI (GCDAI) program, August 2019 batch. I am a business analyst at The Sparks Foundation. I’m responsible for business process management and all promotional activities in our company.
Question 2: Walk us through your career journey & what got you interested in Data Science & Machine Learning?
Shashank: I have done mechanical engineering and since then, I’ve worked in the maintenance department, product sales department, and digital marketing. I have four years of experience. My techno-commercial profile has enabled me to handle different kinds of problems for various industry verticals. I have a strong business domain understanding of different business processes.
Data science as a field was something that just happened, but the exciting numbers, logics, and programming kept me floating. That’s why I wanted a detailed course on not just data science but in-depth artificial intelligence tutorial as well.
The number one reason I got into data science is that I have a passion for helping and data science could help business understand its customers or improve the way it uses its customer data. I get a fantastic feeling of job satisfaction when I see the fruits of my labor, helping in many different ways.
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?
Shashank: I had never focused on Python earlier or any computer science-related skills. Python is the first tool I learned. I have learned basic packages like NumPy, Pandas, Seabourn, and Matplotlib. After upgrading from GCD to GCDAI for artificial intelligence tutorial, I have added some more skills, such as NLP and computer vision basics.
Question 4: What were some of the initial challenges when you got started on your Data Science journey and how did you overcome it?
Shashank: During my initial few days, I used to struggle with time management a lot. I am still coping with this. I have to mentally push myself to pick up the right momentum. It is quite the journey. I am slowly getting better in managing my time and things are falling into place.
Question 5: Who is your favorite faculty at Accredian and what did you learn from him the Most?
Shashank: At Accredian, I have interacted with various faculties and all of them, starting from Manav, are really good. Manav has great skills in marketing and storytelling. Secondly, Suchit has a thorough knowledge of his field, and he engages his students in the class. I have never felt bored in any of his classes. Lastly, we have Lavi – his unique way of teaching on paper and pen is making him a widely loved faculty across Accredian.
Question 6: What is the goal of Data Science?
Shashank: The goal of data science is to provide better business solutions. As a data scientist, we should have proper knowledge of data and an understanding of how value and information can flow in the business. We should learn from companies like Amazon or Flipkart, how they are growing and how they are involved with data. In the entertainment industry, Spotify or Netflix have made their own place by playing with user data.
Question 7: In your view, how has Data Science evolved in the last few years?
Shashank: I’m really excited about some applications like recommendation engines and automation of repetitive processes.
Question 8: What are the current trends in Data Science that you are most excited about?
Shashank: Right now, IoT devices and artificial intelligence are what’s catching my attention. The speed at which they are being developed is creating so much data for businesses to collect and analyze. I have recently used the Alexa device, which is a very advanced device as per my perception because Alexa is one of the best voice control devices that functions just like a human mind.
Question 9: Which are some of the blogs that you follow?
Shashank: I follow Medium for data science and sometimes KDnuggets.
Question 10: What is your advice to anyone wanting to start a career in Data Science?
Shashank: My advice to anyone is, first, believe in yourself as nothing is impossible. You can certainly enroll for data science courses and artificial intelligence tutorial even with a non-programming background. Just come out of your comfort zone. Secondly, don’t worry about your technical or non-technical background; you will surely get it once you are into it.
This was an interview of one of our GCDAI students – Shashank Shukla.
To discover more such wonderful student interviews, check out Accredian Spotlight.
