Career Prospects for Data Scientists in Asia Pacific
The big data industry is facing a global skills shortage, especially in developed regions such as Asia Pacific.
In the last few years, businesses have become more tech savvy – realising that understanding their customers and operations through data analytics to find trends and patterns in consumer behaviour enables them to make better business decisions. To lead these data-centric projects and help find strategic data-driven solutions, businesses have rapidly increased the rate at which they hire trained data science and analytics professionals.
1. What is the career opportunity and pathway for a beginner Data Scientist?
The need? Skilled and trained data science and analytics professionals. The solution? More professionals like you.
The opportunity? A rewarding career from a certification pathway to get a career in the big data industry with an in-demand skillset. This skillset is desired by employers in Australia, Singapore, and anywhere big data jobs exist.
So how to start? The paths & certifications first steps are as follows for a beginner Data Scientist:
• Path 1 – prepare yourself for formal training by learning basic mathematics, statistics, database management and coding using online resources and self-learning books
• Path 2 – research advertised data scientist jobs and identify which skills you are lacking, then enrol into a course that will enable you to upskill
• Path 3 – pitch to your employer: the value-adding benefits of completing a part-time data science program, and how this training will help you better perform at your job and provide the business with more data-focused solutions
• Path 4 – invest in industry training and certification by enrolling into a full-time or part-time data science program to train and certify newly minted skills, processes and techniques required for a career in the big data industry
• Path 5 – gain industry experience through employment and contract roles, and demonstrate your skills by creating your own data-driven projects to build your portfolio
• Path 6 – work as a freelance data scientist or consultant and offer your skills on a project basis – this will build your experience level and give you the opportunity to work on a diverse range of portfolio projects
• Path 7 – attend local networking events to build professional relationships with fellow data scientists, potential employers, recruiters, and industry leaders – then apply to advertised positions on their company website, via email, or LinkedIn
These pathways are simple yet effective when searching and applying for data science jobs as a beginner. This approach will allow you to strategically plan your career progression in big data and increase your career prospects by providing you with the skills, mindset, and professional experience required to perform at your new Data Scientist job.
2. What are the career options and future for a qualified Data Scientist?
The world’s data is exponentially growing. This influx of data will call upon data science and analytics professionals that can analyse, understand and utilise this data in a way that enables businesses to thrive and meet the needs of their customers. So, the future of trained data science professionals will be demanding, lucrative, and overflowing with job opportunities.
According to a report by PwC, 2.7 million new data science and analytic jobs will be created by 2020. This means, that once educated, qualified and trained, your future career as a Data Scientist could take you on the following career path:
• You could end up working as a data science trainer, consultant, analyst, machine learning engineer or manager.
• After this, your career options could expand to working as a Senior-Level director, data analyst, segment leader, chief data scientist or a chief information officer.
• You could be working within the realms of a big data company, entrepreneurial tech-startup, small to medium business that is new to the data market, or individual corporate projects that require specifically skilled data professionals.
• You could be working locally or internationally as an in-demand data science professional, meeting the needs of data-driven businesses across a range of sectors (science, health, marketing, retail, fashion, finance, robotics).
3. What is the employment rate for training for successful employment as a Data Scientist?
The first step to being employed as a data scientist is being trained and educated in data science and analytics. The next step is to gain industry experience and become employed as a Data Scientist. The good news is, due to the shrinking supply of skilled data science professionals in Asia Pacific, if you begin your pathway to becoming a certified big data professional – you are training for successful employment from day one.
The Institute of Data’s Job Outcomes success rate for active job seekers with the Data Science & AI Industry Certification:
• 86% of IOD Graduates = Job outcomes success in 90 days
• 93% of IOD Graduates = Job outcomes success in 180 days
To transform data science hopefuls into trained data science professionals, the Institute of Data offers a range of short courses, part-time programs and full-time programs.
In addition to gaining an industry certification in data science & analytics, Institute of Data Graduates also benefit from: Interview training and preparation, resume reviews and guidance, LinkedIn profile reviews, ongoing career advice, online and in-person networking opportunities, and the advantage of attending exclusive hiring events by its education partners and IOD.
4. Here are some success stories and case studies for career progression as a Data Scientist
Whether you come from a data science related background and have identified big data as your next strategic career move, or you see analytics as something you might be good at, there are many ways to enter the big data industry and land a rewarding big data career opportunity.
Here are two individuals that decided to expand their career outlook, upskill and become a Data Scientist in Asia Pacific:
• Byron – IOD Graduate | Current Job Title: Data Scientist
Coming from an educational background of Computer Science & Operations, with over 10 years of IT and business related experience – Byron decided it was time for a skills switch up and enrolled into the Institute’s Data Science Full-Time Program. 12 months before acquiring his brand new data science certification, Byron was actively applying to jobs with no response. Now, after becoming certified, recruiters actively seek Byron out on LinkedIn. Read more about Byron’s New Career As A Data Scientist.
• Katya – IOD Graduate | Current Job Title: Data Scientist
Katya started working as a Petroleum Engineer right after graduating university. After moving to Australia, doing her research and trusting her gut instincts (that her skills may be applicable to a career in data science), she enrolled into the Institute’s Data Science Full-Time Program. Since graduating with her new data science certification, Katya has worked as a data professional within the music industry and the mining exploration industry. Learn more about how Petroleum Expert Katya – became a Data Scientist.
Industry companies are also experiencing hiring success stories with Institute of Data graduates, such as MJ Mirzazadeh – CEO of Round Table Apps, who was looking to hire new talent for two data-driven projects and decided to hire a professional with the Institute of Data’s Data Science Industry Certification.
He wanted to work with someone that could be trained, was eager to learn and was hungry to prove themselves and their potential as a data science and analytics professional. MJ and his team were extremely impressed with their new IOD recruit’s performance and the project outcomes. Read the full interview here.
5. Data science and analytics professionals’ future salary outlook in the next 3 to 10 years
In the current big data climate, there are an abundance of businesses seeking data science and analytics professionals to lead their data-driven business initiatives. However, there aren’t enough qualified data science professionals to meet the needs of every business.
• 2018 data scientist salary in Australia averages: AUD$126k (an increase of 18% from 2017)
• 2018 data scientist salary in Singapore averages: SGD$70k – SGD$99k+ (AUD $70 – $99k)
• 2018 data scientist salary in United States averages: USD$131k (Averaging AUD$181k)
This high-demand low-supply scenario means the career outlook and the salary outlook for data scientists is on the rise, and will continue to climb over the next 3-10 years. Australia is expected to catch up to the US tech market in the next 3 years, with the Australian data scientist salary average surging, and expected to range between AUD$150k – AUD$180k by 2021.
The increase in big data jobs and data-driven business strategies has also resulted in the rise of automation technologies. The successful advancement, improvement, and rapid implementation of Artificial Intelligence across healthcare, fashion, science, business and robotics – has made many jobs obsolete. Data science and analytics professionals will need to keep upskilling during the big data job boom over the next 3-10 years, in order to maintain their competitive edge and meet the demands of the industry.
6. Factors that will provide options for your career in data science and analytics
As the big data industry continues to expand, so do the position descriptions, skills and career prospects of big data talent, locally and internationally.
Here are 5 factors that will enable you to guide your big data career to adapt and benefit within an industry, that is constantly emerging with new technologies and career opportunities:
• Desire to Learn – If you are constantly learning new technologies and techniques, then you will always be ready to accept new challenges and adapt to changing job requirements within the big data industry – amplifying your career outlook, skills, and increasing your value as a data science and analytics professional.
• Industry Fluidity – If you are comfortable working in the big data industry with fellow professionals from different industry backgrounds, this will equip you with the soft skills required to work in multiple industries with different collaborators in future.
• Leadership Skills – Working in big data will provide you with opportunities to develop leadership skills by working in various teams, presenting your ideas to clients, managing expectations, leading data-driven initiatives to find business savvy solutions, and will help you to become a better decision-maker by helping businesses make smarter, evidence-based decisions.
• Communication – Jobs in big data will enable you to enhance your verbal and visual communication skills, which can be applied to any job in future. You will get opportunities to tactfully present data findings/new ideas to stakeholders, clients, and team members, to efficiently communicate your insight using industry knowledge and data visualisation techniques.
• Data Science Consulting – Consulting will give you the freedom to do independent or team-based freelance work, where you’ll have the option to offer your big data skills to businesses and clients with projects that interest you and your team.
The career outlook of a trained data science & analytics professional in Asia Pacific is full of enhanced learning opportunities and a direct pathway into new job prospects and career prosperity, in this high-demand Data Science and AI industry.
Find out more about how you can expand your career outlook as a data scientist in Asia Pacific by upskilling your qualifications with the Institute of Data: Part-time and Full-time programs are available now.