How Dominic Trained in Data Science & AI and Landed His New Role at PwC as a Credit Risk Associate

In less than 5 months, Dominic Thomson was able to successfully up-skill with practical Data Science and AI training and land his dream role at PwC!

Throughout the Institute of Data’s Data Science & AI Full-time Program, Dominic received technical, interpersonal and career-skills training, transforming his future career prospects.

Coming from a more technical data background, Dominic recognised the need to up-skill and stay relevant in the job market as artificial intelligence (AI) and data science continue to disrupt many industries worldwide.

Have a read through his journey below:

 

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1. Dominic, tell us more about your career background and what motivated you to pursue a career in Data Science and AI.

My career background is around the data analytics profession within the sports industry.

I wanted to develop a skill set that is more equipped to handle predictive analytics, especially in data science!

2. How many years of industry experience did you have prior to joining the full-time program?

I had around 18 months of experience before joining the full-time program.

3. What was the most challenging aspect of completing the course and what did you enjoy the most?

The most challenging aspect was the initial technical learning curve, especially around Python.

[su_quote]I enjoyed learning the infinite multitude of ways we can wrangle and interrogate data. In particular, I enjoyed learning to constantly vary my approach and use different models to identify key factors & predictors.[/su_quote]

4. What were your career goals before upskilling to data and how has your outlook changed?

My previous career goals were seemingly stagnant and not high enough.

[su_quote]The program was very inspiring and motivational in the way it pushed me to achieve and succeed more in my career.[/su_quote]

5. Why did you choose to join the Full-Time Program in particular? 

The full-time program was more aligned with my other commitments as I was unavailable to study on weekends. The consistent interactions and classes were also important to my learning.

6. You’re now working with PwC – Congratulations! How did you get a job in the industry and what guidance would you give someone applying for jobs?

I would highly suggest trying to draw links between your studies and the job position.

Focus on communicating how the skills you’ve learned can directly play a role in your job.

You will be surprised at the amount of cross-over between the course and job opportunities – which on face value may not appear to be directly data science related.

7. Would you recommend upskilling through the Institute of Data to fellow professionals? 

Yes, definitely. Data science is evolving rapidly and becoming pervasive across almost all industries. Soon, everyone will have to be prepared to handle data.

8. How did you determine the focus of your final Capstone project during the course?

I wanted to wrestle with a current problem, ideally in Australia. Similarly, I needed an appropriate dataset that was readily available. Hence, I landed on the impact of COVID-19 on the lodging market using public Airbnb data.

I learnt that we need to be open and flexible towards how we wrangle the data.

There is no one set method that will give you the answer you are looking for. Being circumspect and using various methods and models is key to understanding the data.

9. Now that you’re trained with in-demand skills and working in the industry, what’s your future career plan?

[su_quote]The data science industry is constantly evolving. An integral part of success in this profession is ensuring we continually grow and learn.[/su_quote]

Experimenting with new models and methods is critical to ensuring that our mindsets don’t become outdated and inevitably obsolete.

If you are interested in upskilling and landing a job in Data Science, download the Institute of Data’s Data Science Course Outline.

Alternatively, to speak with our team about the program, book a consultation with our Data Career Consultants today.

Connect with Dominic on LinkedIn here.