How to Become a Data Scientist At Home

The demand for remote work has never been higher, and many professionals are eager to learn a new skill that will lead to working from home. If you already have a college degree in a related field like mathematics or computer science, becoming a remote Data Scientist might be more attainable than you think! This is a highly in-demand career path that can be applied to almost every industry.

Data science positions will almost always require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, but we’ll discuss other ways to brush up your skills and how to find courses to get you where you want to go in your professional career. 

What is Data Science?

Data science is a complex but exciting field that requires a combination of challenging tech skills and creative thinking. To put it simply, it involves wrangling vast amounts of data and finding patterns to help businesses make smarter decisions and improve processes. The applications of these skills are essentially infinite. Data Scientists can be employed by the military to locate threats to national security, in healthcare to learn more about the spread of various illnesses, or even in the food industry to more accurately predict when specific products will expire. In short, there is virtually no limit to a career in data science. 

Steps to Become a Data Scientist at Home

Breaking into a career in data science requires a lot of time and investment in your education. Assuming you already have a relevant undergraduate degree, you can use the steps below as a guideline to keep yourself on track. Depending on your background, you may already have some of this knowledge as well.

1. Consider your ideal learning environment. The resources available to learn data science skills cater to various learning styles. You can take advantage of free online tutorials and practice at your own pace, or you can enroll in a structured class to get additional support from experienced instructors and peers.
2. Study computer programming. Data Scientists primarily use Python for their work, but they are also well-versed in languages like SQL, R, and C++. If you’re new to coding, you may be happy to learn that Python is considered one of the easier languages for beginners to learn.
3. Devote time to learning additional hard skills. Data science professionals use a range of technologies other than coding. These can include data visualization tools, statistical modeling, and advanced mathematics. You may want to find some job postings that appeal to you and see the requirements, so you know you’re learning worthwhile skills.
4. Practice! You might be wondering how you can practice data science. Many aspiring professionals use Kaggle, an online community of over half a million people that crowd-sources datasets to practice modeling and visualization techniques. The site also hosts competitions for members, which is a fun way to continue building your skills.
5. Create your portfolio. You’ll want to store your work on a personal website or blog as you practice. A portfolio of work is a crucial tool for anyone interviewing for a tech position, and data science is no different. This allows you to display your work so hiring managers can get a better sense of your abilities.
   
6. Start the job hunt. Landing a career in a competitive field like data science can take some time. If you need extra income during this process, you can check out sites like UpWork for freelance work. These can lead to networking opportunities and provide you with additional projects to add to your portfolio.

Data Science Careers

A data science background doesn’t limit you to a career as a Data Scientist. Many subsets of this exciting field will open up to you once you’ve acquired the proper training. One option is a position as an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineer. The quantity of data produced by businesses is growing at a rate that human brains can no longer keep up with. AI Engineers use their data science training to create programs that can analyze and clean data much faster than humans ever could, and they generally earn six figures per year.

Machine learning (ML) falls under the category of artificial intelligence as well, but their role is slightly different. These professionals create software programs that can develop accurate predictions for a business based on the data they produce. For example, companies like Waze and Google Maps use machine learning algorithms to predict the time of your commute accurately. This career path will almost certainly require a Master’s Degree, but the investment in your education can lead to an annual salary of nearly $113,000. 

Books and Virtual Resources to Learn Data Science

Reading books about a new subject is a great way to build your foundational knowledge. You can purchase copies to annotate for yourself or pick them up at the library if you’re trying to save money. One option is Build a Career in Data Science by Emily Robinson and Jacqueline Nolis. This book explores the various jobs available with data science training, which can help you narrow your focus of study once you decide on the career you want. Data Science From Scratch by Joel Grus takes a unique approach to the subject. Here, the reader plays the role of a Data Scientist at a fictional company and is taught how to solve common problems that professionals face during a typical workday. 

There are also some virtual tools you may want to take advantage of. Professors from renowned universities like Harvard and MIT have posted lectures on YouTube that discuss the fundamentals of programming with Python. This coding language is extremely popular amongst Data Scientists, so these tutorials (and plenty of others offered on YouTube) are definitely worth checking out.

As helpful as many of these resources may be, research indicates that project-based learning is the most effective way to learn a new skill. A data science class or bootcamp is sure to provide you with plenty of hands-on experience while you receive support from experienced instructors. Many of these types of courses are also available remotely!

Learn Data Science with Noble Desktop

If you’re eager to start learning more about a data science career, Noble Desktop offers several data science classes to help beginners on their way. If you don’t feel ready to dive into the deep end, the school offers a few shorter classes covering a single aspect of data science. For example, Noble offers a week-long Python for Data Science Bootcamp that focuses specifically on how the coding language Python can be applied to everyday data science tasks. They also have a three-day SQL Bootcamp if that language is better suited to your interests. 

If you’re committed to a more comprehensive option, you can check out the Data Analytics Certificate or the Data Science Certificate. Both require a greater financial investment and a longer time commitment. Still, they also cover more information and include a portfolio of your work to provide for potential employers once you’re ready to enter the workforce. These certification programs also include individual career mentoring sessions with your instructor. They can provide you with tips on achieving your goal of working as a Data Scientist from home.