Data Certifications and Certificates

If you’re looking for a way to demonstrate your skills in data, you might be overwhelmed by the different certifications and certificate programs available. You might also have questions like, “Will this certification help me get a job,” or “What is the difference between certification and earning a certificate?” This article aims to answer these questions so you can efficiently choose the right path toward a data certification. Keep reading to find out more.

What is Data?

Data refers to facts and statistics collected for reference or analysis. Data allows businesses to track finances, marketing campaigns, market share, efficiency, and more. Today, data management systems can sort complex data from numerous sources using artificial intelligence and machine learning, giving businesses unparalleled insights. Some data management systems can also make future projections based on existing data. These forecasts assist businesses in planning budgets, setting goals, determining deadlines, and more.

We all use data daily, but some professions specialize in gathering, analyzing, storing, and managing data. These careers include Data Analysts, Data Scientists, Machine Learning Engineers, Business Intelligence Analysts, Data Architects, Marketing Analysts, Business Systems Analysts, and more. Whether you wish to pursue one of these careers or simply want to understand the data systems and strategies that impact your business, online and in-person classes can teach you valuable skills. 

Read more about what data is and why you should learn it. 

What Can You Do with Data?

Data has nearly endless uses. Data measures the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, determines budgets, forecasts company growth, and highlights industry trends, trends within an organization, and more. Understanding data science and data analytics can help business owners better manage their organizations, help marketing teams become more efficient and effective, assist business leaders in determining goals, or help launch your career as a Data Analyst or Data Scientist. 

Data science jobs include Python Engineers, Data Journalists, Data Engineers, Business Analysts, and more. Data Scientists create machine learning models that help process raw data, giving a company better insights. Analysts interpret and track this data to continuously improve processes. Data helps organizations make the most of every minute and every dollar, which is one reason Data Scientists and Data Analysts are in such high demand.

Certifications vs. Certificates: What’s the Difference?

When researching a certificate program, you may wonder about the difference between a certificate and a certification. Certification typically requires passing an exam administered by a third party to demonstrate mastery of industry-recognized standards. On the other hand, certificates are awarded after completing a class or training program.

Top Certifications & Certificates for Data

Popular data certifications include the Power BI Analyst Associate certification from Microsoft, the AWS Data Analytics certification for Amazon Web Services (AWS), and the CompTIA Data+ certification. 

A certificate is earned through the completion of a course or program. While certifications have standardized requirements, the requirements for certificates vary from program to program. To make the most of a data certificate, you should look for data science and data analytics certificates that fit your budget and schedule and teach the skills required to meet your professional goals. Noble Desktop offers a Data Analytics Certificate and a Data Science Certificate. Both programs include real-time feedback from a live online instructor, one-on-one mentoring, setup assistance, flexible payment plans, a free retake, hands-on projects, and job assistance. Upon program completion, students earn a New York state-licensed certificate.

Should I Get Certified in Data?

Whether you should earn a data certification depends on your goals and the current stage of your career. Certification is not generally required to start a data analyst or data scientist career. But many certifications recommend that you have multiple years as a data professional before taking an exam. Those seeking to launch a new career or in the early stages of their career may wish to gain more experience before testing.

If you are looking to take the next step in your data career and have a few years of experience, then certification may help you advance in your current workplace or land a new job higher on the professional ladder.

How to Get Certified in Data

Earning a data certification requires passing an exam administered by a third party, often the software maker for whom you are earning certification. 

Microsoft’s Power BI Analyst Associate certification demonstrates mastery of data processes and repositories using the interactive data visualization software Power BI. To earn this certification, you must pass the Exam PL-300: Microsoft Power BI Analyst with a score of 700 or higher. Live online courses such as Noble Desktop’s Power BI Bootcamp can help you gain the skills needed to earn this certification.

You must pass Amazon’s DAS-01 certification exam to earn an AWS Data Analytics certification. This exam consists of 65 multiple-choice or multiple-response questions. Amazon recommends that professionals seeking to take this exam have five years of general data analytics experience and two years of experience using AWS. 

CompTIA Data+ certification requires you to pass an exam with a score of 675 or higher. The exam consists of 90 questions and is graded on a scale of 100 to 900. Before taking the course, exam candidates should have 18 to 24 months of experience in a role using analytical tools, databases, data visualizations, and statistics.

Some courses offer packages that include a certification exam. NYIM Training offers the Microsoft Excel Certification program, which bundles its beginner, intermediate, and advanced classes with two hours of private training and the Excel certification exam. Your Excel Specialist Exam fee and a free course retake are included in your tuition. 

Learn Data with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop offers hands-on training in data science and data analytics. These courses are led by expert instructors and include hands-on projects, small class sizes, and free retake options. Noble offers a Data Analytics Certificate and Data Science Certificate. Both certificate programs include one-on-one mentoring, setup assistance, flexible payment options, and career preparation. 

You can also focus on learning specific data science or analytics skills through classes and bootcamps. Learn how to write SQL queries, join tables, aggregate data, and filter results with SQL Bootcamp. The Tableau for Data Visualization course shows you how to convert raw data into interactive visualizations. 

You can explore multiple data analytics and data science training options here.

Key Insights

• Data certifications and certificates can help advance your career but in different ways. 
• A professional data certification requires passing an exam administered by a third party, typically the software maker for whom you are earning certification.
• A certificate is earned by completing a bootcamp, data training course, or program. While certifications have standardized requirements, the requirements for certificates vary depending on each school’s curriculum and standards.
• Popular data certifications include the Microsoft Power BI Analyst certification, the AWS Data Analytics certification, the CompTIA Data+ certification, and the Microsoft Excel Specialist certification.
• Most certifications recommend you have multiple years of professional experience with data analytics or a Data Analyst role before taking an exam.
• You can receive comprehensive data training through an in-person or live online course with Noble Desktop.

Learn Data with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop offers hands-on training in data science and data analytics. These courses are led by expert instructors and include hands-on projects, small class sizes, and free retake options. Noble offers a Data Analytics Certificate and Data Science Certificate. Both certificate programs include one-on-one mentoring, setup assistance, flexible payment options, and career preparation. 

You can also focus on learning specific data science or analytics skills through classes and bootcamps. Learn how to write SQL queries, join tables, aggregate data, and filter results with SQL Bootcamp. The Tableau for Data Visualization course shows you how to convert raw data into interactive visualizations. 

You can explore multiple data analytics and data science training options here.