Is there a chance I can work as a data scientist in the near future?

Question

Dear all, I just finished my Master of Arts degree and now I'm learning fulltime to become a programmer since I want to work as a data scientist instead. I'm learning from books and websites such as this one and Udacity etc. I have no idea whether this is actually realistic or a waste of time and effort. I have no budget tk study again. What are my options?

Answer 1

Well, my long post got reset by browser...so...I'm not typing it again. :D

In short, yes. If you have the internet, you have access to the best educational program on the face of the planet; it's superior to any college youll ever attend. Anyone that doesn't take advantage of the internet's ability to teach is hopeless. Here is what I do: go to college/uni website, look at their courses, open google, search for "free pdf <insert course name>," and then I read the books on it. As well, I use a website called PluralSight.com, and it has thousands upon thousands of video courses on nearly anything I could think of.

I'm 100% self-taught, no degree, and I work for a big telecommunications company running a team of people with degrees; life's funny, isn't it? The only thing that can stop you is yourself, so don't hold back and learn/be whatever you want to be. College is basically paying someone to tell you to read a book; you already know how to read a book.

Best of luck! Don't give up; it's possible.

Answer 2

Thanks Netkos! I appreciate this a lot.

Answer 3

Yes, even if you don't have a technical degree, you can still become a data scientist.

Focus on Python, SQL, statistics, ML, and visualization.

Make use of free resources such as fast.ai, Khan Academy, and Kaggle.

Create three to five projects for your GitHub portfolio.

Begin with positions such as Data Analyst and progress to Data Scientist.

You don't need a second degree—skills and projects are what really count. However, picking a course without taking demand into account could lead to fewer opportunities.