How I Got into Data Analytics

MY BACKGROUND

Like most people today, I stumbled into tech from a non-tech background. After reading Science in High School, I went on to read BSc. Psychology in school(that's not what I wanted, sigh. I wanted to be an obstetrician so bad) and was only concerned with Wilhelm Wundt for most part of the four years. You'd think I had a jolly good ride in school because "Psychology compliments my personality" as I got told many times but boy was it hard! Aaaaanyways, that era passed.

Mind you, at this point, I had been introduced to Microsoft Excel by my mentor and was gaining familiarity with it whilst in the university(I'm talking about intermediate real-world scenario use of Excel). I loved working with Excel but I didn't particular know there was anything called Data Analysis.

---

THE REALISATION

Fast forward to my National Service tenure where I did quite a little of everything(loved it 70% of the time and wanted to disappear for the other 30%). My main tasks were Quality Assurance and Establishment Registration. I caught on really fast blah blah. And you know that thing where they give you more work because you are efficient....but in your mind you are like

I should definitely write on my National Service experience. Interesting 365 days of my life.

Soooooo back to this, I had been tasked with "figuring out" if staff were reaching weekly targets of Establishment Registrations. Where is the data? Here!

Yeah Yeah I'm exaggerating. They were not exactly flying - but it really was a disorganised stack of papers containing the data. I'm a hard worker, but I really do not like hard work if I could choose smart work. You know what I'm saying? I'd rather work hard at working smart than just working hard with no direction. You know? Yeah you know.

I got to work with my army(my first batch of interns that I was in charge of ), delegated, taught basic Excel because I was definitely not gonna do that ENTIRE data entry by myself. Dedicated my weekend to analysing and visualizing it and conclusion? my boss loved it! Now every week, he could just open Excel right before the weekly meetings and know who was doing well and who was lagging behind. Whew! Proud moment

THE JOURNEY

So that's how I knew I had a thing for Data Analysis(I had done some research into what Excel could be used for and then I stumbled on the "Data Analysis" term). After my service, I was on an application spree. I came by a training for Business Graphic Designer at Fairpointers( you should definitely check them out). If you've ever seen me create a PowerPoint really beautifully, it's thanks to them. At the time I was not sure what PowerPoint had to do with Data Analysis and why I was even bothering - butttt I finished it and I thank myself for that! Visualisation is a big deal in Analytics!!!!!

Around the same time, one of my superiors from where I did my national service called me and presented me an opportunity to teach Excel. Well hello money!!! I started gathering materials immediately.

BREAKTIME

But at this point, most people I finished service with were doing "actual" work and earning "actual" salaries and I was here....what even is this Data Analytics thingy???I didn't have any direction, plan, information...I was basically just dreaming. So I just put it somewhere at the back of my mind to pursue it later because...I was just done.

LET'S DO THIS

This is becoming so long so let me end here. Fastforward, I actually know what I want now(do I??), I still really do love analytics, I've taken tons of courses on data analytics, I have "stalked" connections on LinkedIn and made friends out of some of them(it's strategic but don't tell them) and now, I'm concentrating on documenting this journey, helping others get started and mostly, projects, projects, projects! So keep an eye out!