It is estimated that nearly 150000 Data Science jobs will be created in India in 2020. Data Science has tremendous applications across industries, and it is emerging as one of the most popular career options.

What does it take to become a Data Scientist?

The first and most important thing needed to become a Data Scientist is education. It is essential to have a Bachelor’s degree. Approximately 85% of data scientists possess a Master’s Degree, while 45% of them possess a Ph.D. To become an expert in data science, check out our data science courses from the top institutions.

Another important aspect is the specialization or the course. For instance, 32% of data scientists have a background in mathematics and statistics, 19% in computer science, and 16% in engineering. A data science course from a recognized university or institution holds your resume higher.

Explore our Popular Data Science Online Courses

What are the required Technical Skills?

Education is a crucial requirement, but it is not the only requirement. You also need to have the right set of skills as well as a high technical aptitude.

• Statistical Modelling to understand and interpret the data sets strategically.
• Know at least one of the top programming languages like R, Hive, Python, SQL, and many more.
• Understanding of Statistics and Mathematics
• Understanding Software Engineering and Machine Learning to interpret and manage large data sets.
• Understanding Artificial Intelligence to help data science in getting solutions and results for specific problems.
• Data Visualization for graphical representation of data.

What are the Roles and Responsibilities of a Data Scientist?

You must pick an area of Data Science where you feel comfortable before finalizing or entering the field. Identify your proficiency and do your research.

Data Management 

•  The work is to organize, store, and analyze data efficiently while viewing a company’s data system.

Top Data Science Skills to Learn to upskill

Research and Analysis

•  It is the process of systematically applying logical and/or statistical techniques for evaluating data.

Refine business procedures

•  The old data is substituted with new data for more efficient business management.

Smart decision making and planning

•  Data is combined with analytics for improving decision making and planning for any business.

Generating actionable insights

•  Actionable insights are obtained by analyzing the raw data sets.

Simplifying the complex procedures

•  The complex datasets are analyzed to obtain useful data that is useful for the business.

Read: Data Scientist vs Software Developer

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Benefits of becoming a Data Scientist

The plethora of job opportunities is just one of the many aspects of choosing this field. The high-in-demand job brings the following benefits:

• Data Scientist is the person responsible for uncovering the secrets that data keeps hidden. So, organizations put a high premium on the person who helps them understand trends and customer behavior.
• Leading Global organizations like Amazon, Google, Apple, etc. are searching for Data Scientists.
• Assured employment in the future with further enhancements of technology.
• Data Science has various applications in different industries, including Consulting, Manufacturing, Healthcare, Marketing, Pharmaceuticals, Manufacturing, and many more.
• According to a survey conducted in 2011, 94% of Data Science graduates have found it a satisfying job.

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What is the Average Salary of a Data Scientist?

Harvard Business Review calls the job of Data Scientist as the “Sexiest Job of the 21st Century”. If you have a look at the average salary of any data scientist, it averages about $1,20,000 per annum.

Know more: Data Scientist Salary in India

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Wrapping up

If you are interested in learning Data Science and opt for a career in this field, check out IIIT-B & upGrad’s Executive PG Programme in Data Science which is created for working professionals and offers 10+ case studies & projects, practical hands-on workshops, mentorship with industry experts, 1-on-1 with industry mentors, 400+ hours of learning and job assistance with top firms.