The global big data analytics market is likely to experience significant growth to reach US$ 650 billion by 2029. This statistic proves the high demand for data analysts and data scientists in multiple industries which is growing at a faster rate than other occupations. Data is important and professionals working in the field of data are highly valued due to their capability to extract meaningful data from the raw ones.
The significance of this position makes careers in data analytics demanding and rewarding. However, entering the profession of data analytics requires students to learn the skills to know the roles and responsibilities in-depth.
So, what are the important skills for data analysts that make their role so significant? In this post, we will talk about the knowledge and capabilities required to excel in a career as a data analyst.
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What is Data Analytics?
Raw data may not be of any use to organisations. Hence, data requires to be analysed so that meaningful insights can be gathered from them. Data analytics is the process of analysing raw data and gathering important insights from them. Data Analysts are responsible for this process of collecting, processing, and analysing data to help organisations in making informed decisions.
The data analysis process is a multi-step process of getting data, exploring data, preparing data, analysing data, and presenting the finding of the data. Let’s discuss the top skill sets required to excel in the field of data analytics.
Top Skill-sets Required to Excel in Data Analytics
There are different categories of top data analytics skills required by professionals in this field. These are mainly categorised into three categories, such as;
- Technical Skills
- Soft Skills
- Advanced Skills
Technical Skills Required
1. Programming languages
Python, R, and SQL are some programming languages that are crucial in Data Analytics. These languages are used for statistical analyses to create data visualisations. They boast of a wide network of libraries that help in the analysis and manipulation of data.
2. Data Visualization
Data visualisation means telling data stories with the help of charts. Tableau, Power BI, etc. are some such tools that are widely used and allow data analysts to transform multifaceted data into easily understandable ones using visual formats.
3. Statistical Analysis
Statistical analysis is the support system of data analytics and it allows inferences from data using various methodologies. Data analysts can use statistical analysis for descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, and hypothesis testing to solve practical problems.
4. Data Cleaning
Data should be cleaned and transformed into a usable format before they are analysed. This cleaning process is called data wrangling and it involves classifying and correcting errors and converting them into easy formats.
Soft Skills Required
1. Communication Skills
Communication is a skill that helps to translate complex data into easily comprehensible insights to make it easy to understand by everyone. Data storytelling and good presentation are some effective skills of a good communicator. The key is to present the data effectively through visual and verbal forms. Besides, interpersonal skills are also important data analytics skills required by professionals in this field.
2. Problem-Solving Abilities
Analytical thinking is very important for data analysts because these professionals mostly face vague issues requiring analytical thinking. Problem-solving involves critical thinking, innovation, and analytical reasoning.
3. Attention to detail
Poor data quality is likely to cost a company millions of dollars every year. This makes it significant for companies to give attention to details to highlight the issues of data quality and improve it. This is because even a minor error in data analytics can lead to incorrect conclusions. Hence, for data cleaning, quality assurance of data, and documentation, attention to detail is important.
Advanced Skills Required
1. Machine Learning (ML)
ML is an extension of data analytics. It helps computers to learn from data and it has augmented a large portion of analytic applications. Knowing the basics will help data analysts broaden their skills in supervised learning, unsupervised learning, and natural language processing (NLP).
2. Big Data Technologies
The big data market is likely to reach US$ 103 billion by 2027 as per a report by Statista. This indicates the growing demand for big data and the increasing need to upskill one’s knowledge in this field with more recent updates. With the continued growth in volume and complexity of big data technologies, there has been a rise in new and emerging technologies in the fields of data storage, data processing, and real-time analytics.
How to Build Skill Sets for a Successful Data Analytics Career?
Acquiring vigorous skills for data analysts is a continuous journey that includes various aspects like self-study, acquiring a formal degree, and practical experiences. You may use online resources and self-paced methods to acquire skills in data analytics to kickstart your career.
You can opt for online UG programmes like BBA with a specialisation in Data Analytics or a BCA with specialisation in Data Analytics. These are 3-year online courses that help acquire essential skills to become experts in data analytics. These programmes allow a good blend of business fundamentals with cutting-edge skills to start a successful career in data analytics.
Further, for graduate students, there are online postgraduate programmes like MBA with Specialisation in Business Analytics. This 2-year MBA course allows students to understand the know-how of statistical methods and data visualisation along with other major skills that can be applied seamlessly in real-world business contexts.
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Data analysts play multifaceted roles that need them to combine technical skill sets in data analysis with advanced knowledge and soft skills. Further, data analytics is an evolving field of study and it requires professionals to stay updated with the latest skills. Mastering and staying abreast with the recent skills is important for both entry-level professionals as well as experienced ones who have spent a long time in the data analytics career.
If you feel the urge to take your career to the next level, a degree in data analytics is the best option for you. Amity Online offers some of the best data analysis courses in both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Data Analytics for students to gain hands-on experience and take their skills to the next level. Visit Amity Online today to learn more and enroll.
