Curriculum Spotlight: Data Analytics at DigitalCrafts

Many companies today are building teams to understand data and create data-driven strategies. The Data Analytics Bootcamp at DigitalCrafts was crafted with total beginners in mind to teach the technical skills needed to pursue a career path in Data. DigitalCrafts instructor Michael Costner has applied his decade of data industry experience to create a curriculum focused on current data analytics trends. Find out why this Data Analytics bootcamp includes Python in the curriculum, plus how to get a primer in data analytics through DigitalCrafts free Bootcamp Intro Courses!

Meet the Instructor: Michael Costner, Data Analytics Instructor at DigitalCrafts

• Michael developed the curriculum for DigitalCrafts’ Digital Analytics course and will be lead instructor for the bootcamp.
• Michael started his professional career nearly 10 years ago working in engineering & data analytics at Walt Disney World. Since then, he has held several technical and managerial roles across a wide range of companies, from sports technology startups to big 4 consulting. In his time with DigitalCrafts, Michael has led several trainings focused on analytics tools like Python, SQL, and Power BI. 
• A lifelong learner, Michael has earned a BS in Industrial Engineering from Georgia Tech, an MS in Data Analytics from Georgia State, and is constantly working on other technical certifications. Michael was born and raised in Atlanta, GA and is proud to still call the city home. 

Why did DigitalCrafts decide to offer a Data Analytics bootcamp?

Looking around the world we live in, data is everywhere! Data is used in just about every decision made in small and large businesses — in healthcare, supply chain, professional sports teams, entertainment, and more. Industries and businesses of all sizes are using data to make decisions. And because of the amount of data available, data analytics has been on an upward trajectory for the past several decades.

Why is data analytics a good career path in 2022?

Because of the ease of access to use and leverage data, the barriers to entry for data analytics are much lower now than they have been previously. There's so much data being acquired and there are so many companies that need to use that data, but there is such a shortage of skilled individuals who can intelligently provide insights these days. This makes it a great time to pursue this career path.

Do you need to know how to code to get into data analytics?

Knowing how to code is not necessary to launch a career in data analytics, but it’s extremely helpful. There are data analytics tools that don’t require any coding knowledge at all, but there is a ceiling to what you can accomplish without coding. An understanding of Python and other languages based on the overarching concepts can also help you get better at Excel and other drag-and-drop tools for creating visualizations, charts, and graphs. 

What can students expect to learn in the Data Analytics Bootcamp at DigitalCrafts?

All sorts of good stuff! We get the hard part over with at the beginning with an intro to the laws of probability and statistics, and then we start to teach how to program. We jump into the basics of Python and things like loops, conditionals, and how to define your own functions.

We explore more data-specific usage of Python, and cover different types of data visualization techniques and business intelligence development. The curriculum goes through a lot of SQL, which is used to gather data from relational databases. 

After our SQL unit, we go into machine learning. We talk about different types of machine learning, different applications, the do’s and don'ts, why machine learning projects may fail and why some succeed, etc! We give our students the tools and examples they need to intelligently talk about and apply it in the real world.

Is the teaching style in the data analytics bootcamp different from the Web Development bootcamp? Does it have to be taught differently?

We teach our Data Analytics bootcamp differently than how we teach our Web Development bootcamp. There will be some project work and a lot of hands-on labs and exercises, but unlike the Web Development bootcamp, we're not building an individual application over the course of the entire bootcamp. We cover about seven different topics, and each of those topics will have a final assessment to make sure a student understands what we're trying to teach.

Is the Data Analytics Bootcamp appropriate for data beginners?

DigitalCrafts assumes our incoming students have no knowledge of anything data-related because we are teaching from ground zero. We're assuming no prior knowledge, so that gives us the ability to cater to any incoming students. 

That said, the more experience a student has, the more they may be able to get from this bootcamp. We're hoping our incoming students will have used Excel and they're comfortable with using some functions and putting numbers into a spreadsheet. If students haven't done that, we use spreadsheets in the very first module of Probability & Statistics, so hopefully that gives a taste for how Excel works and how to manipulate data in Excel. 

What can Data Analytics bootcamp applicants expect from the admissions process? Is it the admissions process any different for Data Analytics applicants?

The admission for the Data Analytics bootcamp follows the standard process for DigitalCrafts and includes an online application and an informal admissions interview. Students will chat with an enrollment coordinator to determine whether or not a DigitalCrafts bootcamp may be a good fit for their educational needs. The whole process can be finished in a day, and admissions decisions are typically sent the same day or soon after that.

Is there an interview or assessment to get accepted into the data analytics bootcamp?

No initial assessment is required outside of the informal interview.

Is there pre-work for the bootcamp?

We do offer a free Data Analytics Bootcamp Intro Course that’s designed to provide high-level review of some of the bootcamp topics, like Python and Excel concepts. 

What types of data/tech roles does this bootcamp help prepare students for? 

Depending on experience, we expect graduates to qualify for most-entry level roles. If they have previous experience, some students may be eligible for mid- or senior-level roles. 

Specific job titles graduates may choose to pursue include: 

• Data Analyst
• Business Intelligence Analyst
• Systems Analyst

What kinds of salaries can data analytics students expect after graduation?

The median annual salary for management analysts in the U.S. was $93,000 in 2021* with employment of data science-related fields projected to grow 31% from 2020-2030.**

*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Management Analysts (found here, visited August 8, 2022). Data represents national figures and is not based on school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary.

**Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment Projections - Fastest growing occupations, Data scientists and mathematical science occupations, all others (found here, visited August 8, 2022). Data represents national figures and is not based on school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary.

What kinds of career support can data analytics students expect?

The DigitalCrafts Student Success Team strives to provide top-tier support to graduates. To aid in the job search, students receive access to quality resources, resume and interview tips, and leads on open roles within our employer network. Students can also expect career-focused days to review their online presence and access to virtual career fairs held a few times per year.

Who are the instructors for the bootcamp? Are they data professionals?

Michael Costner is the main instructor for the Data Analytics bootcamp. He has a decade of industry experience, from mega companies like PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and Walt Disney World, to small technology startups. According to Michael, “No one can say they've seen everything just because the field is so vast, but I have fortunately been exposed to a lot in my career thus far.”

For our readers who are beginners, what online resources or meetups do you recommend for aspiring data professionals?

In addition to the free Data Analytics Bootcamp Intro Course offered by DigitalCrafts, there is all sorts of great free content online for data analytics. Towards Data Science is a great resource for general “how-to” tutorials along with entry-level articles and other in-depth data science stuff. Kaggle also provides several beginner friendly tutorials including Intro to Python, Intro to Pandas, and Data Visualizations.

We asked Michael what his advice is for students embarking on a data analytics bootcamp like this — Any tips for getting the most out of it especially if they are trying to change their careers?

“If you're coming from a non-technical background and if you don't have a ton of experience with Excel or any sort of math or logic programming-based background, this bootcamp will be challenging, so here is my advice:

• Be persistent, be diligent, work hard, do all the practice exercises, read any sort of supplemental material you can, and watch YouTube videos. 
• Don't be upset if you create a function in your program and it fails and you get an error. 
• Don't be upset if you try to do a math problem and the result is wrong. It happens — that's part of the process.
• Keep your head down, try hard, and keep a positive attitude. I've been in my students’ shoes before and I'll be there for support the entire way through.”

Find out more and read DigitalCrafts reviews on Course Report. This article was produced by the Course Report team in partnership with DigitalCrafts.