As per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for data scientists is expected to surge by 35% from 2022 to 2032, outpacing the average growth rate across all professions. This trend is also seen here at Binghamton University, where an increasing number of students are eager to acquire robust technical skills. Notably, the Digital & Data Studies (DiDa) minor is rapidly expanding, to become the largest minor on campus.
But what if you’re not enrolled in a major or minor that offers exposure to these essential technical skills critical for competitiveness in the data-driven world? Fear not! There’s a plethora of online courses available, both paid and free, that can equip you with the necessary skills to enhance your marketability, earn valuable certificates, and embellish your resume. Additionally, sharing your course completion and newfound knowledge on platforms like LinkedIn can amplify your professional network.
These courses often lead to microcredentials! As highlighted by Forbes, microcredentials encompass diverse formats and price ranges, typically comprising short courses that certify your proficiency in specific areas. They provide an avenue to further customize your education, enabling career advancement, transitions to adjacent industries, or exploration of entirely new domains. It should be noted that earning these certifications or microcredentials isn’t a replacement for a traditional degree but they can make you more marketable or help you discover a new passion!
Online Resources:
- Coursera: The goal of Coursera is to equip students with the most in-demand skills and prepare them for job success. There are many courses free to those enrolled in the SUNY system and you will receive a shareable LinkedIn certificate. You can take advantage of course offerings such as Digital Information Literacy or Blockchain Specialization.
- IBM Data Science Professional Certificate: Offered on Coursera, this program covers the fundamentals of data science, including data analysis, visualization, machine learning, and more.
- DataCamp: DataCamp specializes in data science and offers interactive courses in data analysis, visualization, and programming languages like Python and R.
- LinkedIn Learning: This platform offers a wide range of data analytics courses and tutorials taught by industry professionals. This is a paid service but individuals can get one month free!
- Codecademy: Codecademy offers interactive coding lessons, including courses on data analysis using Python and SQL.
- Google Analytics Academy: If you’re specifically interested in web analytics, Google Analytics Academy provides free online courses on using Google Analytics for data analysis.
Binghamton University Resources:
Harpur Edge Crash Courses: These Crash Courses are open to Harpur College students. A few of the offerings also include the opportunity to earn a Binghamton University Microcredential that verifies, validates, and attests to the specific skills and/or demonstrated competencies students earn. Some topics currently offered include: Excel for Data Analytics.
Fleishman Center Skills Labs: Fleishman has kicked off the Spring 2024 semester with a new program series. The skills lab is an innovative and collaborative space for students to learn and practice high-demand industry-relevant skill sets that are taught by our alumni and employer partners. These labs are open to all Binghamton University students! Our goal is to create opportunities for students to build their professional network, and develop skill sets that are imperative to their industries of interest. This semester we’ve hosted Morgan Stanley for a skills lab on ‘how to create a stock pitch’, where students learned insider tips on researching and presenting a stock pitch as a part of the interview process. Another lab was helping students to explore the use of Trello for project management. Check back to the Fleishman website for upcoming Skills Labs.
