I have a master’s degree in commerce and 7+ years of experience in the service industry. In 2010, I decided to take a break to raise my child, which ended up being quite a big break for me. Every time I wanted to get back to work, something on the personal front would come up, due to which I would end up prioritizing and pushing my plans back. It’s difficult to get into a new domain, especially post a break, and this becomes even more difficult for a woman because the reasons for taking a break are not considered important by corporates. It took me a lot of time, energy, and focus to make up my mind and getting back to work, especially in a domain in which I had no work experience.
My journey in Data Science started in 2015 when I enrolled for a Post Graduate Diploma in Applied Statistics through IGNOU and also started taking up small freelancing projects. During this time, I was on the lookout for full-time programs where I could meet like-minded people, have interactions and increase my network. I took up the Post Graduate Program in Data Science and Business Analytics in 2020 at Great Learning, which has almost come to an end, with a couple of assignments due. I opted for the residency in classroom teaching, but due to the pandemic, our batch was able to attend only a few classroom sessions.
We had online classes post this, which, frankly speaking, I was very apprehensive about at the beginning. However, Great Learning made sure the experience was just as great and enjoyable. We have had some amazing teachers like Prof. Raghavshyam Ramamurthy and Prof. Gurumoorthy Pattabiraman, who went out of their way to make sure all queries were answered and cleared, despite time constraints during the online zoom sessions. The capstone project was one of the most memorable parts of the entire learning process, where we were mentored by Srinivasan Ananthraman and had the chance to look at massive datasets and work on them. Srinivasan Sir was kind enough to guide us through the entire journey.
Data Science was and is picking up pace, and I was lucky to get a break in an organization that values diversity and inclusion. I got placed at Fidelity Investments in July 2021, which gave wings to my Data Science dreams, and I moved into a full-time lead role with them in Chennai. The journey so far has been nothing less than overwhelming and rewarding. I have nothing but gratitude for all the changes I experienced in life. I’ve met amazing people who have become very good friends, teachers who have been excellent guides, and to date, I do not hesitate to call and get my doubts and queries cleared because that is the level of comfort I have had.
Thank you, Great Learning, for being the catalyst in my professional journey.
