Being from a non-technical background should not discourage you from fulfilling your career goals. Read further to know more about Mohammed Shahbaz’ journey with Great Learning’s PGP Data Science and Engineering course.
Tell us about your professional background.
I graduated in Business Management with a specialisation in Finance. I have worked at Hewlett Packard Enterprise as a Senior Financial Associate for 2 years. I am currently working at Cerner Solutions.
Why Great Learning?
Although I am from a non-technical background, I was introduced to Analytics in the early days of my career. We belong to a generation that is highly exposed to technology and generates large amounts of data daily. Organisations need to analyse this data and make smart business decisions. I understood the importance of data and how data-driven decisions are necessary in solving business problems. As I had no experience in programming, I thought that this would be a big challenge. I was looking for a platform where I can learn, grow, and create a career opportunity in the field of Analytics. This is when I came across Great Learning and enrolled for the PGP- DSE course.
How was your experience with PGP- DSE?
My experience was amazing and extremely enriching! The faculty are highly skilled and have in-depth knowledge about the course topics. The initial classes were easy and then the real challenge began. Topics such as Python, SQL, visualization, statistics were taught from the basics. The Great Learning team was very cooperative and provided extra classes and study materials whenever required. We had exams every two weeks, and every time a course was completed. This helped us remember all the concepts precisely.
Was the capstone project helpful?
According to me, the best part of the program was the Capstone Project. The capstone project was designed to solve real-time industry related business problems. We worked as a team to solve various challenges and understood the work cycle of Data Science in the industry. After course completion, we had our final exams and then the placement boot camp classes were conducted to prepare us for upcoming job interviews.
How was your experience with the placements team?
The placement team was an important part of the program. The top Analytics companies participated in the Campus drive. The selection process is different for most of the companies, and the placement team made sure that we were prepared. I was shortlisted for many companies but was not able to answer some of the interviews due to a lack of confidence. The placement team made sure to provide all the support required. They helped me boost my confidence and assisted me throughout my journey.
After 2 months of hard work and patience, I got an offer from Cerner Solutions, a leading Analytics Company, as a Senior Data Analyst with more than 200% salary hike. The questions asked in the technical interviews were related to programming languages, visualization, and case studies.
Advice to future PGP- DSE aspirants?
I would recommend everyone to pursue the DSE course because of the quality of the teaching, knowledge sharing, and all the placement support. I would especially encourage people from a “Non-Technical Background” who dream of having a career in the field of Analytics. It is the best course to pursue in Data Science Engineering. It requires hard work, patience, and constant determination to achieve your dreams. Trust me, if I can do it, then so can you. Good luck!
For more such success stories, watch this space.
