Data analysis is one of the most in-demand and fastest-growing careers in the modern business world. As organizations continue to generate and collect vast amounts of data, the need for data analysts who can interpret, manipulate, and present that data in a meaningful way has skyrocketed. If you’re interested in becoming a data analyst, this roadmap will guide you through the skills, tools, and knowledge you need to build a successful career in this field.
Develop a Strong Foundation in Math and Statistics
The first step to becoming a data analyst is to build a strong foundation in math and statistics. These skills are essential for understanding the core concepts and techniques used in data analysis. Courses in calculus, linear algebra, probability theory, and statistics will give you a solid understanding of the mathematical concepts that underpin data analysis.For statistics, we recommend the following courses:- Basic Statistics
- Inferential Statistics
- Probability and Statistics: To p or not to p?
- Introduction to Statistics in Python
- Statistics for Data Science with Python
Learn to Code
The next step is to learn to code. Data analysts typically use programming languages such as Python, R, and SQL to collect, clean, and manipulate data. Familiarity with these languages is essential for working with data in a meaningful way. Python and R are particularly popular in data analysis, as they have powerful libraries and tools for data manipulation, visualization, and statistical analysis.We Recommend the following courses if you are new to programming:- Python Programming Essentials
- Programming for Everybody (Getting Started with Python)
- Programming in Python
- Exploratory Data Analysis With Python and Pandas
- Python and Pandas for Data Engineering
- Using Python as a Data Analyst
Learn Data Visualization
Data visualization is the art of presenting data in a visually appealing and informative way. It’s an essential skill for any data analyst, as it helps to communicate insights and findings to stakeholders. Tools such as Tableau and Power BI are commonly used in data visualization.We recommend the following courses to build strong visualization knowledge- Data Visualization using dplyr and ggplot2 in R( If you like R)
- Data Visualization using Plotly
- Time Series Data Visualization And Analysis
- Data Visualization with Python
- Create Beautiful Data Visualizations with Python
- Data Manipulation and Management using MYSQL
- Combine Multiple Pieces of Data in SQL
- Database Design and Basic SQL in PostgreSQL
Learn Machine Learning
Machine learning is a subset of artificial intelligence that involves teaching machines to learn from data. As a data analyst, understanding the basics of machine learning is essential for identifying patterns and trends in data. Python and R both have libraries and tools for machine learning, such as scikit-learn and caret.For machine learning, we recommend the following courses:- Supervised Machine Learning: Regression and Classification
- Unsupervised Learning, Recommenders
- Machine Learning Specialization
- Advanced Learning Algorithms
- Natural Language Processing in TensorFlow
- Introduction to TensorFlow for Artificial Intelligence