How to upskill in the data industry

How are the latest trends increasing demand for Data Scientists?

February 9th, 2023

The information management and data industry is ever-changing and it can sometimes feel like it is hard to keep up with the latest news and trends. Keeping your skills up to date is key to continue to move in the industry and can help you move up the career ladder.

My colleague Mike recently wrote about how to get into the data industry but once in it how can you make sure you are constantly refreshing and updating your skill set? The answer to me sounds pretty simple, continue to learn and keep challenging yourself.

There are many ways for you to keep your skills updated in our industry, whether this is through taking courses, reading relevant books, blogs and news and even through networking.

Courses

Courses are great way for you to learn new skills; many courses nowadays can be taken online so you can do this in your own time. Whether you want to learn something niche and new or broaden your knowledge courses are the way to go. Looking for local courses near to you are also a great way to keep your skills relevant and fresh as you can meet similar people in your industry and can learn new ideas from each other. Attending local higher education colleges can also be great route into learning new skills.

Read

Reading relevant books, blogs and news can be an even easier way to stay up to date. While books can really give you an in depth view on a specific topic, news sites and blogs can give you a quick up-to-date view of the data world today. And if you’re not keen on reading podcasts are another great way for you to understand and find out the latest trends.

Social media can also be a great way for you to keep well-read in the industry. Joining LinkedIn groups and searching for specific Twitter hashtags can be a great way to ‘meet’ other people and can allow you to express opinions and learn from others.

Network

Networking may not seem like a great way to upskill but they can be a great way to meet other professionals and thought leaders and gain a wider view on any given topic. There are plenty of data events and conferences across the world, some covering the wider topics of big data and analytics and some a lot more niche, focusing on MDM for example.

Whether you are a seasoned pro in our sector or brand new to the world of data, there are always going to be methods and resources to help you upskill, whether they are free or paid for courses, old school books and new – or immersing yourself into the industry by networking at different events and conferences where you will be guaranteed to learn a lot.