Colin Jackson found an opportunity to work as a fraud prevention specialist for a fintech startup in Atlanta.
“My role was very entry-level, and I wanted more for myself, so I began shadowing the data analysts at my company. I knew I needed to learn data analytics if I wanted to grow at my organization.”
Finding the Right Data Analytics Program
Despite taking self-paced courses, Colin wanted to invest in a prestigious program to learn how to use MySQL and Tableau.
“I began looking for business and data analytics programs and found the Tableau Data Analytics Program through Pathstream, which checked all the boxes. The syllabus covered everything I needed to know, it was through a prestigious university, and it was online so that I could fit it into my schedule as a working professional.”
The Pathstream Learning Experience
“I was fortunate enough to have a work schedule that allowed me the flexibility to dedicate time to the program. The professors were constantly communicating with me. The success coaches created a plan for us to follow to stay on track, but if anything were to go wrong and I missed a deadline, Pathstream worked with me.”
Colin acknowledged the courses as challenging, yet he commended Pathstream’s program design for its capacity to nurture student success.
“For example, once you’ve gone through the lessons and started a lab, you can quickly identify your knowledge gaps and improve. Additionally, the projects forced you to apply what you learned to real-world business situations and strengthened your analytical skills.”
Getting Promoted After Completing the Program
After completing the business and data analytics program, Colin took advantage of career services to help him update his resume.
“I got promoted to the risk management department while enrolled in the business and data analytics program. But this role didn’t require me to use much of my data analytic skills. I used some SQL, and I was able to run some solid queries. Luckily, my new manager reviewed my resume and saw that I was taking data courses. Once I graduated from the program, I shared this news with my manager, who immediately changed my role. He connected me with data scientists that worked in risk management. From there, I began to run more queries, assist and run daily processes. Then I was promoted to a senior risk management role and took on ad hoc reporting. As a result, I provided more feedback and implemented changes to improve our dashboards and processes.”
The Value of Upskilling Opportunities
When we asked Colin what he thought about employers who invested in data analytics upskilling opportunities for their people, he said,
“Employers that upskill their workforces are both building more talented, efficient teams and demonstrating a commitment to the professional growth of their employees. This creates an environment in which employees across the organization are excited to put their new skills into play and find new innovative solutions.”
Colin’s professional success story highlights the value of upskilling.
“A big turning point for me was when a significant fraud incident occurred at work. One of my colleagues was less technical but noticed patterns on some accounts she encountered. So I ran a query that pulled user IDs that fit the description. This put a spotlight on me and helped me professionally.”
Applying the Skills in the New Role at Deloitte
It’s been over a year since Colin graduated, and his career has skyrocketed. He’s currently a Senior Risk Advisory Consultant for Deloitte.
“In my new role, I get to apply some of the technical skills I learned from the program. But, we’re focused on the concept of data story-telling as consultants. So I have the advantage of knowing how to translate complex data into compelling stories that drive decision-making because of the Data Analytics Certificate Program.”
Are you aware that your employer can pay for you to learn data analytics skills?
Yes, you heard that right! You can achieve the same success as our graduates and save money by looking into your employer’s education benefits program! Your employer might offer to cover the program’s total costs, tuition assistance, or tuition reimbursement. Don’t miss out on mastering data skills to level up at work!
Find out if you’re eligible today by speaking to our team.
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