In the age of information, the internet today has made it easy for all to gain information whenever and wherever they need it. Every organization is dependent on data to formulate enhanced strategies for future growth. However, for them to succeed in this digital world, they need to create a knowledge-based society by studying the current trends.
The sudden outburst of data in the last decade is transforming businesses. Companies - big or small - are basing their business decisions on data-led insight. And data specialists have a tremendous role in designing business strategies and marketing tactics. While the demand for data specialists is on the rise, the supply remains low. This has led to the creation of great job opportunities for individuals within this field. Data analysts are an essential part of major organizations today, and experts are increasingly concerned about the rising talent gap within the field.
Data Analytics Certification
Whether you are an entry-level professional just getting started or are already an established employee in a top corporation, obtaining a certification in data analytics is likely to help you reach your professional goals. Data analytics is all about employing data-driven insights to make the right decisions. By collecting, cleaning, and analyzing data, data analysts assist in finding the most strategic and optimal course of action to achieve a specific organizational goal. Due to this, many aspiring and established professionals in data analytics often wonder which certification to choose to achieve their career objectives. In this post, we will throw light on the perks of becoming a certified data analyst and deep dive into some of the best data analytics courses and programs available in the market today.
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Benefits of Data Analytics Certification
Today, data analytics is not just an attractive profile name; it is emerging as a new trend offering employees advantages in terms of career as well as salary benefits. Whether you are looking to take the very first steps into the field or to hone your skill set and advance on a career path as a data analyst or data scientist, this list will help you make an informed decision on how to do it. Let's explore some of the significant reasons why you should consider applying for a data analytics certification are:
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Plethora of job opportunities
An evolving and growing field, data analytics offers a plethora of opportunities. With the sector growing rapidly, many organizations are making data analysis a core part of their business functioning. If an applicant has a certification, they are at the advantage of standing out from the competition and gaining an opportunity to work with top corporations. Many industries that rely on data offer significant career opportunities, including:
- Marketing & Sales
- Business Intelligence
- Finance
- Data Assurance & Quality
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Perfect freelancing opportunities
Data analytics is the right prospect to become a well-paid consultant for some major firms globally. As the job is mainly IT based, it can be done anywhere in the world with a good internet connection. This offers the individual the perfect opportunity to broaden their sources of income and provide themselves with a good work-life balance.
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The rising demand for skilled professionals
While there are considerable opportunities for applicants in data analysis, the number of skilled professionals is not enough to meet the expectations. This is why, if an individual has a certification, they can be considered among the elite skilled professionals and stand at the top during any interviews.
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Salary growth
The salary growth for certified data analysts is higher than for non-certified ones. A recent survey highlighted that almost 67% of recruiters prefer certified candidates with certification in data analytics and are willing to pay higher. The applicant can also expect better career growth.
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Best Data Analytics Certifications Programs to Explore This Year
With the growth of information, data is playing a vital component in business growth across all industries. This has led to a rise in demand for skilled professionals in the area, making it a great career option ahead. Considering the current industry trends, there has never been a better time to add a certification in data analytics to your skill set.
And if you are thinking of investing in a data analytics certification, it is important to be aware of the plausible options that are really worth it in 2023 and 2024. If you have been asking the same questions yourself, we will help you find the right certification from our popular analytic data certifications list. So, what are some of the best data analytics certification programs to consider?
Best Data Analytics Certificate Programs:
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Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate
The Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate is a flexible online program that offers a comprehensive introduction to data analytics in a span of six months. Designed for beginners with no prior experience in the domain, the data analytics course guides students on how to clean, visualize, and analyze data and how to use spreadsheets, SQL, and R programming. The certification does not mandate any prior experience, knowledge, or training.
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Harvard University Business Analytics Course
Whether you are a college student, a graduate preparing to enter the corporate world, or a mid-career professional looking to develop a greater data-driven mindset, the Harvard University Business Analytics Course is a comprehensive course in data analytics that helps strengthen your analytical skills. This introductory course is ideal for individuals looking to learn the fundamentals of data analytics. Offered online mode, the course is a good option if you want to gain a heightened understanding of data analytics without investing too much time and money. The course content is delivered via the Harvard Business School platform. The course is split into five modules, where every module offers a step-by-step guide, starting from the simple summarization of data and progressing to more complex concepts. The course lasts eight weeks, with around 40 study hours.
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AWS Certified Data Analytics
The AWS Data Analytics certification tests the holder's ability to design, build, and maintain analytic solutions by employing Amazon web services (AWS). Designed for industry professionals with five years of work experience, this certification is best suited to established early-career professionals who understand how to implement cloud initiatives and use AWS data lakes to gain insights from data.
To complete the certification, the learner is required to pass Amazon's DAS-01 certification exam. The exam consists of 65 questions spread between two multiple-choice and multiple-response sections. Amazon recommends that exam takers should have five years of experience with data analytics technologies as well as two years of hands-on experience with Amazon web services to clear the exam with excellence.
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Wharton Business Analytics Online Certificate Program
The Wharton Business Analytics Program is an online certification ideal for managers and leaders looking to learn how data analytics can help enhance their decision-making processes. The data analytics course includes nine modules that take the learner through the diverse types of data analysis and key methods and tools. The course content is delivered via video and live online lectures. The individual has to also work on assignments and receive feedback. Spread over three months, the course taker needs to dedicate between six and eight hours per week.
If you are someone looking to excel in your current organizational role and lead the team to success, the certification offers a flexible and low-intensity way to understand the fundamentals of data analytics for business.
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MIT Sloan School of Management - Applied Business Analytics Certificate
The MIT Sloan course is specifically designed to appeal to non-technical professionals who are looking to venture into data analytics and learn how to apply data analytics to the business. Offered entirely online, the course mandates around four to six hours per week. It offers a highly flexible option if the learner is working full-time. This is also one of the more accessible data analytics courses on the market in terms of pricing. The curriculum is designed on a series of case studies that present how organizations use data analytics to their advantage. It offers to learn through interactive discussions, hands-on exercises, and optional code snippets for R and Python. The course takes around six weeks to complete and mandates four and six hours of study per week.
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IBM Data Analyst Professional Certificate
The IBM Data Analyst Professional Certificate is a flexible course on data analytics offered online that prepares course takers without experience for entry-level data analyst positions. Through eight courses spanned about 11 months, the course assists the learners in developing a working knowledge of Python, SQL, Excel, and IBM Cogno analytics, along with other programs.
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Wrapping Up - Data Analytics Certification Programs
With the demand for data analytics professionals increasing dramatically, taking up data analytics courses is becoming ideal for employees across all levels of expertise.
Professional certification in data analytics serves as proof of expertise for current and future employers. But to hone your analytic skills, it is crucial to choose a course that is ideal and work in conjunction with the industry and market requirements. While Google's Data Analytics certification is designed to prepare course takers without prior experience or specialized degrees for entry-level positions, Amazon Web Services AWS Specialization prepares the course takers to apply key AWS services to different professional use cases.
Summary - Data Analytics Certificate Programs
Today data analytics is creating a significant place in most companies, and many employees feel the lack of decision-making power causes job dissatisfaction. However, that is not the case for data analytics professionals. With a unique role within the company, data analysts are set to play a vital part in business policies and future strategies, thereby making it a very rewarding career.
About SG Analytics
With a presence in New York, San Francisco, Austin, Seattle, Toronto, London, Zurich, Pune, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, SG Analytics, a pioneer in Research and Analytics, offers tailor-made services to enterprises worldwide.
SG Analytics - Global Insights & Analytics Company focuses on leveraging data management & analytics, and data science to help businesses discover new insights and build strategies for business growth. Contact us today if you are looking to make critical data-driven decisions to prompt accelerated growth and breakthrough performance.
