There is no one way to become a Data Scientist. This profession appeared with the digitalization of the world and the use of databases to make decisions. Data Scientist profiles are now in high demand in Canada, especially in large cities.
If you are interested in becoming a Data Scientist in Canada, you are at the right place. In this article, we will explore how to become a Data Scientist and how to launch a successful career in Canada.
What's the role of a Data Scientist?
To become a Data Scientist, you must clearly understand the purpose of this position within an organization. In a world where data is everywhere and is of great value to a company, the data scientist makes it available to make important, concrete decisions.
The mountain of data available to organizations is both a gold mine and a headache: the challenge is to exploit the potential to draw the best conclusions. It is the job of the Data Scientist. This profile implements algorithms to meet the needs of the company. A Data Scientist’s missions can take different forms, such as classification, recommendations, anomaly detection, optimization or segmentation, to name a few.
The Data Scientist uses all his skills to solve complex problems. He uses programming languages such as R or Python to manipulate data and extract insights. He then works hand in hand with a Data Analyst who will do everything possible to make the data and results as readable as possible. To make statistics and trends available to everyone is the main goal of data professionals. That allows an organization to be in the best possible position to make significant decisions.
Data Scientists are sought after profiles on the Canadian job market today. The increased demand for these talents results in attractive salaries, important missions and opportunities in large companies, media or renowned agencies.
Start a Data Science Training
To become a Data Scientist, you must develop the knowledge and logic associated with this profession. The skills related to the Data Scientists missions are mainly mathematics, engineering, statistics, programming and information technology.
If you are still a student, you can go through the classical curriculum to become a Data Scientist thanks to a Master. These programs cover subjects such as statistics, mathematics, programming, database management or machine learning. Many universities in Canada have data science programs, including University of Toronto, British Columbia and McGill University. But if you are a working professional, there is another very promising solution: enroll in a Data Scientist course.
Get a recognized diploma, be supported to find jobs after the training and learn Data Science through a hybrid learning format. You have the choice of committing yourself full-time to the training through a 3-month bootcamp or continuing to work in parallel while working with a 9-month part-time program.
You learn the fundamentals of Data Science with courses in programming languages, Machine Learning, data engineering, data visualization, Business Intelligence, Deep Learning and AI. In total, more than 400 hours of learning await you, including a project over the course of the training to put knowledge into practice and add experience to your portfolio.
Learn through different projects to become a Data Scientist
Once you know all the fundamentals of Data Science and have mastered the tools, you can start applying them to concrete cases. Don’t hesitate to get involved in projects that require a variety of skills. This allows you to grow and use everything you have learned. Any project that uses Microsoft Excel and SQL to manage and query databases, create models to analyze behavior or statistics to predict trends.
You can also work on personal projects to explore new techniques and gain experience working with different data sets. Hands-on experience is critical, as you apply theoretical concepts learned in the classroom to real-world scenarios.
Don’t forget to stay up-to-date. Data Science is evolving rapidly. Thus, keep being relevant and competitive in the field by reading blogs, attending conferences online and offline, and participating in communities and forums.
Apply for Data Scientist roles
Once you complete your training, you can start applying for entry-level Data Scientist jobs. There is no shortage of opportunities in Canada. If you don’t find any entry-level jobs in your city, don’t hesitate to look at the big cities of the country like Toronto, Vancouver or Oakville. Large companies usually have their headquarters there. Discover the average Data Scientist salary in Canada here.
At DataScientest, our surveys reveal that the integrations rate (all professions combined) is 100%, only 6 months after the end of the training. This means that you will have no trouble finding a job after your training. Here are all the best industries to work in:
- Healthcare
- Big Tech companies
- Financial services & banking
- Telecom
- Media & Entertainment
- Agriculture
- Energy
- Automotive
- Insurance Industry
- Digital Marketing
- Retail
- Cybersecurity.
It is up to you to choose the companies to apply to according to your preferences and interests.
Follow your own career path
After a while, you may be tempted to transition to another job in Data. The benefit is that the industry understanding and experience makes you an expert and successful professional within many Data roles. Depending on the projects that capture your interest the most, you may move into a position in another industry or with other responsibilities.
As you move from entry-level to more senior Data Scientist position, other offers may come into your mind. Leadership and project management can become interesting at this point. Being aware of every potential future help you guide the beginning of your journey as an aspiring Data Scientist.
Become a Data Scientist in Canada in 2 lines
In order to become a data scientist in Canada, you may whether enroll in a Master Degree or follow one of the Data courses. Designed for professionals, you can take these courses full-time or part-time, depending on your schedule. After 12 weeks for the full-time program, you’ll be able to apply for jobs in several industries, depending on your interests and vision.
