Taking on a Data Science Bootcamp in 2021
Things that I liked (and didn’t like) about my bootcamp experience
Introduction
Hi folks! This post is about my personal experience with a Data Science bootcamp, specifically General Assembly’s Data Science Immersive course in Singapore. I’ll be covering several areas, including why I decided to join and several things that I liked (and didn’t like) about it.
I’ve also included some Singapore-specific additional resources below to help anyone interested in making the transition into data science.
Without further ado, read on for details on my data science bootcamp experience in 2021.
Why did I join?
Like many fresh graduates, I had no clue what I wanted to do after university. I graduated with a degree in Global Studies (BA Hons. from NUS) in 2019 and ended up working in the field of technology public relations for about a year — it made for interesting work, but I knew it wasn’t the right career for me.
In July 2020, I quit my job and focused on transitioning to a career in data analytics. I chose General Assembly’s Data Science Immersive (DSI) mainly because it was eligible for a government subsidy under the TIPP scheme. This reduced the course fees by quite a substantial amount. I also spoke to people that had taken the course previously and heard good things so far, so I decided to bite the bullet and sign up for the nearest intake in October 2020.
Was it worth it?
In a nutshell, yes — it was absolutely worth it for me. While I had already made some progress on my own before the bootcamp, having a structured environment really helped me to push myself and accomplish more than what I could have done on my own.
I feel that the portfolio I created during the bootcamp, together with the technical skills I gained, really helped give me a fighting chance in finding a job as a data analyst.
Things I liked
There were tons of things that I loved about the course. I think my batch was lucky as we got a very knowledgeable instructor who took the time to break down complicated concepts and explain them clearly and coherently. Our teaching assistants also provided crucial support for us throughout the course and were both friendly and approachable.
I really enjoyed the bootcamp because of my fellow coursemates. There’s something to be said about having a like-minded community of people to grow with and help you when you’re confused about a concept. This also translates into having a professional network after the course.
I also felt that the content of the course held up to my expectations. The course materials and notes were well written and explained most of the concepts extremely well. The instructions and requirements for our projects/labs were clear and supported our learning.
Surprisingly, the hybrid format of the bootcamp also worked out for me. Due to COVID-19, our classes had an offline-online structure, where classes were conducted in-person on campus for two days, and on Zoom for the remaining days. This allowed me to save on traveling time and gave me the chance to rest and recharge after a tiring day of lessons.
Things I didn’t like
My biggest issue with the bootcamp was actually with the projects that they gave us. The purpose of the projects is twofold — to give us a hands-on experience with real-world data and also act as portfolio pieces. However, these projects have been repeatedly shared between campuses over several years, so they’re not exactly unique.
Imagine that you’re going for an interview where the interviewer has seen the same projects (or similar iterations of the same project) from the same bootcamp again and again. Not exactly great. I really recommend putting in some extra effort to differentiate your projects from what’s already out there. From my experience, interviewers actually do take notice of this.
Unfortunately, our career coach also resigned halfway through our course. This was actually pretty disruptive as there was no replacement career coach lined up. However, this was something probably unique to my particular batch. The General Assembly team did their best to support us during that time, which is something I appreciated.
Final takeaways
If I could go back in time, I’d still pick General Assembly’s Data Science Immersive. I think I got a tremendous amount of value from the course and overall I really enjoyed the experience. I’d recommend it for anyone looking to go deeper into data analytics, or as a starting point for someone looking to break into data science.
An important caveat is that the bootcamp doesn’t necessarily guarantee you a job. You’ll have to put in the hours to internalize whatever you’re learning and demonstrate your capabilities to potential employers. On that note, I found that having a strong coding background before starting the bootcamp was extremely useful. It allowed me to dedicate more time to improving my projects (instead of worrying about nitty-gritty coding details) and do fun stuff like creating my own personal website.
Additional resources
Before ending this article, I’d like to share some Singapore-specific resources for anyone interested in transitioning to a career in data science or data analytics.
An extensive list of bootcamps that qualify under the IMDA’s Tech Immersion and Placement Programme (TIPP) can be found here.
Some other relevant programs that I’ve come across are BCG’s Rise, various SGUnited Skills Programs from NTUC, SUTD, Temasek Polytechnic, and Singapore Polytechnic. Some of these courses might have already started, but there’s a chance there might be similar courses in the future.
Lastly, I’d like to share some other articles from people who’ve been through a similar bootcamp experience:
