Why Should You Invest in a Data Analytics Course?
Heard about the increased importance of data analytics in the digital age and want to start learning data science and analytics skills? You're not alone. Learning data analytics has become increasingly popular, and will likely rise further in 2020; Data Science and Analytics skills comprised 3 out of 10 of the hard skills (specifically, analytical reasoning, artificial intelligence, and business analysis) in LinkedIn's list of most in-demand skills in 2020.
With the plethora of free online information available at your fingertips, it has never been easier to self-learn data analytics. Why, then, are there so many people choosing to invest in data analytics courses?

Motivation to Complete the Course
We've all been there - you want to pursue a passion, gain a new skill, start an exercise routine or more, but there's always something more important taking your time away. By committing monetarily, you give yourself an additional motivating factor to attend all classes: To get your money's worth. This is especially important for sections that are more theoretical and dry, or even for days when you just don't feel like doing anything. Treat it as an investment in future you!
Structured Curriculum That Lets QUICKLY You Learn The Skills You Need
As a beginner, it will be easier for you to learn data analytics through a basic course. Basic courses tend to cover basics and a broad selection of topics, making it easier for you to identify your needs and interests for further specialisation. The curriculum is also curated to give you the skills needed, ensuring that you can learn the necessary basics within a fixed amount of time. This helps you save time on finding the right material needed to learn different parts of data analytics.
Certification
The workplace has become increasingly competitive, and everyone is trying to find a way to shine from the crowd. A data analytics certificate is a great way to boost your resume as it verifies that you not only have a certain level of skill, but also have the initiative and passion to get certified. For those without prior work experience or exposure to it, a data analytics certificate is also a great way to gain eligibility for jobs in the field.
If you're planning to get certified, it is crucial to find a reputable certificate provider. In general, certification from established companies and universities are more likely to be internationally or locally recognised. If you're not sure of the credibility of a certificate, you may want to start by checking if the course is government-funded. Funded courses would have to go through stringent checks, and would thus be more credible. You can also check directly with the certificate provider!
BONUS: Face-to-face VS Online courses
Not sure if you should enrol in an online or face-to-face data analytics course? Although online courses are readily available, these are often pre-recorded videos, and you would still have to do some form of online research to answer your queries. Face-to-face data analytics courses give you the opportunity to ask questions in real-time and learn any shortcuts or best practices from your instructor. Your class can also learn from each other, be it by studying together or learning from each others' questions.
Looking for an example of a face-to-face data analytics course that awards internationally certified certificates? Check out the Wiley Certified Data Analyst course here.
Written by: Chloe Thio (Gen Infiniti Academy)