What’s Included in Practicum’s Data Analytics Bootcamp?

Data analysts transform raw data into useful information, create predictions to support data-driven decisions, uncover and illustrate trends and studies, and gain insights across industries.

Data analytics is one of the most in-demand roles in the world. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, analyst job vacancies are predicted to increase by 23% between 2021 and 2031.

Maybe you’ve heard about all the benefits data analytics has to offer, and are looking for the best bootcamps and programs to help you dive into the field. If so, we will walk you through the Practicum Data Analytics bootcamp to help you decide.

Practicum’s goal: To help you become a data analyst with 10+ projects in your portfolio, a thorough knowledge of business analytics and A/B testing, and a median salary of $65,500 after seven months of part-time studies. 

Is data analytics for me?

Do you naturally keep numbers in order? Do you enjoy planning the family budget, remembering values quickly, being organized, and taking charge of procedures and outcomes? Well, what if these natural gifts could help you thrive in a new profession? 

If you are a strategic thinker, patient with numbers, and a natural storyteller with a passion for visuals, then data analytics is for you. And as companies recognize the need for data analytics, the field continues to grow in popularity, demand, and value. 

Even if math wasn't your best subject in school or you don't have a technical background, there’s still a place for you in data analytics. In fact, data analytics is one of the professions with the lowest entry barrier in tech, which makes it affordable to learn and easy to get a job right after graduating. 

Once you master data analytics, there’s plenty of directions to grow from there. Starting as a data analyst, you can either shape your profile for business analytics or progress to data science and machine learning. 

How is the Practicum Data Analytics bootcamp structured?

Practicum’s bootcamp was created to help you understand the fundamentals of data analytics within the first weeks of studying and build projects that will eventually enrich your portfolio. 

The program runs in 2-week sprints, allowing you to grasp the curriculum at your desired pace and prepare for the project by the end of each module. If you manage everything quickly, you can even take days off in between.‍

Course duration: 5 modules divided into 11 sprints, with a total duration of 480 hours (or 24 weeks).
Final project: Up to 40 hours and a total of 2 weeks.

The learning is self-paced, so you can spend as much time as you need on a certain topic. However, you will still have deadlines to help you stay committed and focused.

From the very first day, you will learn how data analysis works. You will discover how to gather and structure data in clean spreadsheets using existing information from real-life businesses.

After one and a half months, you will master SQL and spreadsheets. The SQL module will introduce you to the industry’s best practices for choosing and calculating the right metrics, which will soon become a source for your informed insights.

Among the most vital features of Practicum bootcamps are the instant feedback you receive through the study platform and the community of mentors that support you on your journey. 

After two and a half months, you’ll be able to build interactive graphs in Tableau and develop compelling stories for your analytics presentations. This includes creating Tableau dashboards and choosing the right visualizations to support your findings.

Later, you will start the Career Prep program, which will help you create a vivid resume, write a cover letter, and improve your networking and interview skills. 

Gradually, you will start coding in Python, and after just three and a half months of the program, you will learn how Python libraries help data analysts execute their tasks. You will also get an introduction to data processing and exploratory analysis. You’ll then learn how to set your dev environment and use the command line to work with GitHub, which is essential for working on projects with many developers.

Starting from month five, you will focus on building your GitHub portfolio, which recruiters will see during your job search.

After five months, the most important libraries like Matplotlib, Pandas, and Plotly will empower you to clean data from messy sources and build dashboards for reporting. You will master the art of funnels and metrics, learn how to work with cohorts of clients, and detect the groups that bring the most value to a business.

After six months, you will be fluent in data science and machine learning fundamentals. As you gain experience in A/B testing by building predictive models and working with hypotheses, you will start exploring the advantages of machine learning in data analysis. An introductory module to Scikit-learn will help you build classification and regression algorithms to make your program learn as you feed it data.

The final project will focus on applying your data analytics skills in a work environment. You are given a specific task and a deadline to create and present a project using all knowledge you gained during your studies.

How will we support your new career?

Practicum provides extensive support to students in their pursuit of a new job. The Career Prep course focuses on helping you build a convincing resume, write polite and attractive cover letters, and use the power of networking to land your dream job in data analytics.

In the final weeks of your studies, you can participate in an externship that allows you to work on a real-life project that can be added to your portfolio. The externship is exclusively offered by Practicum, so you’ll still be guided by a group of professionals. However, you’ll be asked to work with actual data and create presentations to “stakeholders.” With this real-life externship experience, you’ll feel confident taking on tasks in your next job.

If you still haven’t landed a job by graduation, the Career Acceleration program is there to support you in your job search. The Career Acceleration for data analytics is available to all US-based students and provides 1:1 career coaching as you apply for jobs. The career coach helps our graduates build an effective job search strategy and application funnel. They also hold regular sessions with students to ensure their progress. Moreover, our team of experts conducts practice interviews with participants to help them prepare for an actual interview with a company. With the help of the Career Team, you’ll learn how to highlight your strengths in interviews and work on your weaker points.

Why should I choose the Practicum Data Analytics bootcamp?

To learn the necessary technical skills

Technical skills are a must-have for a data analyst. Luckily, Practicum’s curriculum has built-in practice, allowing you to see the results of your efforts as you go, adding to your motivation.

"It was like playing with Legos and building things up. The most motivating part was the feeling of accomplishment when I finished something, it worked and did what I wanted it to do. Even if it took hours," recalls Pedro Giestas Gomes, a Practicum graduate and data analyst for a social media company.

To improve soft skills

Storytelling and persuasiveness are among the most sought-after skills for a data analyst. At Practicum, we pay a lot of attention to developing your soft skills to help you succeed in your future work. The Career Acceleration track provides career coaching support, leads you through mock interviews, and emphasizes your value and professional self-esteem.

"That’s why I highly recommend that part of the program too!” says Practicum grad Xia Cui, now a data analyst for Capgemini. “Having a strong resume is one thing, but being able to perform during an interview is another."

To develop a large and diverse project portfolio

Everything you do during a Practicum bootcamp provides a foundation for your job search portfolio. Visuals and dashboards are vital for data analysts, which is why we focus on creating a portfolio of projects that you can present to recruiters.

It worked out well for Atajan Adbyyev, who landed a data analytics job, "I showed them the dashboard I did for one of my Practicum projects, and they liked it a lot."

Start your new career as a data analyst with Practicum. Get the skills and experience to advance and secure a future in one of the most competitive fields in tech.