Now that I have settled in to The Data School, I want to use this blog post as a chance to document what my goals and expectations are at this point. (Hopefully I’ll come back to this later and see how it’s gone)

So what do I want out of The Data School?

1) Expertise in Tableau and Alteryx

This part should be a no-brainer. Tableau and Alteryx are the main tools used by The Information Lab, so everyone going through The Data School should come out with industry leading skills in these software.
I’ve already taken the dip with getting my first certification in Tableau, so I expect The Data School to continue pushing me to achieve more, perhaps the Certified Professional in Tableau?

2) Growing in confidence

Today is my 7th day at The Data School, and already I look back on the first and notice how different I am, and how much I have come out of my shell. There is a growing confidence in me when interacting with not just colleagues but also when presenting. I’ve never considered myself a natural speaker, but The Data School provides the perfect space to help build up and grow that confidence.

3) Giving back to the community

My journey to getting into DS14 consisted mostly of these community projects such as Makeover Monday, and Workout Wednesday. There is an active community online that give out helpful feedback and support, and will be there if you call for help. So throughout my time here (and outside) I want to give back. These blog posts will also let me build guides/advice that the community can access.

4) Making friends

What I really mean by this is ‘Networking’. There are a lot of opportunities to network at The Information Lab. The alumnus of Data Schoolers are quickly growing, and more people join each year. Most people at the end of the scheme will move on and branch out into a magnitude of different sectors and industries, so networking with them will be beneficial down the road.
But it doesn’t feel like being at a corporate event and handing out business cards. So far everyone here has been really friendly, so I’ve classified this as ‘making friends’. I hope that my friendship circles here will grow large.