On my first day at the Data School, many other Data Schoolers warned me that the time flies by at rapid speed. As expected, it feels like I have blinked, and I am already a month into the process. In this blog, I will share some reflections on tackling the challenging training whilst getting the most out of the experience.
Things that have contributed to this being a successful first month
Other than the knowledge and support of the coaches and the rest of the company, there are some basic rules we try to follow as a cohort which have helped us so far:
- Asking questions, and many of them! This is a biggie not only for those of us in training but for all of TIL. Asking questions when you are just starting out should be the easiest thing; that is naturally the time when you tend to have the biggest gaps in your knowledge. But it can be really difficult to vocalise what you may think is a 'stupid question'. This is something that as a new cohort we had to get over very quickly, and the thing that helped us do it is everyone asking their fair share of questions, no matter how nervous we felt about it. This has been really crucial in getting the most out of the training so far, especially the more technical aspects where it is really useful to zoom into some of our questions and practice finding solutions to those questions.
- Getting to know each other as a cohort. So much of our experience in the early months is shared, so getting to know each other is really important. Whilst we do have things in common, ultimately, we all have different backgrounds, skills and interests. It is helpful understanding where our strengths and interests lie, especially as we move towards client projects which rely on working together well to solve problems.
- Getting comfortable with presenting. Presenting in front of each other and others in the company has been an important part of our journey so far. This is something I knew going into the data school and was excited by the challenge. The Data School did not disappoint! Presenting my work regularly has been great for confidence, and a good starting point to presenting in front of bigger audiences in future.
- Jumping into and between data tools without fear! The training is fast paced and covers a lot of concepts, tools and techniques. This means that we have to be comfortable building knowledge and knowing how to jump between different tools, even whilst still in training. This can feel disorientating but it is also exciting, as each tool brings something different.
If this all sounds like a bit of you, join us at the next meet and greet in November, to learn more about the application process to the Data School.