Erik Kristofer Anderson Associate Data Engineer • Graduate • Data Science Bootcamp • Chicago
Apr 18, 2020
I attended the 2020 winter cohort of the Metis Data Science Bootcamp.
Short version: Excellent!
Medium version: Excellent but be prepared.
Long version:
12 weeks of training for a data science job. Is this possible?
Yes, kind of. I acquired a data engineer position 3 weeks out from the bootcamp, and I know of at least two cohort-mates who are now employed, one as a data scientist and one as a data analyst. So, with a sample size of three, it's absolutely possib...
I attended the 2020 winter cohort of the Metis Data Science Bootcamp.
Short version: Excellent!
Medium version: Excellent but be prepared.
Long version:
12 weeks of training for a data science job. Is this possible?
Yes, kind of. I acquired a data engineer position 3 weeks out from the bootcamp, and I know of at least two cohort-mates who are now employed, one as a data scientist and one as a data analyst. So, with a sample size of three, it's absolutely possible.
I certainly learned a ton in my 12 weeks at Metis. However, I relied on things I'd learned before the bootcamp to make the training optimally effective. In my case, that was a master's in chemistry from years ago, and a 4-month computer science certificate at Loyola University Chicago right before the bootcamp.
Obviously, I won't say you need this exactly, but you do need a certain level of math knowledge and programming ability to keep up. And the more you know in these areas, the more effective the bootcamp will be for you.
I don't believe it matters where you get that knowledge. Free MOOCs are a good place to start.
It's worth noting that the rigorous application process selects for people who have, in Metis' view, enough knowledge and skill to pass the program and get a data science job. And I think their view is accurate. Still, I believe you increase your chances of being hired quickly if you know more going into the bootcamp.
The career support is excellent, just be aware that the careers team is more responsive on an individual basis after you graduate. This isn't a bad thing - you'll be busy during the bootcamp and won't be putting your full attention to the job search until after you graduate - but I wish it had been made clear from the start. I have left that feedback with the bootcamp, so I expect there will be more clarity about that in the future.
And I'll reiterate that, although the careers advisor was sometimes slow and inconsistent to respond during the bootcamp, they were 100% responsive and super helpful after I graduated - that's why I choose to give 5 stars for job report, despite that caveat.
The project-based nature of the curriculum is an excellent feature. It's where the rubber hits the road and you learn to use the tools in what is as close as possible to a professional environment. You will come out of the bootcamp feeling comfortable with the standard data science toolkit. And, when it comes to learning Git, there's nothing more instructive than surviving a few Git trainwrecks. (It's a long story - contact me if you're curious).
Given the current situation (for people from the future, we're in the COVID-19 epidemic), I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that the bootcamp was required to go remote for the past two weeks of my cohort. Luckily, the Chicago branch of Metis had launched an online program at the start of January 2020, so they had ironed out all the kinks by the time the size of their online cohort tripled in week 10 of the bootcamp.
I mention this because Metis will be remote for a while at least, but I'm confident that it won't hamper them from giving an excellent experience and education.
If you'd like to ask any questions about Metis or resources to prepare for Metis, please feel free to reach out with a connection request on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekand/