The era of big data has arrived, and in the business landscape, employers are determined to make the most of an abundance of data. Several surveys indicate that businesses are investing in analytics in a big way — and although these investments encompass cutting-edge tools and technologies, they also are expected to drive many exciting job opportunities.
From business intelligence analysts to data scientists, data engineers, and more, there are numerous ways for data-driven professionals to enjoy immense job satisfaction while climbing a rapidly expanding data-centric career ladder. However, it takes considerable training to prepare for these job opportunities, and without strong technical skills (and often, business acumen), many positions will be out of reach.
This is where a business analytics certificate can prove valuable. Offering the chance to transition into data-driven fields, this program provides in-depth exposure to critical concepts. Not sure if this program is right for you? Below, we delve into this opportunity, highlighting how it relates to data-driven careers and which business analytics skills this program promises to promote.
What Is a Data-Driven Career?
Data-driven careers draw on the power of data to optimize everything from business operations to product development, risk management, and strategic decision-making. This category includes several of today’s most in-demand roles, such as data analytics, data science, data engineering, and business intelligence. These professionals may serve dramatically different functions within the data-driven landscape, but they all are instrumental in leveraging data to promote impressive business outcomes.
The Importance of Data-Driven Careers
We live in a digital world and increasingly rely on a digital economy. This virtual landscape produces a wealth of data, which in turn can act as a valuable resource — but only if it is strategically collected and analyzed. Data-driven careers bring structure to this process, ensuring that businesses enjoy access to the most relevant data and that decision-makers are able to understand and leverage this data as they embark on potentially profitable initiatives.
Characteristics of Data-Driven Careers
Data-driven roles can vary significantly, and this versatility makes the field especially compelling to professionals with specific interests or skill sets. In general, however, data-centric fields share these key attributes:
- Data analysis – Taking a deep dive into vast data sets, data analytics professionals help uncover hidden patterns that can subsequently form the basis for actionable insights. This effort may encompass a range of tools and techniques, such as cluster analysis, time series analysis, or natural language processing.
- Decision-making – Whether directly involved in decision-making or relied on to provide context and support, data-driven professionals help leaders make strategic decisions. They can inform these decisions by presenting dynamic dashboards or visualizations, with many also making targeted recommendations based on their findings.
- Cross-functional impact – Data-driven professionals are often heavily involved in cross-functional teams, which work together to optimize processes and prevent data silos. These teams may involve experts in marketing, product development, or finance.
Examples of Data-Driven Careers: Career Pathways in Business Analytics
While basic data analytics training can open the door to a variety of impressive career opportunities, it may help to research these possibilities so you can plan your education and training accordingly. Should you enter this field, you will likely pursue at least one of these job opportunities:
- Business intelligence analyst – Tasked with analyzing complex data sets and generating customer reports centered on that data, business intelligence analysts play an essential role in transforming data into actionable insights.
- Data scientist – Similar to data analytics but placing a greater focus on predictive modeling, data science calls for high-level technical skills, which allow data scientists to develop algorithms and build powerful models. These can be leveraged to produce targeted insights.
- Operations research analyst – The field of operations research emphasizes analytical methods as they relate to management-oriented problem-solving initiatives. Operations research analysts use predictive modeling and data visualizations to help develop and advocate for practical business solutions.
- Healthcare data analyst – At the forefront of innovating the medical industry, healthcare data analysts gather and synthesize a wealth of clinical data to reveal where and how healthcare processes and patient care can be improved while also ensuring solid compliance.
- Data engineer – Data collection and storage systems rest at the center of modern data engineering; this requires skilled data professionals to build and optimize pipelines capable of transforming raw data into formats that data analysts and data scientists can leverage.
- Analytics consultant – Bringing valuable outside perspectives to various organizations and departments, analytics consultants review extensive data to identify trends or patterns that might otherwise be overlooked. From there, they can recommend improvements that align with their clients’ overarching objectives.
- Marketing analytics manager – Offering a nuanced look into sales trends and other consumer information, marketing analytics managers use several quantitative and qualitative methods to reveal customer or client perceptions, along with the impact of marketing initiatives.
- Financial data analyst – Ensuring that financial managers and other professionals have the information needed to make sound investing and business decisions, financial data analysts prepare reports that include detailed forecasts. These, in turn, are influenced by regression and other modeling techniques.
- HR analytics specialist – Human resources analysts help organizations understand and streamline employee-centric processes such as recruitment, hiring, onboarding, and training. These analysts compile internal HR data but also look to labor statistics or competitor information to help HR managers and other leaders arrive at accurate and actionable conclusions.
- Product analytics manager – Offering in-depth insights into product performance and consumer preferences, product analysis managers draw on several data sources to determine where opportunities for innovation exist and how new or adapted products can increase customer satisfaction.
Top Skills Needed for Data-Driven Careers
Though the data-driven fields discussed above call for specialized skills, many competencies are universally valuable. These can be developed through a number of degree and certificate programs. Skills needed for business analytics success (and emphasized while earning a business analytics certificate online) include:
- Technical proficiency – Business analysts must possess a thorough understanding of programming languages, plus the ability to navigate today’s top data analysis software solutions. Also important: data visualization, data warehousing, and data mining.
- Analytical thinking – Effective analytical thinkers can examine and interpret data before determining which techniques or practices will prove most effective in leveraging that data for problem-solving purposes.
- Communication skills – Robust technical and analytical skills are crucial, but these only go so far if business analysts lack the ability to clearly convey their findings. As strong communicators, these professionals can translate complex information into compelling insights that stakeholders can understand and use.
- Problem-solving – Business analytics relies on data as a problem-solving mechanism, but business analysts must be able to define key problems and determine how exactly data-driven insights will play into viable solutions. In addition, problem-solving skills are necessary for the actual process of collecting and examining data.
- Business acumen – Context matters, and in business analytics, professionals need to understand the concerns and challenges that underscore the complex problems they seek to resolve. By developing a broad understanding of financial management, accounting, and business ethics, data-driven professionals can ensure relevant data is gathered and analyzed — and that it is presented in a manner that will appeal to executives and other stakeholders.
Why Pursue a Certificate in Business Analytics?
Perhaps you love the idea of working in a data-driven capacity but lack a targeted degree. If you’ve already graduated from a non-technical program, you may need to address skill gaps and expand your professional network. There are a range of reasons to pursue a business analytics certificate online, but we’ve featured a few of the most compelling advantages below:
Advantages of a Specialized Certificate
Offering focused coursework and a career-driven approach, business analytics certificate programs pave an efficient path to skill development, especially for professionals with targeted goals or who have already entered the workforce.
These programs help you establish a solid foundation in data analytics as well as provide opportunities to apply data-driven tools and processes in a variety of contexts. What’s more, it is possible to combine this certificate with an MBA while preparing for career opportunities in business analytics or business intelligence.
Career Impact
Many business analytics positions require relevant undergraduate or graduate degrees, but employers increasingly demonstrate an appreciation for targeted certificates and other credentialing solutions that can instantly convey skill mastery. A business analytics certificate could provide a substantial edge during the hiring process, revealing that aspiring data-driven employees are well-versed in today’s most cutting-edge and relevant concepts, tools, and technologies.
Flexibility and Accessibility
Online programs prioritize accessibility and convenience. Under this flexible approach to learning, working students can balance rigorous curricula with current professional commitments. Online coursework can be completed in any location, and study materials are available whenever or wherever they’re needed. Dynamic technological solutions bring an immersive feel, capturing the benefits of in-person coursework without prompting scheduling concerns.
Build a Data-Driven Career with UTC’s Business Analytics Certificate
Data-driven career fields can be significantly rewarding, but they call for high-level training. This can be secured through UTC’s Business Analytics Certificate Program. Spanning four courses, this rigorous yet valuable program can help you address skill gaps while building a foundation in business analytics essentials like data warehousing, data mining, big data management, and prescriptive analytics.
Another advantage? This certificate can be combined with an MBA to provide well-rounded technical and business training, including nuanced insight into how data analytics and management concepts influence one another.If you’re ready to get started, apply today or reach out to learn more information about our data-driven certificate and graduate degree programs.
