My Road to Becoming an Analytics Engineer

Throughout my professional career I have worked as hard as I could, I have been lucky enough to pay my own way, something that helped me understand how much I should value my time and the energy I put into each thing I am passionate about. My dedication has rescued me even from the moments when everything is difficult and it seems easier to abandon the process or the project, in many moments, I thought I was going in a competition that had no goal, and suddenly something stopped me; I had gone as far as I wanted, I had crossed the finish line without realizing it, a new challenge that had denied me for a long time was now opening up space.

The Unknown World

How easy it is to leave a world that you know very well, with which you have strengthened your roots, in which you had the opportunity to stop for a while and not think about anything else; to enter a completely new and unknown world, which seems wonderful but imposes to go through, a world that in the long run will leave better results.

Opportunities do not Smile in Slow Motion

Leaving my comfort zone was really easier than I thought, thinking about starting over from scratch has cost me a little, however, many good things came together just at the right time, the opportunity passed slowly through my eyes and I knew I could not leave it, opportunities do not happen so slowly, opportunities do not smile in slow motion, this was the opportunity of my life and it was clear that I had to make a decision.

In the previous professional challenges it was almost part of the process to deal with what happened every day, to think that you did not have enough time, that you had to fulfill other responsibilities, sometimes the economic issues limited the decision making, but I could organize this new beginning as I wanted, iterate it quickly if at some point something failed, I had the experience of my previous university and professional processes and above all the determination to make the road easier, I had wonderful people who believed in me and that I was doing the best for my future.

What really pushed me in a new career direction were the challenges I faced when trying to quantify the projects I worked on in my previous job. Figuring out the most effective way to measure progress and detect errors became a complex process, as agility was essential and often required gut decisions and a holistic view of the project and its business context. Quickly assessing customer needs, weighing various alternatives and iterating to find the optimal path became a fundamental approach.

My New Passion: Data Everywhere

I have always had a commitment to accuracy in my reporting. Building fundamental graphics often from limited data, obtained manually in many cases, allowed me to effectively convey progress and situations to my teammates. I observed how this immediate visual representation facilitated understanding of accomplishments and how our decisions were supported by solid information.

I quit my job of 11 years and visibly saved my professional career of 13 years in telecommunications, I had always loved software engineering and was seeing how a data area was growing. I built a plan with my wonderful mentor @nasterboost, who in many situations has paved the way for me, took me out of ignorance, and taught me the thousands of ways to interpret the programming world, this is the path we built towards Data Analysts, which became Analytics Engineer as a goal.

My First Journey

The first Journey based largely on Platzi platform courses that helped me enter the world of data science through courses focused on algorithms, programming, data management and visualization offers a privileged entry into a field of exponential growth in the digital age. By acquiring skills in programming languages and tools such as Jupyter Notebooks and Anaconda, you gain the ability to explore and transform data with agility. Understanding programming structures and functions lays the foundation for tackling complex challenges effectively. In addition, the ability to visualize data using libraries such as Matplotlib and Seaborn not only enables you to communicate information effectively, but also to discover patterns that drive informed decisions. Familiarity with mathematical and statistical concepts, coupled with the ability to work with databases using SQL, completes a skill set that allows you to unlock valuable information from ever-expanding data sets, opening doors to exciting opportunities in a variety of industries.

My Second Journey

The second Journey into the world of data analytics through specialized courses such as exploratory data analysis, Python programming, virtual environment management, and tools such as pip, offers an exceptional opportunity to develop high-level analytical and technical skills. These courses not only establish a solid foundation in Python fundamentals, including comprehensions and error handling, but also address real-world challenges in data science, such as detecting and handling missing data using imputation techniques. As you delve deeper into terminal and command-line usage, you gain valuable workflow skills essential in professional environments.

The focus on data visualization, both in fundamental principles and advanced tools such as Power BI and Tableau, emphasizes the ability to turn data into persuasive visual narratives critical to informing strategic decisions. These courses not only provide technical skills, but also foster an understanding of data science as a holistic and comprehensive process. Ultimately, delving into data analytics through this broad range of courses offers the opportunity to delve into an ever-evolving field and take on vital roles in translating data into actionable insights in a variety of business and professional contexts.

PyCon Colombia and the Revelation

Attending events related to the Data Science world remained a constant priority. Many of these events were focused on the versatile application of Python in various contexts. The last of this series of events was PyConf Colombia, where one of the fundamental goals of attending these meetings was achieved: to establish connections in the professional network. At this event, the interaction with individuals active in the field resulted in an enriching exchange of ideas and knowledge about the most relevant tools in the field today. A highlight was the workshop facilitated by Johnny Alexander Montoya, this workshop not only offered valuable learnings, but also opened an intriguing perspective: that of the Analytics Engineer, an emerging field that attracts attention. Through this experience, the iterative process continued, resulting in a new set of knowledge and opportunities: an expanded list of courses and platforms, shaping the last step of this journey.

My Third Journey

Diving into the world of Analytics Engineer through a wide range of courses and projects offers a unique opportunity to develop an exceptional skill set in data management and exploitation. From programming in Bash Shell and mastering regular expressions to a deep understanding of fundamental tools such as Docker and PostgreSQL, each step in this journey brings an additional layer of technical capability. Applying PostgreSQL in the context of data science leverages its potential for efficient data storage and manipulation, enriching the ability to extract meaningful insights.

In addition, exploring algorithmic complexity with Python and understanding the structure of linear data enriches the ability to solve analytical problems with effective and efficient approaches. The inclusion of artificial intelligence tools designed for both data teams and developers adds a component of automation and refinement in the generation of insights. Understanding Apache Airflow and applying it to tangible projects involving dbt and Snowflake not only broadens knowledge in workflow and systems management, but also strengthens the ability to implement practical analytic solutions in real-world environments. This diverse set of courses and projects prepares us to address the complex challenges and evolving opportunities in the field.