After completing an electronics and telecommunication engineering degree in India, Uma chose to study the Data Science MSc at the University of Sussex before securing work as a data scientist
I chose the course for the following reasons:
It was quick and straightforward:
I took out an education loan from India for the entire course duration.
Additionally, I received a scholarship to help fund my studies.
On top of that, I had the opportunity to work as an ambassador for international students, solving problems on the university app, as a part-time job, alongside other weekend work, such as cashiering at AMEX and restocking at Sainsbury's.
It was very well structured and predominantly based on the fundamentals of data science, widely used in industry. All the modules were a perfect blend of theory and practical assignments for knowledge building.
Around 70% of the coursework was assessed through practical assignments, and 30% was theory quizzes or short written papers to answer questions. Combined, this is used to determine whether the module passes or fails.
My undergraduate and postgraduate life have been completely different, especially since I studied my degree in India and my Masters in the UK.
This is mainly due to the teaching methodology. In India, 70% of the course is written exams with 30% focused on small projects and practical assignments. An undergraduate degree was more of a fundamental concept-building.
On the contrary, the Masters coursework at a UK university is more practical-based and has fewer written exams. Gaining hands-on experience and self-study were the key parameters.
Both were good in different ways and helped me gain further knowledge and land a job.
At first, when I came to a new country, balancing both my education and personal life was very difficult physically, mentally, and emotionally. However, while studying, I made new friends, gained new experiences, and met people from around the world, which was exciting.
I loved the overall campus experience while living in university accommodation. Meeting new people, sharing living space with them, and adjusting to their cultures was super exciting. I enjoyed that the most.
After graduation, finding a job was difficult, and I worked part time in a French restaurant. After a few months, I secured my current role as a data scientist for a manufacturing company.
My main duties include analysing and modelling the data, and predicting failures based on observed patterns.
While studying, I learned technical skills along with problem solving, working under pressure, meeting deadlines, consistency, etc. These are the most important skills for personal growth.
Also, soft skills and CV-making workshops helped me a lot with job applications.
I attended many CV-making, communication, and job-fair workshops to make connections. It helped me secure interviews with companies across finance, manufacturing, and healthcare.
There was also a career development service, which arranged one-to-one sessions for CV making and revision. This helped me understand the UK CV style and how these industries operate there.
To become a principal data scientist in the next five or six years.
