Muhammad Zul Aiman | Growing a career as a data analyst

Since my first job as a research assistant, I have always found myself drawn to data analysis — but it wasn’t until I joined a business analytics company focused on software development that my passion for it really grew. Always on the lookout for ways to expand my knowledge, I found out about the Gemilang programme on Coursera after seeing a YouTube video by Tina Huang. Hearing it was a Google programme was very attractive and having read a lot of positive reviews during my research, I went ahead and signed up for the Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate.

One thing I first noticed was that courses offered by Google provided a proper lesson plan, making it much easier to learn and understand as there was a clear flow to the topics. It was also very interactive with many videos, exercises and quizzes which helped keep me engaged and actively involved.

The most interesting however, was that unlike other courses usually taught by just one instructor or tutor, the Gemilang programme was taught by different tutors, all of which came from a different data analysis background and were seasoned professionals. Every one of the 8 modules had a different manager or director from a different organisation, and they were each able to not just contribute their technical knowledge, but also provided deeper insights through their personal experiences. This really helped me in terms of learning how to manage different situations in real world scenarios.

After completing the programme and learning how to prep my resume and prepare for interviews, I was invited to join a support group exclusively for graduates of the Gemilang programme from around the world — and I found it to be a great addition to the programme. I’m honestly really happy and honoured to be part of such an incredible community because everyone is so talented, yet always willing to help by sharing their experiences and providing useful advice.

The Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate broadened my view on the importance of data analysis, and solidified my knowledge and expertise on the subject. This really gave me the confidence I needed to move up in my career as it taught me how to better manage my workflow and data clearing activities. From what used to be a week of work, I am now able to efficiently complete in just 2 to 3 days! I can also now better diagnose problems and troubleshoot my way through them.

Within just a month of completing the programme and posting my certificate online, a large number of recruiters began reaching out to me. This shows that the demand for skilled data analysts in Malaysia is high in the country. What’s more, due to my increase in confidence and more efficient abilities, I am now entrusted with more responsibilities. This in turn, gained me a 20% increase in salary. So far, things have been going very well and I’m excited to try a more advanced course, and pick up more knowledge and experience!

Want to be a data analyst? Sign up for the Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate today! Learn more HERE.