Here’s why upskilling and reskilling are indispensable if you are looking to boost your career

When Aishwarya Ramachandran decided to take up a program in Data Science, Machine Learning and AI, she had no idea that she would end up with two career transitions within a year. The decision to enroll into online education platform UpGrad and IIIT-B's PG Programs was a turning point in her career post which she received a whooping 230% salary hike in a span of just 18 months. Data science, big data engineering, machine learning were some of the hottest programs that many working professionals were taking up and this acted as an impetus to further drive her towards this aspiration. Looking back, Aishwarya says, “I have pursued PG Program in Data Science with UpGrad and IIIT Bangalore and I am currently pursuing PG Program in Machine Learning and AI. UpGrad +IIIT Bangalore has both the times completely bowled me over with their content, the assignments, case studies and live sessions. The content covered by this program is detailed and highly structured. It is followed by graded questions and assignments, reinforcing the concepts learnt. UpGrad also has a lot of live sessions by industry experts which helps better understand what kind of problems are being solved in the industry. It is a highly intensive program where you have to spend 8–10 hours a week and there are strict but reasonable deadlines.”

In Aishwarya’s opinion, the best part about the program is the peer to peer interaction. She says, “Working on Case studies and asking questions to your peers can push you to do better and you also make connections in the industry. UpGrad also provides with placement opportunities and takes interest right from enabling you to create a good resume and allowing one on one session with mentors from the industry to help you improve your resume and explain better about the opportunities that are available. ML & AI are continuously developing areas and requires constant learning, but that becomes easy with the strong foundation provided by this program.”

Click here to check out UpGrad’s Machine Learning & AI program


Growing demand of Data science and AI knowledge
According to a report by ET, 50k jobs are currently vacant in jobs that require Data Science and AI expertise because of the unavailability of talent that is trained to meet the new-age demands. This makes upskilling a social norm. It is important for working professionals to upgrade themselves in terms of their data knowledge and thankfully, the advent of good online education platforms are facilitating learners with this opportunity to learn. The professional landscape is a volatile space and in the last few years there has been a dynamic shift in the hiring process of companies. This is where the rising importance of automation and data in creating newer job roles has come into the picture. In an interesting revelation, it is estimated that Machine Learning and AI alone have at least 1.4 million open jobs at the moment. This means that young professionals need to upskill themselves to become a part of this data revolution. A LinkedIn report also suggests that job growth in the next decade is expected to outstrip growth during the previous decade, creating 11.5M jobs by 2026! This means that the best way to stay prominent in the time of massive disruption is by learning what’s in demand. UpGrad’s PG programs have been largely successful in bringing some of best programs, opening several new gates for many young and budding professionals.

Why choose UpGrad?
UpGrad is India’s first ever online program to have facilitated a high number of successful transitions. The various 11-month programs offered by the platform has, in fact, enabled around 400+ successful career transitions. UpGrad offers these programs in partnership with some of the leading educational institutes in India, giving these programs a leg up. Interestingly, UpGrad’s PG program in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence in collaboration with IIIT-Bangalore has also been ranked No 1 by Analytics India Magazine. This is the tailor-made program for professionals looking for a switch in their career by accessing university education without quitting their jobs, helping people in the technical field to accelerate their professional growth as well. The volume of enrolments and applicants has also doubled in the recent years, making it the ideal platform for anyone looking to scale the success ladder. UpGrad's Machine Learning and AI program was also ranked Number 1 by AIM in 2018 and UpGrad learners have definitely vouched for it.

Brush up on your data expertise
Data holds the power to tap the immense potential of businesses and it is the next big thing in almost every industry today. To keep up with the industry rapids, new innovations, and intricate technologies, it is important for employees to build on their data skills. And this is where the relevance of UpGrad programs like Data Science and Machine Learning come into play in helping people upskill their strengths. In the modern market, quantifiable, data-driven evidence and bespoke data expertise play a huge role in uplifting an employee’s position in a company. Because predictive analytics has the power to help firms develop customized solutions for the future, firms are spending huge funds on recruiting data talent.

Thus, there is no doubt that training yourself in Data Science or Machine Learning and AI is the best way to give your professional journey a leg up. If you are looking forward to stay market competitive, enrol for the right program that allows you to upskill yourselves with programs that give you access to online lectures, offline engagement, practical case studies, or interactive networking sessions. Gain the right skills for the best transition and make sure you do it with UpGrad.