Part 8/12:
In the early 2010s, a surge of data science programs emerged across universities and ed-tech platforms, aiming to bridge the talent gap. While some programs faced criticism for quality, they played a crucial role in creating a large pipeline of practitioners, many of whom rose from modest backgrounds to leadership roles.
The speaker emphasizes that deep domain expertise, business acumen, and continuous learning are vital. Skills must extend beyond model building to understanding business problems, data quality, and implementation. Successful data professionals often evolve by moving across roles—bridging technical and business domains—and by staying adaptable to changing tools and methods.