February 21, 2021
“I just signed up for an SQL class at moinworld, which I ended up really liking! This has encouraged me to continue with programming and data analysis”
Who are you? What do we need to know about you?
I’m Julie, 27 years old and have just started as a Junior Data Scientist. I completed my training as a shipping clerk and have worked in logistics for the last few years until I decided to make a career change.
When did you decide to take a different career path? How did you get into programming?
I was in charge of marketing and reporting in the supply chain solutions department of a large logistics company and came into contact with a lot of data there. In order to be able to deal with data better, I first looked for an Excel course and then came to Python very quickly. I watched Python tutorials and realised that it was a lot of fun and might be suitable for me. I was keen to explore this and talk to others. While searching, I came across moinworld. I simply signed up for an SQL course at moinworld, which I ended up really liking! This encouraged me to look further into programming and data, so I decided to leave logistics and move into a data-driven job. During a three-month bootcamp, I started working with Python full time.
After the bootcamp, you took part in our mentoring programme. How did you join?
After the bootcamp, I had the feeling that all the knowledge was not yet firmly in place. I wanted someone with a lot of experience to help me learn and consolidate my knowledge. I had heard about the mentoring programme at moinworld and thought I’d just ask if there was a mentor who might be a good fit for me. I got a response immediately and found a great mentor.
How did the mentoring programme work for you and how did it help you?
Because of the Corona situation, we met online, so finding a date was always very easy. We met every fortnight for an hour, so we met more often than once a month as the mentoring programme usually requires. First we drew up a roadmap and looked at where I currently stand and in which direction I would like to go. Then we planned concrete steps for me.The mentoring was a great enrichment and really helped me! After the bootcamp I didn’t know I could usefully continue with the content, because the amount of information is very enormous. My mentor had shown me where it would make sense to focus on and to deepen my knowledge. I was missing the professional support after the bootcamp and found exactly that at moinworld in the mentoring programme. The mentoring programme also strengthened my self-confidence in my skills.
What was the biggest difficulty for you?
The biggest difficulty was finding a job as a junior data scientist as a career changer. There are many senior positions, but only a few junior positions. Therefore, a lot of patience and perseverance was required. In the end, however, it paid off and a company, where I now work, took notice of me via LinkedIn.
What is your opinion on how quickly you can teach yourself the subject so that you can get into a job? How long did it take you to get from the first course to a job?
In total, it took me about a year to prepare for my career entry. However, it is difficult to generalise. I would say it depends a lot on the time available and your own prior knowledge. During Corona, it is certainly a bit more difficult to find a suitable job.
What tips would you give to others who want to follow the same path?
I would definitely recommend starting with Python and booking a beginner’s course, for example at moinworld, or teach yourself the basics with tutorials. You will quickly see if you enjoy it. Later, it helps a lot to have someone who has already gained professional experience in the field you want to enter. The tips and knowledge have helped me a lot. Therefore, the mentoring programme is a great offer!
Interested?
Apply today here. A moinworld member will get in touch with you for the next steps within 1 week.
Do you have any questions? Get in touch with us at mentoring@moinworld.de.
We will also have a Meetup celebrating the ending of our first mentors and mentees batch in September. Everybody is welcome to join and listen to some of the success stories. Just follow our events!
Read more about some of our great mentors here.