An Unexpected Career Transition from Bachelor of Arts to Data Science

By - Thanmai Sai, Board Infinity Alumni

My Early Career Journey

My name is Thanmai Sai. I am from Andhra Pradesh.

Until my 12th grade, I had studied Science with Biology as my major, but because of an interest in Social Science, I went on to study Bachelors of Arts with History, Public Administration, and Geography in college.

As I stood on the verge of graduating from college in June of this year, I felt like I might be better off in a different career field. You may think it is highly indecisive behavior, but one can't always be right about their career and there is no way to know if something interests them unless they try it.

In the past, I have also attempted a few government exams, but because of COVID and the delay in notification, I decided to look for something else. I may not have been consistent in my career fields, but I have always been consistent about finding the right career path for me.

Since all of my friends are working in the IT sector, I was suggested Data Science by one of them. I discovered that a Data Scientist does not necessarily need a background in engineering or science, and people with various academic backgrounds are succeeding in this field.

So, with the belief in myself, I decided to schedule my career counseling with Board Infinity. Initially, I hesitated to step into a field that was completely unknown to me but the right guidance helped me convince myself that this might be the profession for me.  I  also took micro-learning courses in Python and Data Science from Board Infinity to gain some knowledge, and I read many success stories before deciding to pursue the career.

Finally, I joined the Learning Path in Data Science Course by Board Infinity to start my career in Data Science.

Learning with Board Infinity

It is hard to believe, but I had no idea about Excel or Mathematics (which I studied last in my class 10th), but my Board Infinity industry-expert coaches were able to help me grasp everything.

Though I was afraid of mathematics, the field only requires logical reasoning, probability, and other parts that are more functional than mathematical. Simple formulae helped me grasp math and statistics.

I am grateful to the industry-expert coaches who have helped me overcome the hurdle of belonging to a completely different background.

Board Infinity's coaches are extremely professional and helpful. Best of all, they understand the mental space of a student and teach concepts accordingly. It is taught in such a way that any individual, no matter how experienced or inexperienced, can grasp the concepts equally well.

Additionally to the live classes, the projects are very helpful, as they provide you with the knowledge of the implementation. Evaluation for our projects is also a great way for us to identify our strengths and weaknesses.

In spite of coming from a non-technical background, all of these experiences contributed a great deal to my learning Data Science in a matter of months.

Placement Journey

The planning of the placement preparation sessions was excellent. I was assisted by the coach in building my resume and strengthening my LinkedIn profile to help me apply for jobs according to my interests.

I was also assigned to work on advanced-level projects during this time, which was very beneficial in terms of gaining knowledge.

As a result, I was hired by Genpact as a Data Engineer despite having no technical experience. The day when I received my job confirmation was the best day of my life, and I can honestly say that I have never been so proud of myself before!

Connect with Me

Want to connect with me to know my experience at Board Infinity?  Fill this form - "Connect with Board Infinity Alumni"

Watch Career Pe Charcha

You can also watch fellow learner experiences on Career Pe Charcha live series on Board Infinity's Instagram Page.