From BSc in Information Technology To a Data Scientist: My Career Trajectory Will Surprise You!
By - Rakesh Panigrahy, Board Infinity Alumni
Hello! My name is Rakesh Panigrahy and this is my journey from pursuing a BSc in Information Technology to becoming a Data Scientist and getting placed at a world-class company.
1. Personal & Professional Journey
Coming from a middle-class family that lives in a small village in Berhampur (Odisha), I had convinced myself to work in order to earn for my family, right after I finished my schooling.
After completing my primary education at a rural school in Odisha, I decided to move to Mumbai in search of work. On June 5 (2015), I boarded a train and started a journey toward my undecided career. My father’s health was declining, so I started working at a telecom company, I even worked in the garment sector. By then, I had realised that a college degree was a must to secure a job, so I enrolled myself in Model College, Dombivli for a BSc degree in Information Technology.
I joined the college just for the degree. I was always keen on learning but in-class learning seemed less efficient as our generation became familiar with online platforms like Youtube, where learning was easy and time-saving. I was not allowed to go to Industrial Visits from my college, because of low attendance and I ended up making no friends in college. But, living in a busy city like Mumbai, learning online saved me so much time that was otherwise wasted commuting to college. I was always interested in software. In fact, I learned Python, Java, and even Django on YouTube. I was constantly thinking of matching pace with the changing technology demands around me, I was always thinking of doing better than yesterday.
However, it was still difficult to find a suitable job since I was competing with candidates who have engineering degrees from NITs, IITs and other premier institutes in India. I was tired of applying on LinkedIn and other job portals. I was being turned down every time. It had started to feel like my resume was being sent to the trash. I had come across Board Infinity’s Data Science course on Facebook a couple of times. So, I registered and enrolled myself in the Data Science course.
2. My Experience with Board Infinity
My experience at Board Infinity was great! What attracted me the most about the course was their placement plan, since despite learning I was still not getting any response from good companies on any of the job portals.
The faculty at Board Infinity was really good and they paid attention to all the learners, giving us time to understand and clear our doubts. I especially enjoyed the Machine Learning classes by Punit Shah Sir, he was someone I could connect to and the way he taught, every second of the class seemed very productive. He wouldn’t get irritated with my never-ending questions. Other than the course structure and the syllabus, Board Infinity has a great exam module, where you are given three chances to improve your performance if you don't do well in the first attempt. The exam module helped me analyze my performance. It helped me work harder in the areas I was lagging in.
3. Placement Process
When the placements came, I was confident because I knew I had worked hard to deserve a good job. Board Infinity’s pre-placement training helped me a great deal to build my confidence in myself by getting hands-on experience with analytical questions. Finally, I got placed at Ascent Wellness and Pharma Solutions Pvt. Ltd at a package of 5 LPA. The hiring managers were deeply impressed with how I answered a difficult analytical question.
My career path has always been a fluctuating one. It has no straight lines. But now, I can finally say that I settled for the first time. But, I keep reminding myself of a quote by Paulo Coelho, “The ship is safest when it is in the port, but that is not what ships were built for.” His book the Alchemist has had a great influence on me. I will find my next destination. For now, I am a Data Scientist with this prestigious company that I will be joining on May 24.
Sooner or later, I’ll have my own start-up, however big or small. Data Science is my passion and I will continue to pursue it. Someday, I even plan to build my own Jarvis and also learn to play guitar.
Connect with Me
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