How Data Plays a Role in Every Industry, and the Benefits of Having This Skill

The word “data” might conjure up images straight out of the movie The Matrix—long, complex strings of numbers that only a tech wiz, donning the signature glasses and backwards baseball cap, can decipher.

You’ve got the numbers part correct here: Data allows us to quantify just about anything so we can spot useful patterns. And no doubt you’re seeing data everywhere you look and wondering just how to make sense of it all.

But the idea of that tech wiz is deceiving. Not everyone who finds value in data comes from a tech background or works in tech. Companies, organizations, and nonprofits of all shapes and sizes are leveraging data to help achieve their goals—and those that don’t, well, they’re quickly realizing the potential of investing in data-driven talent.

So what’s in it for you? We’ll break down where data plays a role in various industries, why it could be a huge asset for your career, and just how easy it is to learn this skill starting today.

More jobs require more expertise with more data

Employers across sectors are increasingly searching for candidates with some data expertise. According to our latest Employer Report, data analyst is the most popular position right now, with 44% of company respondents saying they would be hiring more for this role this year. In—of all places—the transportation industry, 53% of employers said they were focused on recruiting for data analysts, with nine out of 10 decision makers also saying they consider non-traditional applicants for these kinds of jobs.

This shows that experience and confidence with data is not only a highly sought-after quality in today’s job market, but a skill that bridges a variety of niches beyond the tech world, such as:

Marketing

Marketing teams have always collected data to better understand their target demographic. For example, they might send out surveys about a new ad campaign or run focus groups around a product launch.

This is often still the case, but thanks to the internet, rise of ecommerce, and evolution of sales and marketing technology (like AI), marketers have much more data at their disposal. It’s a blessing and a curse: They can create much more detailed profiles on their audience and thus better convert them into customers, but doing so takes a lot more work and data acumen. 

According to Salesforce’s recent State of Marketing report, only 32% of marketers are

completely satisfied with how they use customer data to create relevant experiences, and about a third are fully satisfied with their ability to unify customer data sources.

HR and recruiting

Talent acquisition was for many years a social game. Recruiters and executives would follow their gut instincts, or connections, when it came to whom they hired, promoted, and mentored.

Technology changed the game here, too. Advanced software allows HR teams to not only speed up the cumbersome recruiting process, such as sifting through thousands of resumes, but also better home in on and attract the right candidates. 

When companies can gather information around who is applying to what jobs and what kinds of content or people they’re encountering as they interview, they can then use that knowledge to improve upon their employer branding and overall recruiting process. This makes hiring easier and more efficient, promotes employee retention and engagement, and improves a brand’s image on the consumer side, too. 

On a 2022 episode of McKinsey & Company’s podcast “McKinsey Talks Talent,” HR expert David Green cited a survey his team conducted that found that 90% of companies said their CHROs have communicated that people analytics was a core part of their HR strategy.

“Data literacy is a core skill that they need to have,” Green added.

Education

With more and more learning going online and taking place with the help of technology, schools and institutions can access more data than ever before around their students’ growth and development, as well as the effectiveness of their curriculum. In turn, teachers and education leaders alike can create tailored experiences for learners, improve upon operations, and boost classroom morale and success.

‍Georgia State University, for example, uses predictive analytics to alert professors when a student is underperforming. As a result of this and other data-driven programs, the college’s graduation rate has increased, and students have saved millions in tuition fees because many were able to graduate sooner.

The good news: These skills can be learned at your own pace

This all sounds great in theory, but you’re probably worried that learning how to use data will take years—and lots of money—to master. 

Not to fear! Purpose-driven bootcamps such as TripleTen’s offerings make picking up data skills quick, painless, and affordable. Our programs don’t just teach in-demand hard and soft skills in a format that’s easy to digest in any environment, but they also provide opportunities to meet experts in the field, work on real-world problems, and build an impressive portfolio. You might even have some fun in the process!

Data expertise comes in different forms, and which one you choose depends on your needs, current skills, and interests. Two common niches include:

Data science

Data scientists focus primarily on building and maintaining machine-learning models that can package and decipher complex data sets. So rather than pulling data and analyzing it yourself, you’re letting the tech do a lot of the work for you.

Applications of data science in education include predicting student dropout rates based on previous years, or measuring a student’s social and emotional well-being based on reported virtual and in-person behavior. In marketing departments, data scientists can highlight missed opportunities on social media based on how people interact with different platforms, or pinpoint the most valuable shoppers to draw in using customer segmentation and sentiment.

As you’d correctly guess, this job requires some coding with programming languages such as Python and R, and soft skills for collaborating with software engineers and other techies—all of which are taught by TripleTen’s beginner-friendly program.

Business intelligence analytics

Business intelligence (BI) analysts are a lot less technical than data scientists, leaning on software such as Excel and Tableau to compile and sift through data rather than complex coding. Their role is to drive informed decision-making by making data accessible for others. This could mean creating structure or visuals around the data, or giving it a clear story and next steps.

For HR teams, a BI analyst can help track and thus minimize employee turnover, or measure the reach and long-term effects of a specific employer branding campaign.

Data skills are valuable beyond your current role

If you’re looking for a promotion or raise, or way to liven up an otherwise monotonous job, picking up data skills is a great option. But data expertise isn’t just useful for your current situation—the more you delve into it, the more you might discover about your career path and what you’re truly passionate about.

‍Jeremy Laurange_{Switching to Tech for His Family: Jeremy Laurange’s TripleTen Story} has always enjoyed working with numbers—in his role as an operations manager for a nonprofit, he was often tasked with the more technical work. But, he said, “I craved something a little bit more in order to hone my skills to be able to move on to something more.” 

So, after speaking with a TripleTen advisor—“She walked me through what it would actually look like, and I really got excited,” he recalls—he signed up for the Business Intelligence Analytics bootcamp. One of his favorite aspects of the program was the mentorship opportunities. “​​It felt really, really good to hear that feedback and to know that the good work I was putting into it actually meant something,” he said.

Upon graduating, his company promoted him to Director of Retail Operations and Enterprise Development. This new title didn’t just come with more exciting responsibilities and autonomy, but also the flexibility to spend time with his family. And he’s thrilled by the prospects to follow from his bootcamp experience. “If I wanted to, I could make a pivot to healthcare. Or I could make a pivot to marketing. I think that’s really cool. If I really wanted to change up the genre of my life a little bit, I could with just a little bit of effort. And I think that’s what excites me the most about it all,” he said.

Check out our grads’ journeys

Laurange isn’t the only bootcamp grad who’s found a rewarding and lucrative career in data—we have plenty of student testimonials that can help you overcome imposter syndrome and make the switch to tech (or tech-adjacent jobs). You can watch our graduates talk about their experiences on our YouTube channel, or read their unique stories on our website.