How to Become a Big Data Analyst in 2022

A Big data analyst is among the most in-demand career options in the business landscape. It is currently dominating every sector and will continue to do so in the future. Forbes[i], who in 2014 had termed working with big data as the most desirable job of the 21st century, even now holds the same opinion in 2022.  

This is backed by Peer Research [ii]that states that almost 77% of world organizations value big data as a priority. Hence, being a data analyst in current times is your ticket to success and long-term stability. If you are looking for useful pointers for a career in this field then read on.

Who is a data analyst?   

Firstly, let’s erase the confusion between a traditional data analyst and a big data analyst. The former has dominated the business sector for a long time and is concerned with structured data. As data becomes more complex, there is an increasing need for professionals with advanced skill-sets and expertise.

Hence, big data analysts come into the picture, mainly working with raw, unstructured and semi-structured data. Due to its large size, non-traditional data management tools can work on big data efficiently. 

A good example of big data is the New York Stock Exchange [iii]which generates one terabyte of new trade data every day. Another is social media, where sites like Facebook [iv]generate 500+ terabytes of new data per day.

So, it’s a given that the nature of work for a big data analyst and requisite skill-set will differ from the traditional data analyst skills.  

Big data analyst responsibilities

Given that a big data analyst plays a crucial role in the company, their responsibilities are many and varied. Some of them are discussed below:

• Extracting valuable insights and information from the voluminous data that is collected from diverse sources. This data is further cleaned, organized and processed before it goes off for analysis.
  
  
• Finding newer and alternate sources of data and looking for methods to improve data mining, analysis and reporting.
  
  
• Writing SQL queries for extracting data from the data warehouse.
  
  
• Making data definitions for new database files or making changes to existing ones for the purpose of analysis.
  
  
• Assisting in the decision-making process by presenting reports in various formats- tables, charts, graphs and more.
  
  
• Staying updated with trends and correlational patterns among complex data sets.
  
  
• Checking the performance of data mining systems and fixing any issues.
  
  
• Along with this, a big data analyst may have to collaborate with Data Scientists, the IT team, and the business management team, while working on different organizational goals.

Big data analyst skills         

A big data analyst is required to navigate database management systems and cope with large amounts of unstructured data. Having technical knowledge, while not mandatory, is always preferred in this job profile as it accelerates your career progression. 

1.   Programming

As a data analyst, you are not required to be a fully-fledged programmer, but a big data analyst must have knowledge in coding. While dealing with large complex databases, you will be required to do a lot of customization. Also, since big data is evolving every day, there are many standard processes that can be used by the analyst. Hence, programming languages like Python and Java come in handy.

2. Quantitative aptitude and statistics

Sound knowledge of statistics and linear algebra is necessary for an analyst who is processing big data. Therefore, they need to be given equal weight. You should be able to understand and work with concepts like summary statistics, probability distribution, hypothesis testing and more.

Big data analyst salary

The boom in the big data sector has resulted in several new job roles and everyone, from smaller businesses to prominent brands, are looking for skilled professionals. The average salary that a big data analyst can expect in Canada is anything between $45,000 to $90,000 [v]annually. This salary range also varies based upon the years of experience that one holds. 

How to become a big data analyst

Looking to pursue a successful career as a big data analyst? Check out the Analytics, Big Data and Business Intelligence program offered by Trebas Institute at our Montreal campus. The program is divided into five semesters and is covered within 18 months for domestic students and 24 months for international students.

The program will help students become highly proficient in analytics, BI and big data. They will be taught using a curriculum that is updated as per current market trends to give them an edge in the job market.

The Analytics, Big Data and Business Intelligence program also gives you the opportunity to apply for a post-graduation work permit. This means you can stay in Canada for employment opportunities for up to three years after graduating. To know more, click  here!

FAQs

Does Trebas offer individual attention to students?

At Trebas, we focus on giving each student adequate attention for their personal and academic development. For this purpose, we have deliberately kept the class size small with a 25:1 ratio for theory and 3-12:1 ratio for practical classes.

Will Trebas help me get a job after completion of the program?

While we cannot give you  a guarantee of a job role, we will provide you with services and guidance that will help you gain a suitable job. This includes career guidance, internships, networking with industry professionals and more.