Alexis Kestler
As someone who has been working in data analytics for over 5 years, I‘m excited to see the rising demand for data analysts across industries. Organizations are increasingly realizing the power of data-driven insights to improve decision making, cut costs and gain competitive advantages.
This growing need is reflected in the numbers too. According to projections by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of data analyst jobs will grow by 25% from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. That‘s nearly 67,000 new job openings!
The COVID-19 pandemic has further accelerated digital transformation and data-based decision making. A special report in MIT Sloan Management Review found that 76% of surveyed organizations are ramping up their data analytics capabilities due to the pandemic.
So if you‘re looking to establish a successful career in this high-growth field, there‘s no better time than now! The good news is, there are more high-quality online courses and learning resources than ever before to help you gain job-ready data analytics skills, even as a beginner.
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll share my top recommendations as a data analytics practitioner on the most valuable online courses, YouTube channels, books, and influencers to follow. These will help you kickstart your journey and land your first job in data analytics!
Top Online Courses to Master In-Demand Data Analytics Skills
Online education platforms have opened up easy access to learn data analytics from anywhere. Based on my experience training analytics teams, these are some of the best online courses to gain beginner to advanced-level skills:
1. Become a Data Analyst Nanodegree by Udacity
Length: 4 months
Price: $399 per month
I highly recommend Udacity‘s Nanodegree program for hands-on training across key data analytics skills – data wrangling, analysis, visualization and storytelling.
The project-based curriculum covers must-have topics like:
- Data manipulation with NumPy and Pandas
- SQL for data analysis
- Data visualization with Matplotlib, Seaborn
- Statistical analysis and A/B testing
- Data storytelling and communication
You‘ll get access to coaching, code reviews and 1:1 support from data experts too. Finishing the program will leave you ready to tackle real-world data challenges. Previous programming experience in Python is useful to have.
2. IBM Data Analyst Professional Certificate by Coursera
Length: 25 hours
Price: $39 per month
This professional certificate course from IBM is one of the most comprehensive online programs for beginners looking to transition into analytics.
It provides extensive hands-on practice using leading data analytics tools through real-world case studies, including:
- Importing, cleaning, analyzing and visualizing data in Python
- Using spreadsheets for statistical data analysis
- Data visualization with Tableau
- SQL for data science
- Building data models, machine learning basics
The applied learning approach helps cement concepts and skills. IBM‘s reputation and instructors further add value in terms of knowledge gained.
3. Google Data Analytics Certificate by Coursera
Length: 120 hours
Price: $49 per month
As a Google certified professional myself, I can vouch that their beginner-friendly certificate course provides fantastic value in learning core data analytics skills for career advancement.
Some key highlights:
- Foundational concepts like data ethics, data collection, cleaning, analysis and visualization
- Leveraging spreadsheets, SQL, Tableau, R for analysis
- Understanding the end-to-end data analysis process
- Tips for data analytics interviews
The flexible, self-paced curriculum with real-world examples is highly recommended for new entrants in the field.
4. Data Analyst in Python Career Track by DataCamp
Length: 120 hours
Price: $25 per month
For intermediate learners with some Python experience, DataCamp‘s hands-on career track is a great option. Their interactive coding exercises and expert code reviews can fast-track your data analytics abilities.
You‘ll gain proficiency across key Python libraries including:
- NumPy, Pandas for data manipulation
- Matplotlib, Seaborn, ggplot for data visualization
- Statsmodels, Scikit-learn for analysis and machine learning
- Mastering time series analysis, forecasting models
- End-to-end real-world projects
It‘s an excellent platform for Python-focused practice on specialized data analytics tasks.
5. Business Data Analysis with Excel by Udemy
Length: 11.5 hours
Price: $12.99
For data analytics using spreadsheets, this hands-on Udemy course is a stellar choice to master Excel data analysis tools.
The instructor explains Excel best practices through easy-to-grasp examples on:
- Data cleaning, validation and formatting
- Sorting, filtering, pivot tables
- Dashboards, visualizations and automation with VBA
- Trend analysis, forecasting models
- Advanced formulas and macros
I recommend this for analysts looking to expand their Excel analytics skills beyond basic functions.
6. Data Analytics Leadership Course by Pluralsight
Length: 5 hours 46 minutes
Price: $29 per month
Beyond technical capabilities, leadership and strategic thinking skills are vital as you advance in analytics roles.
Pluralsight‘s course by data analytics veteran Greg Furlong covers crucial soft skills like:
- Developing analytics strategies
- Building and leading high-performing teams
- Executive communication and storytelling with data
- Driving business impact with analytics
- Creating a data-driven organizational culture
- Ethics and security considerations
The insights are super valuable for aspiring analytics managers and leaders.
By smartly leveraging these comprehensive online course platforms, you can go from data analytics beginner to intermediate or advanced, and even gain industry-recognized certifications!
Top YouTube Channels to Learn Data Analytics for Free
YouTube is my go-to platform for free, quick learning. Video tutorials make it easier to grasp concepts, along with great visual examples.
Here are some of my favorite channels for self-study across popular data analytics tools:
Alex The Analyst (500k+ subscribers)
Alex‘s channel offers well-structured tutorials on Excel, Tableau, SQL, PowerBI, Python – fantastic for beginners.
Tomasz Kluczkowski (200k+ subscribers)
Tomasz explains Excel and SQL concepts clearly through walkthroughs. Intermediate to advanced techniques covered.
Ken Jee (250k+ subscribers)
For hands-on Tableau, Power BI and Python data analysis tutorials, Ken‘s channel is highly valuable.
Kevin Stratvert (80k+ subscribers)
For analysts looking to elevate their Excel game, Kevin provides excellent tips on formulas, pivot tables, shortcuts.
Data School (400k+ subscribers)
With a focus on Python and R data analysis, this channel offers machine learning and visualization tutorials too.
Must-Read Books to Develop Core Data Analytics Knowledge
While online courses provide structured learning, books are unparalleled for building foundational data literacy.
Here are some of my top recommendations for beginners based on reviews and citation popularity:
-
Everybody Lies: Big Data, New Data, and What the Internet Can Tell Us About Who We Really Are by Seth Stephens-Davidowitz
- Using fascinating data studies, this book highlights the power of data analytics and how it will shape the future. It‘s an intriguing read on data science trends.
-
Data Science for Business: What You Need to Know about Data Mining and Data-Analytic Thinking by Foster Provost
- A must-read that covers the data analytics process from business understanding to value creation using real-world examples. Invaluable for new practitioners.
-
Storytelling with Data: Let‘s Practice! by Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic
- This book provides guidance on communicating data insights effectively through visualizations and actionable storytelling – core skills every analyst needs.
-
Excel Data Analysis For Dummies by Paul McFedries
- For fundamental data analytics using Excel, this hands-on guide book teaches you through practical example workbooks and tips. Highly rated for beginners.
-
Python for Data Analysis by Wes McKinney
- For programmers looking to advance data analytics skills in Python, this is a definitive guide covering Pandas, NumPy and data visualization libraries.
-
SQL Queries for Mere Mortals: A Hands-On Guide to Data Manipulation in SQL by John L. Viescas
- With exercises using real-world examples, this book provides an easy-to-follow introduction to SQL and using it for data analysis.
Make reading a consistent habit, even if just 30 minutes daily or weekly. Over time, books significantly compound analytical thinking abilities. They are the fuel for continued learning alongside online courses.
Influential Data Analytics Leaders and Experts To Follow
Actively following industry experts and data professionals on Twitter or LinkedIn is incredibly valuable for learning and career growth.
Through their feeds and content, you gain insider perspectives, stay updated on trends and tools, and get motivated by their journeys.
Based on wide-ranging experience, here are some of the most insightful data analytics leaders I recommend following:
Kirill Eremenko – Data scientist and forecaster, founder of SuperDataScience. 1M+ YouTube subscribers. Posts ML and analytics tutorials.
Thomas Mock – Tableau Zen Master. Posts tips and ideas for effective dashboard design and data storytelling.
Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic – Dataviz expert, wrote Storytelling with Data. Posts advice on communicating with data.
Ken Flerlage – Engineer at Trifacta. Active blogger on data visualization best practices.
Mara Averick – Data scientist at RStudio. Shares R and ggplot2 tips for analytics and visualization.
Julia Evans – Engineer and creator of data comics. Explains technical concepts through fun illustrations.
Linda Regber – 30+ year analytics veteran. Provides career and leadership advice for aspiring analysts.
Dave Fowler – Analytics leader. Posts management tips on building high-impact teams.
Casimir Wierzyński – Data scientist, founder of Numerade. Shares insights on data science and analytics.
Lukasz Kidzinski – Founder of LF Data. Tweets machine learning and data engineering developments.
Follow these and other experts relevant to your interests. Staying continuously engaged will provide an invaluable edge in data skills and career growth!
Key Takeaways as an Experienced Data Practitioner
Here are my main tips for aspiring analysts looking to maximize their learning and become job-ready:
📈 Choose comprehensive online courses that provide interactive hands-on practice with real datasets over theory-heavy programs.
📊 Complement courses with free YouTube video tutorials to reinforce concepts and learn data tools.
📖 Read analytical and storytelling-focused books to develop core data thinking abilities.
🗣 Actively follow industry experts, leaders on social media to stay motivated and updated on data analytics trends.
🚀 With the rise of remote work and learning, seizing online courses and resources is the optimal way to kickstart your data analytics career.
😊 Consistent learning, practice and application of skills will enable you to land your first job and progress quickly as a data analyst!
The demand will only grow exponentially for professionals who can extract powerful insights from data. I hope these recommendations serve you well on your journey to become a highly skilled, valued data analyst! Let me know if you have any other questions.
