Businesses in all industries are trying to capitalize on the availability of new big data technologies for analyzing, which has, in turn, increased the demand for skilled data scientists. This increase in demand is probably the reason why big data course advertisements are popping up at an alarming rate online. With a larger number of big data courses available online, knowing which one to take might not be easy. Although a career in this cutting-edge field is likely to be lucrative and exciting, the confusion is bound to turn many away from big data courses. To help you get started, here are five things to look for when selecting your big data course or institution:
1. Domain expertise
Find out whether your instructor has domain expertise. Some get to this level through unscrupulous means. Knowing a little bit more about your instructor is, therefore, wise. Has your instructor done any work related to big data? Don’t take a class if the instructor has never worked in this domain. Additionally, institutions that do not provide details about their instructors should be avoided.
2. Cloud-based lab
You need to have a cloud-based setup while learning advanced technologies like big data. A cloud-based lab offers the following benefits:
• Instant availability, meaning you won’t have to wait for your machine to boot or need to install something.
• Remote accessibility, meaning you can work from anywhere as long as you are connected to the internet.
• Easy code debugging, meaning you can get a review or the help you require from your instructor in real-time.
3. Online training
Finding a great instructor in advanced technologies can be difficult. The chances of finding a good instructor for offline classroom training are even slimmer, especially if you’re trying to find one within your locality. When taking a big data course, live online training is usually preferable to offline training. This is because it’s easier to get a good instructor for online training than it is to get one for offline training. Even so, you’ll want to be sure the online training is live and not recorded.
4. Background
The institution’s founders should have a good background in technology. If the founders are technologically challenged, they are likely to hire sub-par instructors incapable of addressing course-related problems sufficiently. In technology, there’s a big difference between a hands-on coding instructor and one whose delivery is based on theoretical knowledge. Find out the last time your instructor worked on codes and avoid classes taught by instructors who have never coded.
5. Publication
Find out whether the institution has published anything useful in the big data field. Institutions established on a strong technology-based background will have some innovations or publications attributed to their name. Publications can be in form of research papers, blog posts, or articles. If the online publications of an institution are filled with marketing material instead of substantially useful information, looking elsewhere for a course is probably best. Such institutions are generally more focused on marketing their domains than they are in adding value.
