Kickstart your Career as Data Analyst with These 12 Courses and Resources

Discover the latest data analyst courses and resources online to become a successful professional in this domain.

The business revenue of the big data and business data analytics sector shall grow from $198.08 billion in 2020 to approximately $684.12 billion by 2030 according to the Allied Market Research report. It means multifold growth in the sector is approaching.

Consequently, the need for data analysts will also grow rapidly. If you are a fresh graduate or professional and looking for a better career through upskilling, a data analyst’s role should be one of your choices. 

Also, if you are already working in the field of data analysis and want to get a high-paying role, consider becoming a data analyst. And, in your quest, the following online courses will truly help.       

Become a Data Analyst

The Become a Data Analyst course a Nanodegree Program from Udacity helps you become a functional data analyst. If you come with the following skills then you shall complete the course successfully: 

• Data manipulation with NumPy and Pandas
• Structured Query Language (SQL)
• Python standard libraries

It includes all necessary theoretical and practical study material to solve real-life business problems. Here are some notable skills that you will acquire:

• Exploring, analyzing, wrangling, and communicating data
• Advanced data analysis in NumPy and Pandas
• Applying probability and inferential statistics in real-world business scenarios
• Visualize data with Python

These skills will help you secure a job in small or big firms in roles like Data Analyst, Product Manager, Analytics Consultant, Management Consultant, etc. You can also start your independent freelance gigs.    

Data Analyst: Simplilearn

This Simplilearn course is one of the best options for you to learn data analysis from some top instructors and trainers. Simplilearn is offering the course in partnership with IBM. Hence, you will learn some outstanding business cases that IBM solves with data analytics.

This online course is the right choice for you if you are from the following backgrounds: 

• IT
• Banking and Finance
• Sales and Marketing
• Supply Chain
• Data science fresh graduate
• Students in PG/UG programs

Once you complete the course, you will learn many basic and advanced skills in this domain including the followings: 

• Statistical concepts and SQL
• Create Python programs for data analysis
• Operating tools like NumPy, Pandas, Scikit-Learn, SciPy library, etc.

You can effortlessly place yourself in top companies in the following roles once you secure a certification from this course: 

• Manager or team leader in data analytics
• Business analyst at mid or senior levels
• Business intelligence analyst or engineer  

Google Data Analytics Certificate

This Coursera course helps you to get certified as a data analyst professional through the latest theory and lab courses designed by Google. The course starts from the basic level and hence you need zero expertise in data analytics to sign up. 

Coursera and Google have designed the content in such a way that working professionals can also get certified effortlessly through self-paced learning. The certification will take about 6 months and you will learn the following skills after completion: 

• Processes and practices for an associate data analyst
• Data processing functions like analysis, cleaning, and visualization
• Data analysis tools like Tableau, SQL, spreadsheets, R programming, etc.

Finally, the certificate will help you grab a job in roles like Associate Data Analyst, Finance Analyst, Junior Data Scientist, Marketing Analyst, and more.   

Data Analyst Career Guide

Entering a new career path requires a lot of preparation. This online course on Coursera offers you the appropriate amount of interview and career guidance you will need to become a data analyst.

Anyone willing to become a functional data analyst can sign up for this course. When you complete it, you will learn the following skills: 

• Create a resume, cover letter, and elevator pitch as a data analyst
• Finding the right job
• Prepare for interview questions like coding challenges  

Data Analysis and Visualization

You can earn a data analysis and visualization certificate in just 4 months by signing up for this fully online Coursera course. 

Experts from the IBM Skills Network have designed the learning content in such a way that you can solve basic and mid-level data analysis workloads after completing the course. Anyone with basic computer and mathematics skills can sign up for the course. 

Upon successful completion, you will earn a digital certificate and acquire the following skills: 

• Data analysts’ regular tasks
• Data analysis on Excel and Cognos
• Create dynamic dashboards
• Data visualization
• IBM Cognos Analytics

Furthermore, you become job-ready for roles that require functional knowledge of Excel and IBM Cognos Analytics.    

Data Analyst Course

The Data Analyst Course from Udemy focuses on intensive learning of lab projects with raw data. The course starts with basic data transformation learnings like collecting data, cleaning raw data, preprocessing it, etc.

You can sign up for this certification without any prior background in data analytics. Course content will guide you through the basic tool installations at the beginning. 

If you are diligently following the course content, you will become experts in the following job-ready skills: 

• Basic and advanced Python
• NumPy and Pandas
• Data transformation tools
• Data visualization

Furthermore, the course will test your skills at the end before certification. After course completion, you can actively hunt for jobs in roles like Data Scientist and Data Analyst.  

Business Data Analysis

You will be able to create actionable reports on the current business status and make informed forecasts once you undertake this Udemy Business Data Analysis course. 

The course requires that you know the basics of Excel and have Microsoft Excel 2010 or later installed on a Windows computer. 

Furthermore, you will earn a digital certificate after course completion and acquire the following skills: 

• 8 different types of data analysis in Excel
• Create Excel dashboards for business reports and forecasting
• Trend Analysis, Variance Analysis, Frequency Analysis, etc.

Moreover, you can secure a job as an associate or mid-level data analyst in companies that highly relies on spreadsheets like Excel and Google Sheets for business data analysis. 

Become a Data Analyst

Udemy’s Become a Data Analyst course trains you with real-world business data in hands-on lab environments. Hence, you acquire functional data analysis skills to solve business problems confidently.

Since the course covers advanced data analysis content, you must possess the following basic skills of data manipulation:

• Excel
• SQL
• Python
• Basic knowledge of databases

You will get a digital certificate and acquire the following skills after completing this 10h 6m long online course: 

• Setting up Python and Jupyter Notebook
• Data visualization and analysis on Python and Jupyter Notebook
• Setting up Microsoft SQL Server and analyzing data on it
• Data visualization and analysis with Power BI
• Data transformation on Power BI   

Upon successful completion, you will become eligible to apply for job roles that require you to operate advanced business apps like Python, Jupyter Notebook, Microsoft SQL Server, and Power BI.     

This Udemy course is a bundle of four courses that will teach you Advanced Pivot Tables, Power Query, Power Pivot, Power BI, and Python. As you learn all these, implementing complex data analytics is not going to be difficult for you.

Since it is an advanced level course, it is advised that participants should have good knowledge of MS Excel. You can a certificate of completion once you finish it successfully.

Data Analytics Basics for Everyone

When it comes to learning the fundamentals of data analytics, this edX course is helpful for learners. This gives you a proper understanding of the data ecosystem, data analytics lifecycle, and career opportunities related to this job role.

From the course, you can learn types of data structures, data sources, data repositories, and the ETL process. Moreover, it will make you familiar with tools used for data gathering, wrangling, mining, analyzing, and visualizing.

It is an introductory-level course with no prerequisites. After successful completion, you can earn a skill badge which has a verifiable and digital credential that enlists your knowledge and skills.

Career Skills in Data Analytics

If you consider yourself to be ready to make the first move to become a data analyst, this LinkedIn Learning course is right for you. This comprehensive resource gives you a better understanding of the job role.

It teaches you business intelligence, data collection, data discovery, interpretation, data structure, data visualization, decision-making, Microsoft Excel, and Power BI. You can earn a shareable certificate from this course that can be showcased in your LinkedIn profile. 

Build Your Data Analysis Skills

This LinkedIn Learning course is a combination of two courses — one offers foundational data analytics skills, and the other emphasizes data visualization for this purpose. 

This course teaches you to ask questions about getting the right data, evaluate your skills, understand data visualization components, and identify the necessary tools such as Microsoft Excel, MS Access, and Power BI. 

After completing this course, you can display the badge on your profile that might help you in the job hunt. 

Extra Resources for Data Analysts: Videos and eBooks

So far, you have gone through online learning courses that require a formal setup like a study or office desk and a laptop to complete courses and assessments.

However, you can also learn data analysis theories on your mobile when you traveling or at your leisure. For that, use the following YouTube videos and Amazon eBooks that can also help you to shine in your data analyst career. 

#1. Simplilearn Data Analyst Course

If you are looking for a full-fledged video on data analytics, here is a useful YouTube video for you. In this video, viewers will learn about data analytics, its importance, its types, and its various applications. It will also introduce you to the top 10 data analysis tools. 

#2. CareerFoundry: What Is Data Analytics?

This is an introductory YouTube video on data analytics that discusses its definition, job description, and necessary hard and soft skills. Besides the overview, it also familiarizes you with key terminologies involved in this domain.

#3. Everything Data Analytics

Those who want to start their career as data analysts will find this Amazon book to be truly beneficial. It helps in building a solid foundation and comes with a free data visualization checklist.

Reading it, you will learn about data science, data analytics, data collection, data cleaning and management, big data, the importance of business intelligence, effective data visualization, and ML algorithm.

#4. Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst Certification Guide

If you want to become a certified Power BI professional, this Amazon book works as a comprehensive guide for you. It lets you gather the knowledge and skills required to get the most out of the Power BI application and become a certified data analyst for this application. 

This resource is for data analysts and BI professionals who want to have in-depth knowledge of Microsoft Power BI. Besides assisting you to pass the PL-300 exam, it offers numerous other applications. 

Moreover, even if you do not have any prior experience with Power BI, you can still read this book to gather the necessary knowledge. Skills you can learn from this book are:

• Collect data from various sources
• Transform data for analysis
• Create and analyze data models
• Data visualization
• Power BI deployment and management

#5. Storytelling With Data

This Amazon book is here to teach you the data visualization basics and methods of effective communication with data. With its help, you will have more power in storytelling and make data the prime point of it.

This resource lets you go beyond the traditional tools for data visualization. It uses various real-world examples to make you understand the theory. From it, you can learn the following things to implement your data to develop an engaging and compelling story. 

• Choosing the right type of graph according to the situation
• Identifying and eliminating unnecessary information
• Routing the attention to the most crucial segments of data
• Implementing the designing concepts in data visualization
• Using the power of storytelling to make your message reach the audience

In a nutshell, the book will teach you skills to turn data into high-impact visual stories that will have a long-lasting impact on your audience.

Wrapping Up

Now you know the online courses, YouTube videos, and books that will help you become a true data analyst. These courses and resources are truly accessible, convenient to learn, and affordable. So, visit these suggestions according to your upskilling needs.

You may also be interested in learning the differences between data science and data analytics. Also, follow these data science influencers on YouTube to learn the latest trends and updates on the go.