Breaking Into Tech Stories 4: From Agricultural Engineering to Research Data Analyst

With the fast growth of technology, the world has become a global village. It made sense for me to hone my innate skills and use them in the booming tech industry.

For my bachelor’s degree, I studied Agricultural and Environmental Engineering at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. I think that experience built me in terms of resilience and character. I also have an MSc. in Financial Engineering from WorldQuant University (WQU). Most of the soft skills that have been helpful in my career were gained during my Master’s degree training.

I have always had a flair for entrepreneurship. It was, therefore, natural for my interest in technology to start from wanting to provide business solutions. Digital Marketing was my starting point. Marketing is a vital part of running a sustainable business. So, I enrolled in a short diploma course to gain the required skills for a digital marketing career. While the course was ongoing, I supplemented my learning with Google’s digital marketing course for Africans.

Shortly after completing the course, I started working as a Social Media Manager for SMEs. After a while in this role, I decided to pivot to Data Analytics. To achieve this, I applied for Stutern’s Graduate Accelerator program in Data Analytics, which lasted 16 weeks. 

After completing the accelerator program, I resigned from my job and continued upgrading my skills on platforms like IBM, Udemy, WQU, etc.

I thought transitioning into Data Analysis would be a walk in the park. Then COVID happened, making the process more challenging. I remember ordering a laptop, which didn’t arrive for several months due to the lockdown. On top of this, I had to do most of the learning on my own.

In spite of the challenges, I successfully transitioned into Data Analysis. I have been working as a Research Data Analyst for a while now.

I am a member of DataFest, a tech community for data enthusiasts. I attended their conference last year. In addition to getting tech updates as a member of the community, I also get updates from Data professionals on Twitter (now known as X).

Regardless of my progress in data analysis, I still battle with impostor syndrome. I still wonder if I really know enough. However, I have realized that learning is continuous.

Consistent practice makes us better at the skills we have acquired. Without constant practice, we lose the skills we have put in so much work to learn.

I have had many failures in my tech journey, but I see them as failing forward. I carry those experiences as a school to learn from, not as a burden to weigh me down.

The advice I would give to my younger self is: Whatever your hands find, do it with all diligence because what is worth doing is worth doing well.

PS: Breaking into tech stories are personal journey stories of people who have transitioned into tech, especially from non-technical backgrounds.