Are you interested in a career in big data? As we said before, there are many careers you can go into with a degree in data science.
The BLS reports that there are 113,000 data scientists in the country. That figure is growing by the year.
Finding a career that you are passionate about is not an easy task in itself. Once you have finished school it is likely that your career will take up the majority of your life going forward – so it’s important to find the right one. Perhaps one way to start your journey finding a career you’re passionate about could be to look at the types of work that have that ‘feel good’ factor. This is where your work is having a clear and obvious positive impact on the environment or society. It doesn’t necessarily matter what role you are taking, whether it be a Data Analytics role or even marketing executive, as you will all likely be working towards the same positive outcomes and goals within the organization.
Everything from helping other people (and animals) to making the world generally a better place to live, these six feel-good career industries should help kick-start your thinking while looking for a job in the growing field of big data.
Education & Teaching
You can use big data technology to help improve the field of academia. There are many reasons colleges and universities are investing more heavily in big data. Professors can use big data to make personalized curricula using online resources, textbooks, e-books, and school software programs. Automation tools like learning management systems (LMS) can help faculty create assignments and tests. Professors aren’t the only ones using big data at universities. Big data plays an important role in identifying promising students to improve the admissions process and other functions.
Education is one of the most important areas in any society. A country which offers its population an excellent education system is far more likely to thrive benefits associated with it. The more skilled and educated a society is, the more they will be able to contribute and add to that same society.
Areas with better education are directly associated with lower crime rates and a healthier population as they are more aware about the decisions and choices they are making. They are also more understanding about the impacts of their actions and can better control their emotions and thinking. Without a solid educational foundation there would be significantly less development growth and improvement in the standard of living would be a lot slower.
Therefore, data scientists that work in the field of academia will be doing a lot to help the planet.
Social Work
Ohio University has a great article on the benefits of big data for social workers. As the use of data science in social work improves, social workers will be able to communicate more effectively through the use of data-driven charts, graphs, and other visual media.
It is important to remember that not everyone is born with the same advantages. In any country there will always be individuals who need to overcome challenges and obstacles in their life. One of the key factors of being a ‘good human’ is how you treat others, a lot can be learnt from a society that looks after all of their people. It is therefore important that those that are in the position to do so, help others less fortunate. There are a huge number of organizations, both private and government, that have been setup to do just this.
The work can be challenging as it is dealing with people and their lives which are different in every situation and can often be unpredictable. However, it can be incredibly rewarding to know that you have helped make a difference to someone’s life.
Healthcare
Our broken healthcare system is being fixed by people with backgrounds in big data. Big data technology can lower healthcare costs by digitizing records and improving proactive care. This leads to more accurate data tracking, which in turn improves hospital care and shortens patient stays. Therefore, it is no wonder that American healthcare providers spend over $35 billion a year on data.
All of these industries are slightly related in that they tend to focus on the health & well-being of people. They are also areas that could be required by anyone no matter what their background is. Everyone is likely to have a close friend or relation that has at one point needed treatment or care for an illness. As healthcare systems improve, it means that more people are able to be treated and hopefully cured of any illnesses or health problems they have. A healthier society and population will also lead to happier and more productive one and again can be associated with many additional direct and in-direct benefits to society. Every role in healthcare is important, from the certified nursing assistants and the CNA training received in order to help the elderly all the way through to data analysts reviewing healthcare data to find process and operational efficiencies.
Environmental Science
An ever increasingly important subject is the matter of protecting the environment and the planet as a whole. The environmental science industry is one which is looking at exactly how we do this. Only by learning about the various factors which impact our environment, can we then look at how to start solving them or reducing the negative impacts we are currently making. For example, environmental science organizations can look at ways in which we can reduce our carbon footprint and harmful emissions we are putting out. From limiting greenhouse gas emissions to cleaning up our oceans, there are any number of steps that we can take to ensure that our planet remains a beautiful and habitable place for generations to come.
In Conclusion
Data professionals are fortunate in that there is a growing demand for the skills within a number of industries. This provides them with choices to choose an industry or area which they are interested in and passionate about. So, if you are looking to make a positive impact on the World, we hope these suggested areas at least provide a starting point for you to think about the right career for you.
